What is the purpose of the church?

I have noticed that when the schools teach religion, presenting them as equals (not offering commentary, just making an observation), it tends to devalue the religious teaching of the parents-whatever religious teaching that may be.  The kids tend to look at what they have been taught as being intolerant and ask why their religion should have any claim to truth over the others.  I have even found videos and websites that compare the religious upbringing of children to the brainwashing of a dictator or even child abuse.  You can go to youtube and search for "religion" and either "brainwashing" or "child abuse" and get page after page on the subject.

The Bible says that God's ways are not man's ways and that they seem foolish to man.  I would be willing to bet that the Q'uran and the Vedas has similar sayings.  I must also add that the Bible says that the fool says there is no God.  So I guess it is an understatement to say that the world will never understand faith.  I mean the very nature of faith is to choose to believe something that makes NO sense to the natural mind.  It is the yearning of our souls for meaning; a purpose that causes us to reach out into that unknown and grasp at something we cannot see.  Life nowadays is so busy and stressful that it is quite understandable that an awareness of a soul, much less a yearning of that soul can go completely undetected.  I for one, though I admit to having questions of my own faith, do find a peace in faith that would not be there if I did not choose to believe.  My most simplistic response to someone who would challenge my faith is that I would choose it no matter what for the basic reason that it comforts me and gives me a hope.  Though that hope and comfort be misguided or even completely null, I would still choose to have it as opposed to not having it.  If I died tonight and there were no God, I am no worse off for having it.  But should I die without that faith and found that there is indeed a God, then I would be sorry for the lack of it.  Does the "better safe than sorry" argument count?  You bet it does!  For the very assurance that I have in the event of a hereafter...YES it does.

But there is another thing that has come to my mind lately over this course of musing:  What is the church doing in this day and age to build faith?  There are many that think the church is meant to reach out to the lost and entertain them with stories and music in order to make a case for the Christian life.  There have always been (and I believe to the detriment to the Kingdom of Christ) those that felt the need to preach at people and condemn sinners to hell.

One of these approaches is "grace" to the point of "anything goes".  You can't offend anyone by saying that there is sin (it's called healthy or unhealthy living) or a need for a Savior.   So the message they preach is so watered down that, though there may be "converts", there is no real repentance.

The other is so condemning that it pushes people away or binds them to a life they cannot be faithful too.  If I were sinning (which I do, but in this case, I am referring to living "in sin" like the traditional churches say when a person is doing something they think is wrong) and you told me I was going to hell for doing what I do, I would be pissed and hate you.  Add to that that many of the same people that say such things, are gossiping and arrogant, or worse, getting caught with their pants down, and you have a real reason to hate them.  That type of church has lost all credibility with the world.

After reading Romans and the Timothy's and some of the Christian Church parts of the Bible, I have come to believe that CHURCH has a few different meanings:

1. the group of people that claim to be Christian-the believers themselves (We are the Church)
2. the building itself-which is actually was not an issue in the Bible Church (We go to church)
3. the actual meeting of the believers (Church is on Sunday mornings)

I also believe that each of these has a different purpose.  There were no church buildings during the time I am referring to.  The believers met in homes.  But the key thing here is that BELIEVERS met.  Not the believers entertained the community!  I believe that God dwelt where the believers gathered.  This leads me to believe that CHURCH, as in the meeting of the believers, IS JUST THAT-a meeting of BELIEVERS.  That being said I have a problem with a "seeker" church.  The church building is funded and built by believers and the meeting is a gathering of believers for the equipping of the believers.  This is where we go to renew, learn, and draw strength from each other.  This is not to say that we can't bring an unbeliever with us, but I firmly believe that the church building and meeting are supposed to prepare us for how we are to live on a daily basis and teach us how to spread the gospel.  Note that gospel means GOOD NEWS.  "You're going to hell" is NOT good news!  That isn't obeying Jesus command to share the gospel.  That is plain old judgment which we are NOT to be a part of.

I believe that if we are to follow the example Jesus gave us, we will dine with and hang out with and just simply show our lives to anyone and everyone.  No label of sinner or unbeliever here, just people...whom God loves.   No segregation or keeping the "right" or "wrong" company, just hanging out with friends and friends of friends. Jesus taught, he did not condemn.  He is the one person who could have judged, but he did not.  If I am not mistaken, the times he taught, were times when the people CAME TO HIM.  He lived by example, loved all he met, spoke wisdom, and let the Holy Spirit work His wonders on their hearts and minds.  Then they came to Him seeking more.

For what it is worth, this is my theory of how a modern church should be:

1. Modest buildings if not homes where Believers meet, worship, and learn.  
2. No one hour service.  We should allow ourselves a day to totally engross ourselves in our Love.  We should lose track of time in our worship and fellowship and just go all day.  (It makes sense that the Jews cook before the Sabbath-they can then observe it uninterrupted.)
3. Service-sacrificial service-to the community and those in need or hurting.  We have to live of course, but a day of service before a day of rest and worship is feasible.

Believers are human.  It is impossible to live a perfectly righteous life, but the world is going to expect us to.  Christians have to learn to accept 2 things: (1.) The world will always find fault with us and hate us, and (2.) we are not entitled to...ANYTHING.  Jesus said we would be hated-accept that and move on.

One thing that drives people nuts is when Christians DEMAND things.  I personally do not think we should eat out, shop, go to movies, or anything on Sundays that causes other people to have to work.  We all need a day off.  Am I there yet?  NO.  So until I get to that point, I want to be mindful of how I treat those who serve me.  HELLO FOLKS!  We should be the BIGGEST tippers, but no, we have a reputation among people in the service industry of being the most demanding, and the biggest cheap skates and guess what...we are WORSE on Sundays!  Restaurant people groan when our Sunday School group rolls in after church cause they know what to expect.  That is just wrong!

These are just my own musings based on some things I have seen about the direction of the church.  Right now, Christianity is in decline.  Something drastic will have to occur, if for nothing else than to bolster the faith in those who will face persecution.  It may be something as simple as a co-worker telling us we are stupid or as brazen as losing the freedom to worship. 

I  know this post is a bit disjointed.  The words just came tumbling out and I am afraid to go back and edit it.  If I do, I will overdo it and lose the meaning.  Please read this with an open mind.  I would love to hear other thoughts on it, but understand that this is MY blog and if you can't discuss opposing views in a civil manner, your comment will be deleted.  But that is another topic all together.