No Islands

I've been a part of a couple of conversations about the nature of the church. One was with an atheist who has respect for the church. However, he believes that the primary function of the church is to police and push a doctrinal agenda. I don't like that perception of the church. If that's what people think, then we are doing a pretty bad job at being the church. I think a major aspect of the church is the gathering of a community that has been touched by Christ. I can't seem to get away from the communal aspect of the Church.

Another conversation begin to focus on the role of "certain" congregations that don't care to see themselves in community with the rest of their denomination. They have done a great job of creating some sort of community within their own walls (as warped as that community may be). However, they only show up to synod assemblies in order to vote for the "hot-button" issues. It was reported that 200 people walked out of the synod assembly between the debate on sexuality and the entire rest of the assembly.

These congregations are reinforcing the perception that my atheist conversation partner has! STUPID!

How do I try to tell people that the church is a community of people who gather around an experience of the divine, when there are ministries designed to sabotage each other? Impossible. It drives me nuts.

Justice in the church can only happen when we realize that we need the ENTIRE body of Christ to survive. No one is saved alone. Either we all make it, or we don't. I can't just recognize that my neighbor is someone I don't relate...I have to realize that I desperately need my neighbor for my own well being.

Thanks for starting this up. I needed an outlet to vent.