The Visit
Wow, I am a loser writer girl. Promising to be faithful and then getting bogged down in the everyday. Should have kept my mouth shut. Sorry to any readers and sorry to myself for the lack of discipline.
That said …
I do have some thoughts after visiting a new church this week. I went with a good friend to hear a man give his testimony about dying and heaven. More than a good sermon and wonderful testimony, I came away with a unique feeling regarding the church visit itself.
I sat there and enjoyed myself. No worries about something going wrong or getting done during the service. No thoughts as to whether or not I had a job to do or something to sign up for. I felt like I was on vacation from many of my spiritual obligations. I worshipped from the passenger seat rather than bearing any of the responsibilities of the driver. I kept wondering to myself why this felt so good.
Then it hit me. Probably there are a whole slew of people who attend their regular churches week in and week out who feel the way I did this morning. Perhaps they feel free and easy because they remain disconnected from the body of believers at their own church. They don’t belong to any sub-groups or serve anywhere so they may freely pass, each week, through the doors with little on their minds or shoulders regarding the running of a church.
Like most things in life, this presents a two-edged sword. Low investment levels eventually yield to lower satisfaction. To fully enjoy deep satisfaction with something I belong to, some personal commitment and work must be done on my part.
The body analogy implies living working components that belong to one another. So upon reflection of my time at the new church, I enjoyed the outward benefits of the worship experience, felt the freedom to remain aloof from actually serving but in the end, realized I do not belong to that fellowship.
Caroline
That said …
I do have some thoughts after visiting a new church this week. I went with a good friend to hear a man give his testimony about dying and heaven. More than a good sermon and wonderful testimony, I came away with a unique feeling regarding the church visit itself.
I sat there and enjoyed myself. No worries about something going wrong or getting done during the service. No thoughts as to whether or not I had a job to do or something to sign up for. I felt like I was on vacation from many of my spiritual obligations. I worshipped from the passenger seat rather than bearing any of the responsibilities of the driver. I kept wondering to myself why this felt so good.
Then it hit me. Probably there are a whole slew of people who attend their regular churches week in and week out who feel the way I did this morning. Perhaps they feel free and easy because they remain disconnected from the body of believers at their own church. They don’t belong to any sub-groups or serve anywhere so they may freely pass, each week, through the doors with little on their minds or shoulders regarding the running of a church.
Like most things in life, this presents a two-edged sword. Low investment levels eventually yield to lower satisfaction. To fully enjoy deep satisfaction with something I belong to, some personal commitment and work must be done on my part.
The body analogy implies living working components that belong to one another. So upon reflection of my time at the new church, I enjoyed the outward benefits of the worship experience, felt the freedom to remain aloof from actually serving but in the end, realized I do not belong to that fellowship.
Caroline
This entry was posted
on Sunday, May 25, 2008 at 9:04 PM.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
2 Comments:
Thanks for sharing your visit with us. I too have felt this way. In my home church, I have discovered that if I slip into a seat that is far from my "usual" area, then I can hide. From my hiding place I can often have an even deeper experience of worship because I am familular with my surroundings, but hidden from those I know.
Worship? Nah...I like to daydream in church. I don't even listen to the sermon very often, and I don't feel in the least bit guilty for that. Even though I'm "connected" at my church, I choose to attend our traditional service rather than the contemporary option because the contemporary folks meet around tables and seem much more social. I like sitting in a pew and looking at the backs of heads and not having to be nice to anyone who's drinking coffee or who wants to visit with me. All this because I love to spend a quiet hour once a week not paying attention to anyone or anything. I might even call that "worshipful."
I serve on several committees and have routine responsibilities at my church, but I think God wants me to drift off during the service. It's cool because no one can tell what I'm up to! I can do it anywhere...my church or one I visit. Now, that's a talent. Try it...it's liberating.
Post a Comment