Why Church?

As you may, or may not know, Shawna and I are fast falling in love with a new Church here on the lower mainland. With a bit of guidance from our Pastor and Friend, Randy, we were able to find our way out to Westside Church. (www.churchonthewestside.com) And it’s really been a big blessing in the short while we have been here. We really have found a place that we think we can make a solid foundation, and where we can grow as Christians and as a couple. Really, we have found church.

But what do we (not Shawna and I, but we as a collective) look for in a church? What is it that draws us in? That keeps us coming? Why do we go? This is something I have been mulling over for about five days now, and I don’t think I’m much closer to an answer. But I figure I’ll share some thoughts on the matter. I guess it can be boiled down to two categories: What we want church to be. And what we need church to be.

What we want church to be

Comfortable.
What’s really cool about Westside is this idea of ‘found’ church spaces. It doesn’t do church in the traditional ‘pew’ sense. When we meet for the 10:30 am service, we meet at a movie theatre in Kitsilano. What is so awesome about that, is the wicked comfortable seats you get to lounge in and pray in. Best church seating ever! Seriously though, we want people to be comfortable. Something I always hated going to Mass growing up, was all the kneeling in Church. That isn’t comfortable. I’m not saying kneeling doesn’t have it’s place. I kneel at times when I pray, but the ritual nature of kneeling at the same time, and praying at the same time and speaking at the same time isn’t comfort. Pews aren’t comfort. Guitars and bongos on the grass. That’s comfort. That’s church. (I know that’s my opinion, and some people may find comfort in the rigid nature of mass. But I can only speak from my experience.)

A community
It’s fair to say that people who go to church (for the most part) are looking for community. They are looking for fellowship. They are looking to be a part of Christ’s living breathing body. Whether it be through attendance, small groups, ministries, community is something we as followers crave and are commanded to participate in.

A Guide
Ah. Guidance. We want direction. We want purpose. We want to be able to go to church every Sunday and use it as a Gyroscope. We feel like God is going to speak through the sermon, or the worship, or the people and tell us what direction we should be taking in our lives.

What we need church to be

Accountable
This is a tough one, because I know some people (myself included) who cringe at the utterance of the word Christian Accountability. But I don’t mean, as Stacey out it at the Place, walking around with your righteous sniper rifle picking off people who interpret scripture differently than you. But it’s a matter of being challenged. The pastor at Westside is great about reminding us of the radically offensive nature of Jesus. He is the ultimate anti-establishment. He is a kick in the face to “the man.” He is the social revolutionary, spouting out concepts that are relevant and controversial even today. Know it or not (and like it or not) Jesus keeps us accountable and he calls us to do the same to one another.

Indiscriminate
God’s house is for everyone. What’s the point in representing the God of Justice if we don’t love justly? I see so many Christians who are scared to let none believers into their churches for fear of the poisonous venom of the heathens! Ooooh! How, oh how, are people going to hear the news if we don’t let them in? I’m convinced that about 90% of the people who refute the faith do so because of an ill-founded belief that Jesus following is about judgment and persecution. (I’m not saying that’s not how we have acted over the years. I’m just saying that what we did – like the crusades for example – are not what Jesus is about.) Jesus ate with lepers, asked a Samaritan for water and chilled with prostitutes… Can’t we do the same?

Home
You need to be able to call church home. If you can’t, why are you there?

These are just my random thoughts on the topic. For those who have a home, I hope it continues to grow and flourish. Those who are looking for one, I pray that the Lord guides you. And for those of my gentle readers who don’t have one and aren’t looking for one, I ask, why not? If this is all that church is, what’s not to like? What’s not to want? Why not?