Community

I have to say I think I am going to try to make this blog a part of my life again. I believe first off that it is a very tangible way to examine God's work in my life. I also believe that it will be good practice for my future as a writer. My writing professor has shared with me that blog posts can sometimes make good features to try to send in for publishing. Of course, they would need a little work first. Even so I believe my blog is both good practice in my faith, and in my life as a writer.



Today I am writing to discuss a very complex issue of Christianity: the church. In my Christian Foundations class we recently had a discussion online. That discussion centered around Acts 2. My professor asked us to debate whether the founders of the Christian church (Peter and the other disciples) would be pleased with our modern church. Needless to say there were quite a wide variety of response. My own was a mixed one. You may read it:


To think of how the founders of the Christian church would view our modern version of it is an utterly fascinating idea. Ancient times were drastically different than ours in many aspects, but has the church somehow managed to avoid the changes of time? It's hard to say, considering there are hundreds of Christian denominations, and branches even within those basic sects. The variety of traditions and expressions of faith within this single religion is astounding. I grew up in a nondenominational (may have other roots but I am unaware of them) church. I went to church every Sunday in jeans and a t-shirt and sat on chairs in a school gym, singing along to worship songs strummed out on guitars, and listening to a pastor dressed in slacks and a button up shirt. This is the church I know and love and have grown up in. My grandmother on the other hand is a very strict Lutheran. She goes to church in her nicest clothes, sits on the pews, holds up the hymn books to sing along with the organ, and listens to a pastor who is wearing traditional robes. We don't always get along about these traditions either. I have always found it amazing that the same faith can seem so different.

So if my own grandmother is put off by my more modern traditions...how would the disciples feel? Well, in many ways I feel they'd be disappointed. They'd be disappointed that Christians are separated from one another based on minor differences in how to do worship or on how to take communion. They'd be disappointed that two Christians can get in an argument over whether you should be baptized when you're a baby, or baptized when you accept Christ. I think that if we examine Acts 2 we see that the ancient Christians believed in five basic things which we should carry on in our services today. I do not believe that other minor details are important. Those five elements are:

1. Acts 2:42a "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching". The disciples believed in listening to the teaching of the gospel. This was what early Christians took time doing: learning about Jesus. Alongside that Peter quotes Joel and the Psalms. It is important to learn both Old and New Testament.The fact that most modern churches have a standard Sunday sermon demonstrates that this key part of being a Christian is still in place.

2. Acts 2:42b "and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread". The disciples found fellowship important. It was important not only to gather to learn, but to gather to love, just as Jesus commanded in telling them to love one another. This also is still a key part of the modern church.

3. Acts 2:42c "and to prayer". I do not believe I have ever visited a church that does not believe in praying. This element of Christianity is still at work today.

4. Acts 2:45 "They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." The church is a key part in helping the poor. Many churches in today's society still help the poor either through missionaries in poor countries, or a food cupboard for the homeless or any other service project. This still seems to be a fairly standard idea. I believe this is one area the disciples might push more, and encourage more Christians to sacrifice money, or time to help those around them.

5. Acts 2:47 " praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people". This is worship. Praising God no matter in what form is an act of worship. If my history is not wrong I believe early Christians often read or sang the psalms as their worship. Whether listening to organs or guitars this is still a part of today's churches as well.

This is simply my interpretation of course, and I would love it if you would give me yours (nicely of course), but I believe overall the Christians of the 1st century would be delighted that God's work is still carrying on in today's society, though perhaps be disappointed that we can't get along over minor details.
So whether you go to this:

Or this:

Just consider the things that the Christians in Acts 2 found were important, and maybe you'll be able to love other Christians just a little bit better. 

So, that's my discussion. Others were more harsh stating that there would be a good deal of disappointment over the way some churches spend money on huge buildings, fancy worship equipment, and large salaries for pastors. One boy went so far as to say that worship was all a show now a days, trying to make it seem like a rock concert. And in many ways he is right. Being a part of a worship team myself, I have seen how easy it is for musicians to get caught up in making the music sound great.

The thing is many churches are forgetting the more important aspects of faith. They're so wrapped up in making Sunday worship sound amazing that they forget to put more effort in building a community. Individual Christians can also be this way. They put silly things like worship first over finding a great church community. I admit I have been picky about the way my worship is done before too. I used to hate my home churches youth worship because the music was "too modern" and people would clap afterwards in a way I thought was making it seem like a rock concert. The thing is we can get so caught up in critiquing worship, or critiquing the pastor's speaking skills, or critiquing the way the church looks that we forget that the church was set up for more than that. It was set up to be a community. A community of believers.

I am not usually not too picky about what denomination of church I try. As long as their theological doctrine seems sound I am fairly happy. I have not always been this way. As I said earlier I have been known to be picky. But lately I'm beginning to realize that whether worship is hymns or modern rock songs its all the same to God. I guess He's beginning to work on my heart and push these petty values aside. I've figured out that sometimes I like visiting my grandmother's church, because saying prayers together with other Christians in one voice is meaningful. I like going to my other grandparent's church because I enjoy listening to worship without any background instruments. I love being at my home church I grew up in because I love being in such a big group of people worshiping altogether. I like trying new things. I like seeing how each different Christian can worship, and how it can be equally meaningful to God.



Even so I've settled down this year at a Friends (Quaker) church. I like it pretty well, although there are things that I find myself disliking just like in my grandparents churches or other ones I've tried, or even my home church. I have to admit that I miss communion while I'm at school, but by this point I'm starting to realize just how much I like about this church, in spite of its differences.

Every time I go someone greets me and asks me if I'm from George Fox and then proceeds to strike up a friendly conversation. Today a lady at church even gave my friend and I some hand painted greeting cards. I was amazed by her thoughtfulness. Furthermore, I am enjoying seeing the churches tradition of speaking from the soul. Every Sunday after the lesson the pastor gives a time to just pray silently and speak if you are led. I am amazed by people's courage to stand up and share with the whole church, and love seeing what's going on in their personal journey's of faith.

And today I found another thing I love. The church made sure to have a day where worship wasn't a "concert" as some people would call it. Instead of planning worship, the leader let people in the church pick songs out of the hymnal. I loved singing with everyone to songs that the worship leaders only put minor accompaniment to. The old church (the pastor said it was built before his grandparents were born), has a beautiful acoustic quality that I had never noticed before. But today I heard each and every voice raised throughout the church, echoing sweetly as we sang Great is Thy Faithfulness, one of my favorite old hymns. It was a joyous occasion, and to me just helped define all the more our talk in Christian Foundations.



So I guess that's what I've been learning lately...that while I believe a church should be sound in their theology, the rest that matters should just be forming a great community of strong Christians. I suppose I wanted to share my happiness over finding a church that meets those requirements, even if I don't agree with (or like) every single thing about it.