I recently read through the book “Pagan Christianity?” and was struck by how much of what we call “modern church” is actually borrowed from ancient non-church traditions, including sermons, clergy, and (you guessed it) modern worship music.
“Does that mean we shouldn’t sing worship songs?” No, that’s not what it means.
What it illustrates is the fact that we are so removed from our traditions, we don’t even question why we (the church) do what we do. Pragmatism abounds, and popularity seems to be the dominant requirement for whether or not a church does something.
Jesus wasn’t popular.
Nor was he a populist, a socialist, or a communist.
Jesus was God in the flesh- and came to draw people’s hearts towards Godly things, spiritual things, and God Himself. He wasn’t concerned with things of the physical world, and repeatedly said so.
The church today is constantly trying to draw people towards things of earth, instead of things of God. Skillful orators, educated scholars, talented musicians, and compassionate humanitarians are all things you can easily find in the world apart from God.
God does not have a monopoly on talented, educated, skilled, or compassionate people.
Let that sink in for a minute.
If this is true, then that also means that those things are not a clear indication of whether a church is Godly or not.
Whoah, really?
Yes, really.
“Then what is true worship in a church?”
What did the church in Acts do? They gathered, they shared, they discussed scripture. They sang songs (mostly scripture). There was no “preacher” or singular “pastor” that directed everything. There was no “worship leader” or “music director” that ran their meetings. If someone had a need, someone else filled it.
They were led by Christ- through the Holy Spirit. They didn’t need a single person to tell them what to do, or how to do it.
“But Jeff,” you say, your ire beginning to rise, “how could you run a church without a pastor or priest?” A confused look comes over your face. “How would that even work, being led by Jesus?”
That is the question, isn’t it? How would you know what to sing? How would you know what scripture to study? How would you know what to do?
I suggest: get together with some Christians, without an agenda, and find out. Don’t talk about TV or sports. Don’t talk about school or work.
You talk about Jesus. You talk about your struggles, your wins, your inspirations in the Word. You share what God’s doing in your life.
“What if God isn’t doing anything in my life to discuss?”
Then you need to question whether or not you really know God at all. Listen to other people’s encounters with God, and maybe it will inspire you to do the same.
What is Worship then?
It’s not a performance, it’s not a song, it’s not even an emotional experience. Worship is people responding to God’s mercy and holiness. And funny enough, you can’t respond to something you haven’t experienced.
What is Church?
Church is, as we read in the book of Acts, believers in Christ gathering together. They ate, they sang songs, they studied scripture, they shared burdens, they discipled each other. There wasn’t a single “head pastor.” There wasn’t a church building they went to, there wasn’t a written order of service.
The original Christian church was led by Jesus via the Holy Spirit.
There have been many documentaries on the modern Church Growth movement, one of which I recommend is Church Of Tares. They point out that in the last 60 years, the Church has developed into a marketing machine, subservient to the CEO/pastor’s “vision.” Everything that the church does is to “grow the kingdom” namely by bringing more people in the doors, which is definitely building *a* kingdom, but not necessarily *the* kingdom.
Where Do We Go From Here?
This brings me to where I’m not interested in participating in church growth business tactics. I want to get back to what the Church initially was- believers gathering, talking about the Savior they loved, and sharing life and faith together organically. No slick marketing, no rock concert productions, no book sale tours. If you find an underground church in a country where Christianity is outlawed, this is what you’ll see. Are these “real” churches? Absolutely.
Church is people getting together to share a meal and Jesus.
Nothing more, nothing less.