*It should be noted that this blog is discussing the state of "church" in general and is directed at no particular local congregation*
Have you ever found yourself wondering why you go to church? Or, if you don't go, why you should? It scares me how much of our lives we spend doing things we have never questioned... and if we were to be honest we (most of us anyways) would look at our church and ask, why do I get up earlier than I normally would on a weekend to go to a place to be with people I don't really like to listen to a band that isn't all that talented and then a random 20 min (if we are lucky) to 1 hour lecture?
As I read the New Testament it seems like this guy Jesus goes around destroying religious structures, breaking down superstitions, and slapping pious know-it-all's. Instead of becoming a Pharisee or Sadducee he hosts discussions and dinners over wine (to the chagrin of teetotallers everywhere) and bread. And we, as the church, decide over the course of 2000 years to honor Him by establishing a new religion with new do's and don'ts and new religious hierarchy.
Let me ask you something, how often do you have intensely personal conversation? How vulnerable is your life to scrutiny? How well do you feel you have come to know God's personality over the last year?
Recently, I was part of a discussion that went like this:
Person 1: I just feel really frustrated with the entire church structure... and the denomination.
Person 2: We all are. It's just the way we have to do things.
Person 3: (after a long pause) If we are involved the prostitution of Christ's bride, I want nothing to do with it.
Sunday mornings in general are constructed to be celebrations, parties with people we know and love. However, when we do not truly know those people we are treading dangerously near the ground of "religion", "institution", and "traditionalism".
