I am not always a good
christian at the best of times but I did promise myself and God that I would be
at least an honest one, about myself and the things around me and what my
thoughts are on them. This blog perhaps is a product of that.
That being said let me
also warn you that what I do suggest at times and share may be borderline…to
what I am not sure. So just come with your seat belts buckled and your neck
well exercised cause you shall be shaking in agreement or disagreement or puzzlement
or all the above.
So here goes. I think
we need to abolish church. There I said it. I am of the opinion that church has
done more harm to Christianity than any coven of witches has or can. Perhaps I
shall dive into the many ways I think this has been done, or not, but here are
a few reasons why I think church should be banned…or perhaps highly regulated.
Church(s) are too busy
running themselves to actually pay attention to the business of feeding the
flock. There is a reason why Christianity moved away from the synagogue setting
to the house church or away from centralized worship to community based
services.
Over the years, as a
church gets a lot right its gets popular and this means that more people start
attending. So what was at first a small house church of 20 max is not twice
that number which means pay attention to all the finer details and as they do
this the cycle continues an before you know its you are 1000 people needing a
building, full time staff and some sort of over sight committee. This in turn
means that the flock has to pay more attention to the running of the church.
This then means that the great commission is slowly but surely pushed aside
until its forgotten.
The other knock on
effect of this is that the flock is no longer built up to survive in all
terrain and environments but to depend on the church and So go from
independence to dependence. I must point out that the institution on which they
are now dependent cannot meet their needs 100 percent.
Having worked in a
fairly big church setting for four years I have seen how the voice of God is
sometimes over looked because of the “more” pressing issues of salaries, the
staff does need to be paid, which in turn drives policy away from doing
ministry but to making money or at least saving money.
Now any good leader
knows that for every effort there must be some show of output or productivity.
But in the things of God one cannot easily quantify or qualify monies spent
towards a certain end after all he who tills the ground does not always get to
reap in this system of God’s. so money goes away from these “obscure” goals to
more real and “needed” things like maintaining church property etc.
Don’t get me wrong,
this is all well and good and since we do have the mega churchs,some of these policies
are m much needed. However we must constantly remind ourselves of the main
existence of the church both a witnesses and a community for growth and
community change.
So if this is not
being done or with all the resources
poured into the mega church with a limited and or minor out put or rather
lasting output we must, must rethink how or what we are doing after all
insanity is same methods expecting
different results each time.
Why is this critical?
Well lets be plain, the church is failing to make and impact and where it used
to make a difference is losing ground.
Imagine for a moment
If all the major church in this city went community centric. They found out
where all their members lived and encouraged them to meet in that area. They
then trained lay pastors or lay people to constantly visit these weekly meets
but also the individuals through out the year.
So borrowing from the
old testament:
Ex
18:20-21
Teach
them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they
are to perform. 21 But select
capable men from all the people — men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate
dishonest gain — and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds,
fifties and tens.NIV
Imagine the impact this would have as we
steadily split and grow and split and as more and more people are taught to be
their brother and sisters keeper. Imagine also the load that shall be lifted
off pastors and the paradigm shift most of us will have when faced with
difficult questions of faith.
The benefits of such small community
centers of fellowship cannot even begin to be listed. The cell based system
that has been adopted by many urban churches is a small picture of this but
even that comes screeching to a halt a few sticks shy of a bundle.
Imagine all those massive church building
turned to services that actually meet needs in the community from schools,
community centers, kindergatens, roving clinics, soup kitchens, thrift shops
and even convert those parking lots into sports and play centers. I promise it
shall be more appreciated than those loud prayer over nights we carry out most
Fridays.
Imagine pastors whose main job description
went beyond the church pulpit to actual consistent constant home visits where
he knew his community members my name or at least could pick them out of a
crowd and walked their journey of life and faith with them.
Imagine a church that put people first and
was the center and heart of a community meeting needs all round. Just imagine a
church that was people centered before it looked at popularity.
Let’s move away from people coming to
church for service to the church going to people to serve. Centralised offices
might be needed but definitely not service.
Like the late Mac Elvis I have been a
church boy all my life but I can promise you that I am continually looking
elsewhere for my needs to be met.
Church as it stands now is in critical
health. Even now I hear the scythe of the grim reaper as he draws ever closer.
The church must adapt or die. Perhaps i am just being too dramatic hehehe.
