Why do you? ... or why don't you?

So the other night, I heard a statement that I'm sure sums up the sentiment of many who don't involve themselves in "organized religion." It was a statement that seemed to say, "I believe in God and Jesus, and we're Christians, but I'm not going to get involved in a church. They have too many policies and that sort of thing ... too much telling people what to do or not to do. Give me the Bible, but don't ask me to get involved in a church."

As one who ministers in the church ... and has bought into the whole "church" thing, this caught my attention ... and actually ... it saddened me. Maybe the statement had more to do with the persons understanding of what the church is, or their understanding/lack of it on what the Bible has to say about the church; or maybe they had a bad experience in the past ... whatever it was ... I don't know ...


But it saddened me ... I pray that as believers we are being true to being the Church that God has called us to be ... that we are a community of people who are living out the Gospel. That our local "churches" would shine brightly for the Lord ... wherever we are ... we are now his body on this planet ...


Sure people are going to think what they think ... but my hope is that we are churches that are biblical communities that honor the One who gave himself for them ... for they are his bride ...


I ran across this article (check it out ... it's a quick read) that I thought was relevant to this discussion where Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck write as guest columnists today in the Newsweek/Washington Post forum on religion. Here's an excerpt:


Perhaps Christians are leaving the church because it isn't tolerant and open-minded. But perhaps the church-leavers have their own intolerance too--intolerant of tradition, intolerant of authority, intolerant of imperfection except their own. Are you open-minded enough to give the church a chance--a chance for the church to be the church, not a coffee shop, not a mall, not a variety show, not Chuck E. Cheese, not a U2 concert, not a nature walk, but a wonderfully ordinary, blood-bought, Spirit-driven church with pastors, sermons, budgets, hymns, bad carpet and worse coffee?


The Church, because it is Christ's church, will outlive American Idol, the NFL, and all of our grandkids. We won't last, but the Church will. So when it comes to church, be like Jesus: love it, don't leave it. As Saint Calloway once prophesied to the Brothers of Blues, "Jake, you get wise, you get to church."

How about you? Why do you plug into a local church? Or why don't you?