Thursday, July 12, 2012

'We-church' or 'I-church'?

I am caught between how many believers often view Sunday morning church and  how I view the body of Christ. I wrestle with developing community in an electronic age that almost effortlessly encourages the individualization of faith.  Computers and cell phones strongly encourage us to box our reality around ‘me’ and desensitize us to the give and take of ‘real time’ relationship with the church.  I see this play out in an 'I church' that naturally, electronically, revolves around me; instead of a 'We church' that is better interconnected with the body of Christ. 

The ‘I church’ goes to church needy (when they do come-there are so many options. :) They need human encouragement and interaction but operate from a position of weakness. They tend to critique the worship service and the preaching. They leave with a judgment - church met my needs today or not. It's hard to go from calling all the shots within my small electronic circle of friends to stepping back from the keyboard and letting others or even God have a go in real time! 

On the other hand, the ‘We church’ folks have come to church to encourage or serve others (where do those nursery workers and children's ministry teachers come from? :) They have come to worship God and to be transparent before the Word of God - not critique the performances.  It’s not that they are unaware of how things could be improved; it’s just that they desire much more to be in God’s presence. 

I have just scratched the surface of a rather large topic. No matter how you view church, human failings greatly color our lives.  You could even accuse me of hypocrasy for using an electronic medium to critique the effect of the electronic media! But I'd rather you ask yourself - Am I more like the 'I-church' or the 'We-church'?  I have great affection for the ‘We church’!  

1 comment:

  1. This is great, Pastor Dean.

    It expresses a lot of the reason that, this past May, I felt the sign of the cross traced on my forehead as I knelt before the altar and was confirmed in the Anglican church. I love the liturgy, because it makes no bones about the fact that worship is about God; it's not a performance, put on to entertain us or make us feel spiritual or cater to our fickle attention spans, but a prayer--with body as well as mind, offered up in obedience (and, as our hearts are gradually purified, joy) to the God Who is our Father and Lord and the Spirit binding us together.

    Not to say, of course, that the "we" church (the only true Church) cannot be cultivated in 'non-liturgical' circles...but I realize how difficult it can be.

    So thanks for striving for the "we" church...the communion of saints :) I hope all is well in CO!

    /JM

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