Define Church

It seems like I was writing this very thing only a few months ago, yet here I am writing this again.....our pastor resigned this week.  The second pastor to resign in less than 6 months, the 3rd pastor we know in less than 2 years.  In all 3 cases, the blame does not fall on the pastor.  Each one felt they had to leave and for good reasons.  At the current church, people we know are not happy, as they are aware of the reasons, and one by one, families, once again, are leaving.....for what?!  Where will people go?!  We find ourselves in absolute shock to be going through this for the second time.

It brings me back to my childhood, to a place of nostalgia, a place my children won't know...ever...because it just doesn't seem to exist anymore.  I grew up in a church, a large church, on the west coast.  As a child, if there were problems, I didn't notice.  All I remember is that I loved going to church.  We were there all morning!  The children went to children's church before the service.  I assume my parents went to some adult Sunday School.  I don't even know!  Then, afterwards we all went to the service together.  

I remember singing.   As a child just learning to play piano, I would follow along with the notes and chords written in the hymnal.  I noticed my mom wasn't singing the melody and I think that was my first introduction to harmony.   Nowadays there might be a hymnal in the pew, but no one uses them. The hymn books were so great.  Not only was it how I learned harmony, but to see the written words week after week.  I would peruse it during the sermon, too, noticing the writers, the dates they wrote them.  That was where I learned all the great hymns, in this amazing big church where 1000 people sang loud and strong.  I stood by my grandmother who lived with us for awhile.  Again, as a child, I thought she had a funny singing voice, but now, I reflect and I wish I could hear it again.  She sang like angel!  What a privilege to have had that opportunity to worship with her!  I just didn't know it then.

It was in that church that I learned about communion.  I very specifically remember my mom leaning over and explaining what the elements signified and I took it for the first time.  I understood and I watched her pray while the elements were passed month after month.  It was a beautiful ceremony as I saw the men of the church take their role so seriously.

I also grew up there and went from a girl who fell asleep beside her mom during the sermon to a girl who wanted to fill in the blanks as the preacher talked.  I realized I could make the most of that time in church and try to learn and week after week I did.  I saw pastors come and go.  I heard funny ones who always told good stories and some fire and brimstone pastors who would yell or cry or go waaay too long, but I learned to worship.

People were coming to Christ at that church.  Unbelievers were walking in off the street.  They were getting saved because of actual discipleship classes that were going on, taught by my parents, not because of seeker sensitive services.  We had so many people in our home, new believers, that "smelled like smoke" as they were such recent converts.  The gospel didn't have to get watered down to reach these people.

And the church grew.  Really grew.  And it wasn't artificial growth.  There was depth in the growth.  I saw that even as a child.  Discipleship programs ran across all the ages, from the girls and boys programs to the youth and up into the adults.  People were praying.  Small groups in the community were meeting.  Deep friendships were made that we still have today though we moved away 33 years ago!!!!  My parents best friends are still there and are in regular contact with one another.

I was baptized there, by my Dad.  My sister was married there.

What are my kids going to remember?  It makes me so sad that their church experience has been one of constant change.  As a result, church has become more of what we do during the week and less of what happens on Sunday as so much "church" has been going on in our home lately as we take care of this other family each week.  I love that.  Maybe it isn't fair to compare my childhood to my kids', but I still wish their experience had been more like mine. Oh, that the apostle Paul, as I often say, would just come down and tell us what to do.  Deep down, I also take consolation in knowing that God is sovereign and really this must just be another sign of the end of the times.  Satan is really working hard to take down churches, pastors, families.  As Dad said this week, "he's in his death throes."

In the meantime, while we figure out what to do, we just keep doing "church" at home.  Getting our kids in the Word, reading it together, praying, seeking God's will for our family and asking Him to show us - what is church?!