On Sunday, October 5, 2014, I was sitting in a pew, participating in worship in a way I rarely experience. I’m used to being at the piano - I’ve been worshiping that way since I was a kid, so sitting in the pew gave me a new perspective. This was my first Sunday at Lord of Life, and before I jumped into leading rehearsals and using my Sunday morning brain space to think about what notes I needed to play and who I needed to cue next, I was allowed to sit and watch and find out for myself how Lord of Life comes alive each week.
My previous church experiences left me with moments of doubt. Not so much in God - I believe in God. And Jesus. But sometimes it seems like the theological structure of the Christian church is a barrier to doing the work we’re being called to do - specifically, to love each other. And the hierarchical structure demands that pastors and bishops have answers and authority. So when people ask difficult questions, they answer with hard and fast “black and white” principles that end up hurting some people.
You can imagine how refreshing it was when Pastor Lowell’s sermon on my very first Sunday ended with “I don’t have all the answers, but we’re on this journey together.”
Huh.
I know there is comfort in having someone tell you that there are simple truths and that all your questions have answers. But after a lifetime of having those “truths” or beliefs fall apart under pressure or apply more to some people than others, I feel much better thinking of Christianity less as a set of beliefs and more as a way of life. Jesus, himself, said, “I am the way.” He also said to stop getting caught up in all the laws of the church and focus on loving each other.
I’ve been reading a book by Brian McLaren called Do I Stay Christian? This book isn’t for everybody. It says a lot of things that are difficult to hear. He explores some of the ideas I’ve discussed here about faith and beliefs, and many more. I was surprised when he quoted Frederick Douglass using words that could easily apply today:
The church regards religion simply as a form of worship, an empty ceremony, and not a vital principle, requiring active benevolence, justice, love, and goodwill towards humanity… A worship that can be conducted by persons who refuse to give shelter to the houseless, to give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and who enjoin obedience to a law forbidding these acts of mercy, is a curse, not a blessing to humankind…
I’m grateful that Lord of Life is so good at overcoming the shortcomings of many Christian churches. But I’m always trying to stay aware that what we sing and say in worship continues to inspire us to follow the way of Jesus.
What other ways would you like to see us follow Jesus’ way?
Yours on the journey,
John Johns