July 20, 2011
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Perfect Church
People go and do things because they are motivated in certain directions. Pick one or all of the following question. I’m curious to know what motivates us.If you are not going to church what would draw you into the doors?
If you are going to church – Why?
What drew you into the church you are in?
What draws people to come to your church?Psalms 25:13
Comments (37)
I’m not going to answer the questions but I will offer a couple of comments as a person who often serves as a morning service greeter at a large church. I think the majority of people are influenced by some significant other to attend a church. For most it is probably a family member who has encouraged church attendance or a significant other who has prompted attendance. As a greeter I get to see the “visiting” attendees and try to be alert to them. Usually, they tell me that this church was recommended to them by one of our members.
We visited one church and liked it but there were no kids there for our kids and they became discouraged. The Pastor told us that there was another church on the other side of town of the same denomination and we attended there and still do.
I’m so glad, as a Catholic, I don’t have to ask those questions. Whether on the Navajo Reservation, in the mountains of Tibet or in Rome, the Catholic Mass is the same. It is a celebration of thanksgiving and praise and a rememberence of Jesus and his Last Supper.
“Do this in rememberence of me,” he said over 2000 years ago.
Anymore, people just go to church for themselves and what they think they can get out it.
“If you are not going to church what would draw you into the doors?”
Nothing. For more information on this answer, you can read this post if you are interested.
Although I am an atheist and pretty contemptuous of almost all religions in general, I do sometimes find myself drawn to Quakerism, so much so that once or twice I’ve even done Google searches on whether it’s possible to be an “atheist Quaker”. There are no other religions or churches that I would ever even consider being a part of. They have nothing to offer me, and they often have a lot that actually pushes me away from them.
My church is my family. I started going there in college and whenever I’ve had a need, they’ve been there. Likewise, it also is a great outlet for my musical talents and gives me opportunities to serve others. What drew me there, and continues to draw people,is that we don’t do the big, perfect building or the flawless music and sermon- we are real with our struggles and inefficiencies. A person doesn’t have to have it all together to be part of us, so there’s not the pressure to look a certain way or say the right thing. I think it’s like Christ wanted it- people know us by our love, not our kid’s programs or praise band.
What drew me to my shul is the fact is that they are the only ALEF-Jewish Renewalist synagogue anywhere close by. Furthermore, it’s a shul where community involvement is important, where spirituality is valued above traditions, but traditions are part of our lives… in a 21st century way. It’s an openminded bunch of folks, and generally very down to earth people…
…yeah, it’s the people who find joy in G-d…
We attend the church we do b/c my mil goes there and we felt led by Father God to go there. However, the pastor (as well as my lover/husband and I) hope to make some changes that are less traditional and less um ‘churchy’.
It would be easier for me to go to church if they had Sunday services on Monday or Tuesday. :-/ I work almost every Sunday.
I’m not going to a church because I can’t find one that I like enough to keep going to. ): Most of them have a good bit of different beliefs than me, which makes me feel kind of awkward, and most of them are boring. I want a church where people go crazy and dance around with worship and praise. I don’t wanna sit there the whole time…… lol.
“If you are not going to church what would draw you into the doors?”
I go occasionally with my family, but not I’d be more likely to go if we had a preacher I liked better.
@mypandabear - Interesting – thanks
@soullightsky - Thanks – I hate boring also.
@NightlyDreams - Thanks -
@stephensmustang - Less churchy? – What would that look like? -just curious
@hevcoh - Thank you – Joy is the key
@Pepin909 - I like that – family atmosphere.
@TheSchizoidMan - Thanks for commenting – just curious – how does churches push you away?
@myfanwe - Thanks for commenting – I did read your post and it has great insight. In common with – I thought that was interesting.
@LoBornlytesThoughtPalace - I grew up Catholic. I have good memories.
@ThexGodfather - Thanks – Glad you found your church. How long have you been there?
@vexations - People inviting people – that’s probally the biggest draw.
@Randy7777 - As a youth I thought the Mass was kind of boring.
But as an adult I see endless meaning and depth in the Catholic Mass.
If there WAS a perfect church, as soon as I joined it, it would cease to be perfect.
I want the people’s lives and words to match the gospel they claim to believe in. I see so many Christians who are hateful, selfish and judgmental. But, then church should be all about Jesus. He is the audience, those attending church should be there to worship and adore Him and not to put on a show for other humans or “rack up points” with God.
I’ve so much more to say. But, I will end with this…some of THE best people I’ve known are church goers…some of THE worst people I know are church goers. We are all just people/sinners and need to find the grace, forgiveness and love to share with each other as we are on this journey.
HUGS!
The church I go to is very engaging, entertaining, and welcoming.
When we enter, we are given the week’s bulletin and a slip of paper for notes with fill-in-the-blanks. When the pastor discusses readings from the Bible, he has us answer the questions in the blanks.
Our pastor is also very down-to-earth and instead of speaking with stiff, flowery language, he speaks clearly and directly such that everyone would be able to understand what he’s trying to communicate. He throws in some humor too and makes what he’s saying relatable to our everyday lives.
The church I attend also has many different ministries and emphasizes the importance of giving back and contributing to our communities through volunteer work and community service.
Not to mention, the church has very talented musicians and singers who sing so passionately and beautifully, they move me and make me want to cry. :]
Finally, it’s very non-intimidating – if you feel hesitant to check it out for the first time in person, you can actually see past services online, since they record everything under their archive:
http://www.therocksandiego.org/messages/
@Randy7777 - Meeting in an usual place not a church bldg. Pastor more comfortable in dress (not feeling he has to wear a suit and tie) as well as comfortable dress for all attendees. Acceptance of people despite how they look or dress, not traditional. Less hymns, more contemporary songs. Using various media and styles to express faith. Pastor having more of a conversation w/the congregation rather than ‘preaching at” the congregation. Those attending being able to share how God has worked in their lives, ‘issues’ etc, fellowship, prayer, meeting needs (like in Acts), etc. We’ve made church an institution/bldg. when it’s really God’s people meeting together, praising God, meeting needs, praying, etc as in the book of Acts. so it would look more like that and less like traditional church.
@Randy7777 - Thanks for taking the time to read my post. That means a lot to me. My decision to give up on trying to push into a church was not one I took lightly. I tried very hard to leave my lack of commonality aside, I tried to find common ground and be gracious and forgiving. I do forgive and extend grace to the people that contributed to my feeling rejected, it is more a lack of knowledge and understanding–perhaps on both sides, than it was ever truly malicious or unkind… but in the end I was trying to force myself and probably others into molds that simply do not fit me or them. Better to bid a friendly farewell than to keep knocking my head against a wall.
At the time I was going to church, I chose one located out in the country. The church had a basement and an upstairs. The sanctuary was average in size. They had a separate community center building in the back. The grounds also included a rather large outdoor, covered picnic area and separate playground. Regular/faithful church goers averaged around 75ish. (Adults and children)
I chose this particular church because it was small. The people are the kindest Christians I’ve met. They made me feel welcome like I was a new member every Sunday. Any time I went to the Altar to pray, I was never alone. They may not have known what angst I was going through, but they supported, prayed and stood beside me regardless. And they never pressured me about doing anything. I always wore a casual Sunday dress when I attended on Wed or Sun. But nice pants or jeans were acceptable with these people.
Hope this answers your question satisfactorily…..
@myfanwe - I think one of the problems of church today is it exclusive and that sounds like the one you were in. It’s sad. The church shouldn’t use a cookie cutter approach and say anyone that doesn’t fit into our mold isn’t welcome here. I do appreciate your openness. It helps me understand a little more and be able too in a small way view church through your eyes.
@stephensmustang - Thanks for the input.
@armnatmom - Sounds like a really nice church.
@ThePerksOfBeingABlogger - Sounds like you have a wonderful church. I remember going to a church like the one you speak of when I was living in San Diego. It was out of a movie theater.
@AdamsWomanFell - If there WAS a perfect church, as soon as I joined it, it would cease to be perfect. -lol
@Randy7777 - It’s hard to explain, especially inasmuch as I’ve only ever been to church about three times in my life (in early childhood, at my parents’ insistence under certain circumstances under which they believed it would be polite to our neighbors for me to do so). I guess it also depends on which church you’re talking about. The Catholic church, for example, never appealed to me, but these days, there’s absolutely no way I’d ever become Catholic, because by doing so, I’d be giving my endorsement to the protection of child molesters. I would rather die than do that, and that’s the absolute truth.
Other religious beliefs put me off in other ways. I don’t like being told, for example, that my ultimate eternal fate has absolutely nothing whatsoever with what I do in life, only with what I believe. I had a roommate once who was a Lutheran, and he insisted, quite sincerely, that you could lie, cheat, steal, rape, murder, absolutely anything you want, but in the eyes of God, none of that made any difference; all that mattered was whether or not you believed in him. To me, that is the pinnacle of injustice, and hearing it is, among other things, highly offensive to me.
As I said, though… I haven’t conducted an in-depth study of all the world’s religions or anything, but I do often find myself strongly drawn to Quakerism. Quakerism is quiet, non-judgmental, passive, peaceful, ecumenical, private and personal, non-evangelical, and compassionate. All of this jibes quite strongly with my own views on ethics (which I developed when I majored in philosophy) and my views on religion and politics. It also adds something that other atheist activists have pointed out is lacking in our movement: a feeling of community. Since man is a social animal, it’s not at all surprising that I find myself drawn to the Religious Society of Friends. But even with Quakerism, there are elements that put me off becoming one. The ambivalence there is what has sometimes drawn me to try to find out whether it’s possible to be an atheist Quaker. The “Religious” part repulses me, but the “Society of Friends” part speaks to me.
I was raised catholic, but I haven’t been to church in years. I don’t believe I need to go to church to pray, or connect with the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit is part of all things and I can pray in my house, or go outside in the beauty of nature.
Whatever people believe, and however they believe it is all good!
@TheSchizoidMan - Thanks