Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Season's of Our Life

I was FB chatting with a friend this morning about my experience when I went to a Sunday night service at my mother's IB church recently.

THAT season of my life is over. That is, for me, I no longer see that as something I would ever see as an obligation or even having any value - again, FOR ME. It has been honed to a sleek "service" that you could predict at almost any church in the country.

And I wonder, how much true Life is there? Oh,there are a lot of smiles and good music, but is there really anything under the surface? I asked this exact question recently to someone who still goes there - if he were to openly question a deeply held Baptist distinctive, how long does he think it would take for people to start to pull away from him?

I think he would be shocked how shallow and conditional those relationships really are - I've seen it for myself. Start asking HONEST questions, and people become really uncomfortable, and people don't LIKE discomfort, so they just avoid it...and you.

Like I've said before, I couldn't have begun this journey if I had remained at my church. I am thankful for God's leading in my life.

2 comments:

From Flame to Fire said...

But, you might not have realized you were missing something if you had not gone to the other church.

John Fincher said...

Hmmmm...but something was missing BEFORE I even went to the other church. And while I LOVE the people God has put in my life (family, secular friends [that is, people met OUTSIDE of a "religious" setting], and "church" friends), I do not associate myself with the institutional church itself.

I consider everyone (see list above) as my "church". I'm just trying to love those God puts in front of me - on a daily basis.

I don't always succeed, but I believe that is what is meant by Body life.

My main point was, that THAT part of my life (regular Church attendance) is over. I may still go from time to time, but I (ME) don't see it as a God-given duty. I just want to be around other believers so we can talk about our walk and edify each other.

:-)