Culture & Attitude
19.11.08
If I Didn't Go to Church
Chezz - 21 November 2007
There was a time in most our lives when we didn’t go to church – except of course for the odd funeral, wedding or christening. Then one day we made the best decision anyone could ever make and committed the rest of our life to Jesus! Time passes quickly however, and it’s so easy to forget what it was like before we were church-goers. I’m realising more and more each day that it’s essential we keep reminding ourselves what life was, or is, like outside the four walls of our church. What would my life be like? What would I be thinking? What would be important to me? What if I didn’t go to church? Here’s what I’ve found…
1/ I WOULDN’T NECESSARILY BE AN ATHEIST.
I was chatting to a guy recently that I thought I knew well and referred to him as an atheist. He didn’t attend church or show any interest in God so I assumed that he was a non-believer. I was wrong! He just stopped me mid-conversation and said, “I never said I didn’t believe in God”.
It’s so easy to assume that because someone doesn’t attend church that they have no faith in God. I read in the 2001 UK census that 71% consider themselves to be a Christian – 66% however have no actual connection with a religion or church! I think that people are open to God, Jesus and The Bible, but are not at ease with ‘church’ as they know it. I believe that the local church is Gods answer for the world today – our job is to work on keeping it a place people want to come to.
2/ I MAY NOT THINK I NEED JESUS.
Not everyone is desperate for Jesus. The truth is that some people are happily living their lives and enjoying most of it. I know that you know, that everyone needs Jesus, but many people live in the moment, and their moment is just fine right now! The best thing we can be doing is talking about the benefits of knowing Jesus personally and be ready for the moment when they realise that they’re out of their depth and cry out for God. Our challenge is to be ready and waiting with the answer when their heart opens, rather than trying to prise open their heart with a crowbar! The secret is in being ready.
3/ I MAY NOT KNOW WHAT A PASTOR IS.
When I’m asked what my job is, I often reply, “well, I’m a Pastor”. Right after those words come out of my mouth I realise that 99% of people think a Pastor is something soft and tasty and originates from Italy. I really do say the most stupid things sometimes! We’ve really got to think more about the words and expressions we use. Do any of these sound familiar?
Testimony – [isn’t this something you give in a court room?].
Being saved – [from what?].
Feeding on the Word. [Alphabet spaghetti?].
Brother in the Lord. [who?]
If we want to reach people in our communities, then we’ve got to think about the words we use, the way we talk and even the literature we’re putting out there. We can do it!
4/ I MAY BE INTO CHURCH EVENTS WITHOUT BEING INTO JESUS.
My father used to love to come and hear the choir sing at our church. However, he never had any interest in giving his life over to Jesus – he just loved the music! Shouldn’t that be OK? I think it should. When we assume that everyone who walks through the door wants to become a Christian, we can turn people off fearing they’re going to be pounced upon. That’s why I believe we need to build a church where people can belong before they need to believe. People who make decisions to follow Christ for themselves, in their own time, are far more likely to be life-long followers of Jesus.
5/ I WOULDN’T WANT TO GIVE UP MY WEEKENDS.
IKEA, B&Q, washing the car, sport on the TV or just time to put your feet up after a long week at work. This isn’t unreasonable – it’s normal! Being creative in our church programming could be more effective than just trying to drag people to church on a Sunday morning. We think of it as a life changing experience – they think of it as a waste of their precious time. Ever thought of a Saturday night service instead? Maybe a midweek slot? I’m not saying that the traditional Sunday service is out of touch, I’m just saying that we need to understand the time and culture we’re living in more. I’m seeing more and more diverse ways of having church, including church on the internet! Is that the future?
6/ I MIGHT THINK I’M ON THE HIT LIST.
People aren’t stupid – well, not everyone. People know that we want the whole world to get to know Jesus! If our motives are not right, we can easily make people feel like a statistic and that all we want from them is a commitment to live for Christ. Christianity is about unconditional love, not love with a motive. If we value people for who they are, regardless of whether they receive Jesus, then I’m sure God can take care of the rest.
7/ I MAY THINK CHURCH IS BORING.
The truth is that some churches are boring – that doesn’t help! Gods plan for church was never for it to be boring. The problem with boring churches is that they always seem to be the ones on the television. My church is full of life, excitement and passion!
Telling someone you have lively music at your church isn’t going to get them to think any different either! Ultimately, we are the church and if a church is boring, then we need to take a long, hard look at ourselves – ouch!
8/ I MAY FIND THE PROSPECT OF BEING A CHRISTIAN TOO DIFFICULT.
Why do we make things so difficult? The Gospel is simple and the Christian life really isn’t that difficult to understand. As church leaders and members, we can often complicate things for others in the way we talk or explain our faith. Lets be committed to helping people understand that their relationship with God is a journey and that He’s full of grace. I like keeping things simple -some say it suits me!
Chezz is the Executive Pastor of Xcel Church. He and his wife, Louise, have four children Olivia, Max, Zak and Jackson.