Church Chatter

Interesting is the chatter over church these days. Across borders, the murmur of dissatisfaction is turning into a roar of displeasure with the church as an institution. One will hear of the emerging church and how it wants to be free of the traditional chains and doctrinal cuffs of the past. I am not informed enough on these movements to speak authoritatively, but I have some thoughts that may be relelvant.

To start with, this is not the first time that people have been discontent with the state of the church. In the days of Charles Spurgeon, there was also a movement know as the Free Church which stirred up the pious pots of the established Christian bodies. Instead of wearing a long black frock coat, the Free Church pastors would sport a jacket. In the place of a silk top hat, Spurgeon would don a smaller headpiece made of soft felt. Due to the large crowds that gathered to hear Spurgeon, they opted to meet in a place of entertainment, the music hall. All these courses of action produced a torrent of flack and criticism from the more traditional types. Despite being influenced by Calvinism and Baptist thought, he determined that the only doctrine worth sqaubbling over was the truth of Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture.

The visible church is a human structure, created by men, prone to fail or thrive depending on how much it leans on it's Lord. The invisible church is a beautiful bride, being prepared for her glorious groom, waiting for their special day to arrive. This church is pure and spotless, and gracias to God for His grace, we shall not falter, but be raised up in victory some day soon.

Having said this, let me relate my experience at the church building this morning. Sitting beside my sisters in a back pew, a dreadful cloud of cynicism settled over my head. I watched the worship leader and quickly assesed that he was performing for us instead of an audience of One. Two benches up, a middle aged women had her hands raised as her head cranked from side to side and back to see what everyone else was up to. Her mouth merely mumbled the stanzas. Across the aisle and diagonal from my seat, a man was digging deep for gold and flicking his finds onto the floor. In various sections of the sanctuary, conversations were taking place in outdoor voices and many were paying more attention to their children then to the music, prayers, or preaching.

Admittedly, I do not know these people at all and it was my first attendance. Every one of these people could be passionate and sincere in their faith. My spiritual lenses may be spotted and smudged with my own fingerprints, but the service created in me a sadness and irritation. The place intended for worship and recognition of the Creator had been reduced to a den of distraction and disinterest. A stubborness swelled within me and I resolved not to raise my hands or feign any feeling that I did not truly sense within me. I was not going to be like those people.

But I was like those people. Instead of training my thoughts to the Truth, I let them loose to roam the range of self-righteouness. Instead of closing my eyes to contemplate the presence of God and his Spirit, I critiqued the lack of focus in others. I was distracted by the inattention of the congregation, but I was adding to it by my own brand of daydreaming. While I was looking at everyone else, who was looking at me and questioning my integrity?

I agree that in many ways the church we see today is in dire need of renovation and reevaluation. God knows my frustration and He shares in it. The church needs help, but so do I. I am the church, I am a part of the solution and a part of the problem.

I enjoy the buzz over church issues. It means that people are searching and questioning. May our chatter bring about growth and increased desire to serve the One who unites us.