Christian Boundary Markers II: Church Attendance
“Standing in the kitchen doesn’t make you a chef.”
I want to state right at the beginning that this is a complicated topic much deeper than a mere blog post. There are limitations to writing in this format. Nevertheless…
The primary point in the first post related to this topic was that the legitimate religious symbols and practices of one era can become the false idols and legalistic practices of another. This is precisely what can make a discussion of false Christian boundary markers so perilous as these symbols and practices can be, and are, beneficial until idol building humans come into contact with them.
A further problem related to this issue is that humans in general, and Christians in particular, are so very bad at being honest with themselves, and have little to no experience in questioning their own presuppositions and practices. In fact, if I had to put my finger on one of the main issues that has lead to the rapid deterioration of church membership and attendance it is the inability to question what we are saying, what we are doing, and how we are doing it.
The pattern I have seen most often from failing Christian institutions and churches is that if they just keep doing things the way they always have been then God will bless it (with out ever wondering if this is what God wants); therefore, they keep doing whatever it is that was ineffectual in the first place. It brings to my mind the famous saying about insanity. Sometimes there is rhetoric about God getting rid of the chaff… and yet their numbers continue to shrink and shrink. When things finally get so bad that they are shaken out of their denial it is often too late.
Let me say clearly that I think if you are a Christian you should try and find a church. Churches are great places to practice being a Christian. Notice I said practice. See, the mistake most people make is thinking that going to church on Sunday morning is where you go to be a Christian, and often this act is separated from whatever else is going on in their life.
However, church is where you get to practice being forgiving, charitable, asking for forgiveness, and experience God as you give up the illusion of self will and control. Finally, as we go through corporate prayer, worship, and take the elements we practice a spiritual process that eventually characterizes who we are in our dealings with others outside the church when we go into the world and actually be Christians.
The mistake of believing Sunday morning to be the event that marks out a “real” Christian makes church attendance a chore, a legalistic task to ensure that the salvation insurance is still payed. You can go through the week bitter, angry, disappointed, drunk, fighting with your wife, and acting with no ethics at work, but as long as you can dress up the outside and get to church on Sunday morning you are a “good Christian.”
Unfortunately, we often encourage this sort of attitude within our congregations. For a horrible example of this see Marc Driscoll HERE. iMonk has some interesting comments on Driscoll’s characterizations of those that could make it on one of the worst weather days in recent years as the “hardcore of the hardcore” while at the same time Driscoll the pastor of the church denigrates those who did not come because they couldn’t, or for safety concerns.
I do not want to espouse some form of Pelagianism, but neither do I want anyone to think that merely going to church on Sunday morning is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Jesus said that people will know you are a disciple of his if you do what he commands and if you love one another. He did not say people will know you are my disciple if you act like everyone else (and sometimes worse) but go to church on Sunday morning, sing some bad songs, and hear a good self-help talk so that you can feel better about yourself compared to those that were not there.
The life of the Christ follower is much, much more than going to a building on Sunday morning to congratulate yourself that you intellectually agree with some ideas similar to others in your social and financial bracket. I hope to write a couple of posts on this, but unfortunately we have to talk about what Christianity is not first.
Up next. Boundary marker number two: Abstentions.
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21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Some of your language in this post sounds a lot like Michael Horton’s Christless Christianity — are you familiar with that book? I just finished it and am still a little bewildered about my response.
[Agathos: No I have never heard of it... but he sounds brilliant!
]
church is a good place to practice being a Christian?
ok, first: you made that up. is that biblical at all?
In my experience, it can be as difficult to be a Christian at church as it can be outside the church. If the church is the body of Christ, then really, meeting together and all that early-church/The Book of Acts activities are certainly not separate but are in fact integral to what it means to “be Christian.”
and while I’m not about to start defending Marc Driscoll (why are you criticizing this guy, honestly ask yourself this), I think you’re being a bit…exagerrsome…by suggesting he thinks coming to church in a snowstorms marks true Christians.
and yes, I made up exaggerrsome. It’s like exaggerate and bothersome combined.
I liked most of this post, but I think your logic fell apart when you started suggesting there are days we are Christians, and days we are just practicing. The connection you made to “going to church = Christian” and the Marc Driscoll blog was a bit of a stretch.
Christine,
First it would seem that you did not read the first post at all or this one very carefully.
Not every statement about the Christian life is explicitly articulated in the pages of the Bible. Yes, believe it or not church is a great place to practice being a Christian: you are going to get all sorts of chances to be charitable and forgiving. If you don’t do it there you won’t do it anywhere else. The problem I was setting out (if you bothered reading) was that some people think that the church on Sunday morning is where you go to be a Christian, and in my experience for some they are never a Christian more than that.
As for my logic “falling apart”… my POINT is that we are not just Christians on Sunday morning, so you are critiquing me with my own point!
I love hypocrites of your ilk. You come on here with some criticisms that are logically weak that bear little evidence of critical reading skills and question me about Driscoll (another piece I doubt you read) but it’s OK for you to question me. (why are you criticizing this guy, honestly ask yourself this) Right back at you.
I was critiquing your use of the word “practice” as if Christianity isn’t “for real” on Sunday (or whenever you spend time at church).
I think what you were trying to do with this post, was to prove the point that “we are not just Christians on Sunday morning” but you went so far as to say that we are more Christian when we’re outside of church. That’s not a Biblical concept so I challenged you to defend it, and use scripture, rather than speculate.
I think you’ve criticized Mark Driscoll in that ol’ fashioned way where we feel like we know more than the pastor does. You were giving him a hard time when really, I think the spirit of what he was saying was pretty clear. I didn’t agree 100% with what he said, but he’s not Jesus, so I’m fine with that. I felt your criticism of his post to be unfair and so by asking you to analyze your feelings, I thought that maybe you would be able to see what I could see much more clearly, that is, a selfish or prideful motivations in dissing him. I hope it’s not news to you to hear that you come across as prideful, and thinking of yourself as better (at least intellectually) than others.
I hope I’ve been able to clarify what I was trying to say in the first comment.
Before you categorize me as a hypocrite of a certain ilk, I suggest you read my comments thinking the absolute best of me… I’m quite nice and really didn’t mean to offend. In fact, most of what I say is with a smile.
OK. I’m starting to wonder if this is someone I know who is trying to trick me because on one level it is the only thing that makes sense. in that light your comments are good stuff for a laugh. If not…
For you to write, “I suggest you read my comments thinking the absolute best of me… I’m quite nice and really didn’t mean to offend. In fact, most of what I say is with a smile.” on the one hand, but also write, “I thought that maybe you would be able to see what I could see much more clearly, that is, a selfish or prideful motivations in dissing him. I hope it’s not news to you to hear that you come across as prideful, and thinking of yourself as better (at least intellectually) than others.” on the other, is beyond ridiculous. ANYONE who thinks they see a person “clearly” from a blog post is “clearly” a deluded and dangerous fool.
As to your “critique” I never went so far to say we are more outside the church… it is what you deduced from what I did write not anything I explicitly wrote. However, if put to it I would say that both are important (in and out of the church) but in some cases (another mistake you make is painting with too broad a brush and assuming I do the same… I often use some and many to describe churches and Christians but not all) there has been too much of a focus on Sunday morning exclusively and not enough on the rest of our lives. For these situations I would swing the pendulum too far and say to self-congratulatory, me-centered emotionalism Christianity that Monday to Saturday are more important.
Your call for scripture is weak at best in light of the massive amounts you quote yourself but… while the Bible does not explicitly say “don’t smoke” or “don’t do drugs” exegesis and interpretation can lead us to these conclusions. I think there are also examples of how we live being more important than what we may say and do on Sunday exclusively. For example, Matt 25 the goats gathered together and talked about Jesus and did things in his name, but the sheep went and lived it. James says you tell me about your faith I will show you my faith, to understand this properly we must also view it in light of his statement about pure and undiluted religion. I could go on.
As for your comments on Driscoll. I think in two years he has been mentioned twice on this blog. He is not my pastor, he is “a” pastor. Certainly, not “the” pastor. Seeing that I follow Jesus and do not worship men I find it perfectly reasonable to disagree with others when I find their statements lacking. Even Mark Driscoll. I know it’s hard to believe but he can be wrong.
As for my pride… it is hard to believe that such ignorance could be typed under the delusion of discernment and intelligence. What about your pride in judging me hypocrite? My pride that you can “clearly” see? Really? It’s selfish pride when I say something about Driscoll but you can label me with the harshest of words and it’s what? Discernment? Your sort of hypocritical judgmental stupidity drives me crazy especially when it leaves you with the illusion of having said something valuable. Bleech. Igstupersome. That’s ignorant, stupid, and bothersome put together.
I hope it’s not news to you that you come across as ignorant and uneducated with the barest small signs of any reading skills or intelligence. As for knowing better than a pastor… sometimes I’m right and wrong and sometimes others (like Driscoll) are right and wrong. I have a BA in religion and theology with a minor in biblical languages, and I am currently studying for an MA in biblical studies. Every once in a while I might sort of maybe kind of know what I am talking about.
But that’s probably just my selfish arrogance typing that you can so clearly see from a blog post. But before you categorize me as selfish and prideful I suggest you read my post and comments while thinking the best of me… I’m quite nice and most of what I say is with a big smile.
I bet you don’t believe that after the harsh negative criticism.
Guess how I felt when you wrote it?
Now I have to go pray for forgiveness.
I think Christine read “practice” differently than you intended it — from her comment it seems she thought you meant “practice being Christian” on Sunday, then be Christian for real on other days. I think from your post that you mean being Christian is something that takes practice, and that the practicing and the being are the same thing, not different stages or steps of the process.
When I got saved by the baby Jesus and filled with Holy Ghost power (evidenced with speaking in tongues, slaying people in the spirit, and a good feeling) – I was immediately able to live perfectly.
I don’t know what all this go to church/practice stuff is about.
You need more faith, and fire my brother.
What can I use in my defense? You have more education than me? You’re older? Wiser? I thought saying “you come across proud” was one of those things that Christians just say to each other because it’s true of all of us. I thought you’d read it and smile. I mean, you’re funny. You’re witty. You have really sound arguments, from what I can tell, and I just wanted to enter into the discussion. I wanted to discuss. I didn’t want it to be personal.
I mean, what else can I say. I feel really powerless right now to make this situation right.
And by personal, I mean, I wanted to discuss on a real level, like I would with friends. I didn’t want it to come across as a personal attack.
Christine,
If I have made you feel powerless then I apologize. My words are to my own shame if that is the case. I ask for your forgiveness. There is nothing that you need to make right.
Writing is an imperfect communicative form. Sometimes what is communicated in the mind of the author and in the mind and experience of the reader are two completely different things. Sometimes flawed finite human beings over-react if they sense a personal attack.
Let’s re-start, but slowly. If I walked up to my wife at a mall and pinched her butt: no big problem. If I walked up to you and did the same there would probably be a problem. There has to be a certain level of relationship before certain waters are entered. I would love to discuss and have you enter the discussion just keep the ad hominem stuff to a bare minimum until I get to know you and your sense of humor better… if I haven’t already driven you away for ever.
What isn’t news to me is that many people have told me I can kind off be over the top which is really, really good for some things but I am still learning to temper it in other areas.
You can pinch my butt any time…
*irrelevant 2 cents*
I do not have any problems with your thinking but I would like to remind you that although church attendance does not make one a Christian, it does on the other hand offer proof that one is a Christian.
One who is saved should now have a “new nature” which wants to fellowship with God and others who are likeminded.. Church attendance is an INDICATION that something has happened on the inside which has manifested itself on the outside.
Your example that standing in a kitchen does not make one a chef can also be extrapulated to say that a chef can usuelly be found in a kitchen.
Jesus also spoke on this when He said that we are known by our fruits. Also remember that God said He would meet with HIS people at the “mercy seat”. That mercy seat was on the Ark of the Covenant which was in the Holy of Holies which was inside of the Tabernacle or Church. Understanding that, the writer of Hebrews tells us; “Do not forsake the assembly of the brethern”.