Remembrance and the Church
After my previous post about “Remembrance and the Present,” I thought it would be good to have an opportunity to remember where God has brought us from and to consider what God may be doing now. In particular, I’d love to hear how God has changed your understanding of the church, to hear some examples of how you and others are living out this new understanding, and to hear how you think God is changing your understanding now. In other words, use your remembrances of what God has done in your life to encourage yourself and others to trust him today and tomorrow.
For example, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been someone who has always been busy with church activities. You name a program, and I’ve probably been involved in it or something similar. I always considered these programs to be the purpose for the church. We run the programs and through them we serve God and one another.
In the last few years, my understanding about these programs have changed. I’m learning how to serve God in the opportunities that he gives me while living my life… through the interactions that I have with various people day-to-day. I’m also learning to serve through relationships instead of through positions or functions.
It was difficult at first, because it felt like I was abandoning God or at least abandoning being a good, dedicated Christian. I’ve found though that it is possible to worship God, to serve him, and to serve others in the small things of life in ways that I never would have considered before.
I’ve attempted to live this out with the people that God has brought into my life. Not only do we meet together as the church on Sunday, but we spend time with one another during the week, either in one another’s homes or doing various activities or serving in the community together. I’m still learning to serve people in my neighborhood… in fact, I’m still struggling to build relationships with people in my neighborhood. But, I see the benefit to serving and proclaiming the Gospel through relationships as a family.
What about you? What has God taught you about the church? How has your understanding of the church changed? How are you and others attempting to live that out? Where do you think he’s taking you from here?
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I’ve also been learning that serving God doesn’t just mean serving the programs of an organization that calls itself church. I’m in the process of trying to sort it out in my life. For now I’ve kinda let go of serving in non-relational ways, and am focusing on a small group study and pot-luck which serve to foster relationships. I understand someone needs to do the video, and set up the chairs, teach the children, and do all the other jobs… and as I continue to join them for the Sunday morning event, I probably should help out in some ways… but for now I’m trying to sort out how God would have me relate to my brothers and sisters.
I’m praying that God will time things in a way that my wife and I can journey this together, and in a way that strengthens unity with the brothers and sisters we are relating to.
Sounds like I’m in the early stages of your journey. For the past three years, I’ve tried to develop a new program in my church, but, despite some early success, it did not take. Further, it did not satisfy the yearning that had birthed it. Of late, my–or rather our–intentions have changed. We’re no longer building a program; we’re spending time together learning how to be church and we’re figuring out how to serve the congregation in what we’re already doing (or can do).
I’ve little notion of what the future holds for us, but I now it won’t look like Sunday School.