Not going anymore

“The church isn’t a physical building or a doctrinal statement … . It is us.”

Originally posted Feb. 8, 2012, at Country Preacher’s Corner. Republished with permission of the author.

I’m not going to church anymore. At least not after I read this snippet from “Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America” by Mike Yankoski:

“We don’t go to church, we are the church. So many problems that show up on the church steps, or in the pews, or between congregations seem to start with misunderstandings about that. The church isn’t a physical building or a doctrinal statement or a perfectly produced program. It is us — we are the living expression of Christ’s presence in the world, His body. The sooner we realize that, the sooner we’ll be able to be the healing body of Christ in our sin-sick world.”

I stopped in my tracks when I read this. I had to read it several times because of its impact on my thoughts.

Not because this statement was anything different than I truly believed. I mean, I’m very Pauline in my theology, and St. Paul penned one of the greatest analogies in the Bible when it comes to what the church is:

The body of Christ

Yes, the church is the body of Christ in the world. I knew this. I have for quite some time.

Yet, I still have been guilty of encouraging my folks to invite people to come to church.

I have been guilty of encouraging people to go to church.

Of course, I am also guilty of encouraging my congregation to be the church — to be Jesus’ disciples.

I guess I have tried to hold these things in dynamic tension persistently holding onto the idea that going to church was somehow equivalent of being the church.

But it’s not.

Worship

Going to church is worship. Worship is something someone who is part of the church does.

One can go to worship and sing hymns, give an offering and listen to a sermon without ever being a part of the church. This was evidenced by several stories Mike told in his book.

As a little background, Mike and his friend Sam decided to spend four months living on the streets, walking away from everything they knew. They panhandled for meals, dug through the trash to eat and associated with the outcasts of society.

Becoming outcasts themselves, they experienced what it was like to be looked down upon because of the way they looked, smelled and lived. Some of it was not pretty — especially their treatment in several churches.

Now, they did have some good experiences, and they share it, but one story vividly portrays my point earlier about being a part of the church.

Going to church

Mike and Sam went to worship one Sunday morning. They were both hungry. Mike had a busted flip-flop and a wound on his foot that had bled. They appropriated a place in the congregation, but before worship started, Sam approached the minister and sought assistance in getting something to eat.

He returned steamed because the pastor told him they couldn’t do that because it would detract from their mission and purpose.

After worship, several men in the congregation engaged Mike and Sam, and Mike did a little experiment. He took off his busted flip-flop and proceeded to talk about how it was busted and how his sore had bled and needed attention.

The guys around them looked around a little uncomfortable with the situation. They acknowledged how badly the foot looked and the need for new shoes, but then said, “Well, we’ll pray for you” and walked off.

Being church

The folks there went to church, but they weren’t being church. Big difference.

I thought about this long and hard throughout the evening yesterday and this morning. I’ve decided I’m not going to church anymore. Instead, I’m going to focus on being the church.

Sure, I’ll still lead worship and attend worship regularly. That’s part of being the church, but that’s just a small slice of the pie. I’m not content with just one slice — I want the entire deal — for better or for worse.

I want my life to be a reflection of the One who called me. I want him to work through me to help bring healing and hope to the world. I am not content to think that folks need to go to church to experience Christ’s love — no.

If I — and all Christians — am being the church, the body of Christ, then folks will experience that love no matter where we are.

I’m not going to church anymore.

By the grace of God, I’m going to be the church.

Find a link to Kevin Haug’s blog Country Preacher’s Corner at Lutheran Blogs.

You might also like to read:
Proud to be church
Coming together as church
Living in the midst of reformation