Cue Carnival Music

Luke and I have been attending a Wednesday night newcomers class at the church we've been attending, FBC. It's sparked me thinking again about church theory, how to invest in people, the value of investing in people in and out of the church walls, how best to get involved, etc.

I listened this morning to a sermon by Pastor Heather given last year that I somehow missed (I think I might have been upstairs working the Ebs counter. Whatever.) on our misconceptions of what church is supposed to mean to us and how it's become something of a carnival aimed at making us happy.

My gut reaction to that is "oh, that's true in those mega churches, but not at the theologically based, more traditional churches I've attended most of my life."

Lies.

The point of me sharing this is to throw it out there that perhaps we ARE going to church -- no matter how holy and solemn that church may be -- for the wrong reasons and looking to it for something that it's not supposed to be. Pay attention to the second and third points especially.

Myths about church:
1. Church is a building and event in which I worship God.
Wrong! The church is a community of people in which God is worshiped. [I'd alter this to say that the church is a community formed by Christ around Christ for His worship... this is the point we studied in our class this past week].
2. The church exists primarily to fulfill my needs.
Wrong!. Church is not about what you get out of it, but what you bring to it. So, what are you bringing to it? At this point I go and sit in the same spot each week and talk to my friends and then eat food. What am I investing?
3. The church exists primarily to educate me about the Bible.
Wrong again! The job of the church is not to feed you. The job is to equip you to feed yourself. Hmmm ... interesting change in mentality. I mean, don't we go to church to hear a good sermon and make ourselves feel all holy and knowledgeable and ready for the week?

Good stuff.
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It's a BEAUTIFUL DAY here in Washington, and before I trap myself in a coffee house all day, I think I'm going to find a way to go out and enjoy it.