I
think we find it so hard to give up Church not just because of
tradition, though that is a major factor, but because Church has
become our spiritual measuring stick. We determine our level of
spirituality based on how often we go to Church, how many Church
activities we are involved in, how much money we give to the Church.
Without that institution to measure ourselves against, we feel lost
and devoid of direction. So how do we measure our level of
spirituality without the Church? Well, that would require study,
seeking God, prayer and solid leaders as our examples. You see, it
actually requires you to do more than to just check off your little
Church duties to determine your spirituality. Now it's just like –
Sunday service=check..., midweek Bible study=check... music
practice=check... Oh, that means I'm a three out of ten. Maybe next
time I can add children's ministry and Sunday night service and then
I'll be a five, wow, I'll be half way there.
Without
Church, how do we assemble? Our daily interactions with friends,
family and neighbors becomes our assembling together. What does this
mean for us? It means no more gossiping with the neighbors, no back
biting with your sibling. It means that evening with the guys needs
to be talking about Jesus and not getting drunk. It means that
weekend party needs to be filled with worship, not gambling. It means
no more special day or special place where we play nice, it means
that being a Christian doesn't begin on Sunday morning and end on
Sunday night. I think this scares us. If there is no start and there
is no finish, then that means we REALLY have to follow through, we
REALLY have to commit, we REALLY have to believe, we can't just fake
it anymore.
When
I say no more Church, I mean no more Church as we know it. I believe
in assembling, I just think that it should be considered “assembling”
every time we are with our family, friends and neighbors, not in
a building on Sunday. I still believe in Leaders like Pastors and
Teachers, I just don't believe in the “Office” of Pastor that
comes from tradition. I think the leaders should be going to the
body, teaching, leading, counseling and conducting Bible studies
where the body is, not standing behind a pulpit on a stage on Sunday
expecting everyone to come to them. I still believe in Elders, I just
don't believe in the elders as some kind of a comity to decide
whether or not to pave the parking lot this year, or if we should
start using LED light bulbs or not. I think that the elders should be
considered any member of the body who is spiritually matured, has
great wisdom. Someone that we can go to for sound Biblical advice.
