What is Church to Be?
I was visiting somebody today and we began to talk about church. On that subject he said, “I don’t need a place to go on Sunday, I need a place to work.”
My immediate thought was, “Yes! That is exactly what we should all be saying.” It’s not that this guy wouldn’t attend worship on a Sunday morning, in fact I know he would and that is part of what he’s looking for, but that he’s got a different idea of what that looks like for him. Since our conversation this afternoon I’ve been doing some thinking about this statement and what the church is to be.
First, I do agree with him. As far as a place to be – there are lots of places to be on a Sunday morning and if my faith wasn’t important to me, then I would probably “be” in my bed on a Sunday morning. On the other hand, my dog would probably make me get up – at which point I would be sitting on the couch, drinking coffee and reading the paper. So why would any of us show up at worship on a Sunday morning if it were only a place to be?
So then that brings us back to the work aspect of the comment. Our faith has transformed us and as Jesus came to serve, not to be served, we are called to do the same. So church – the people, not the building – is to be people who work. People who tell the story, who spread the Gospel. People are in service to the world, being God’s hands and feet. This happens even in worship – Liturgy, that order of service we Lutherans and other Liturgical churches follow in worship, means ‘work of the people.’ Worship is work! So why do we sometimes act like church is a place to show up rather than a place to work and be involved?
But then I began to think a bit – what if I’m the one who needs to be served? What if I’m not in a position to serve yet – not in a place to work? Am I part of the church too? And if I am, what does that mean? And if I’m not, then is that really such a bad thing?
Thoughts?
I think it depends what you mean by “not in a position to serve.” Here’s what *I* mean.
(Note that I’m talking ideals here – specifically *my* ideals, FWIW.)
I don’t think churches should be places in which “just show up and be served (or taught or inspired or whatever)” is an option that would even make sense – on an ongoing basis. We all have periods in our lives when we need to just lean on others – when we’re suffering or overwhelmed or grieving or in crisis. This applies to pastors too, though y’all rarely have the freedom to go into that mode. Of course churches should be communities where we support each other in those times, and don’t ask much of the struggling person – this loving support should be a hallmark of Christian communities. (Though I’d also mention that I’ve received *huge* gifts through coming alongside folks who are struggling – so it’s not as if you’re not “serving” when you’re in a place of needing others to serve/help/support you, IMHO.)
But this should be in the context of a clear cultural context within the church community: it should be obvious to the newcomer walking in that this is a community of people who *all* work to serve and bless each other and the world. Yes, on any given day, not every single person will be able, or even needed, to work/serve. But it should simply be a given fact of the community culture that every single person in the community is encouraged and challenged (by the the people around them, not just the “leaders”) to discern the gifts they have for service, and to serve. This shouldn’t be something people just talk about, or that only some people do – it should be part of the nature of the community.
Walking into a church community should be like walking into a gym/health club. It should be blatantly obvious that everybody is there to actively participate. Sure, I *guess* you could just hang out and watch everybody else exercise, but that’s pretty obviously an odd thing to do. If you’re injured or sick, then you might need to work out *much* less strenuously and/or with a lot of help, or not work out at all for a while. But still, the nature of the place is immediately apparent. If you don’t want to exercise, you’ll probably go somewhere else.
I honestly think churches should be like that. Jesus calls followers, not fans. “Show up and be appreciative” should really not be a long-term option. *Everybody* has gifts, *everybody* can serve (I recall a story of an elderly woman who became frail, deaf, and blind – and found a new calling as a powerful intercessory prayer warrior), and our church communities should be places where *everybody* is actively invited to do so – from day one – not just with words but by the very nature of the community. Everybody else is serving, so it would be kinda weird not to.
And I do mean “from day one”. You’re new? Welcome! Can you help me put these books away? You’ve got doubts? Me too. What’s your take on today’s Scripture passage? Etc. But I *don’t* believe in the “We’ll start you out with just sitting back and being served/taught/inspired, then maybe you’ll eventually graduate to participation.” That’s rubbish. That’s how people go their whole lives as fans, not followers, of Jesus.
OK, sorry for the big rant. Whew. I got going there. Anyway, obviously something I feel strongly about.
I agree completely Mike – and that’s what I’m thinking about. The when and where of being able to be supported, but also having that “work” or participation be a significant portion of the DNA of a community.
In particular, since I wrote this, I have been thinking about last week’s Gospel reading for us – Mark 1.29-39. Early in the reading Jesus enters Simon’s house where his mother-in-law is sick with a fever and he heals her. But I think what comes next is key – she gets up and starts to serve them. She’s healed and she doesn’t just sit around and look at Jesus like he’s the greatest thing in the world, she starts to do something, be of service.
So when I’m thinking about those who are not able to work, I’m also thinking (but didn’t articulate this) about how we can, as a community, be agents that promote getting to the place where this is possible. So whether it is getting through a rough time together or being part of a physical therapy program together – the intent is that we would then be back to working again after we’re “healed.”
Also, thanks for the sports club analogy – I like it. =)
In the words of the Bob Dylan song, you “Gotta Serve Somebody.” (“…it may be the devil or it make be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody…” etc.) I think that we are both serving and being served all the time. The important question is, “Who is the object of our service?