Looking for "Real Life" Article?

In a recent issue of Real Life Magazine, my wife, Cathy pointed out this interesting lead in tease for an article in the magazine. It might be evidence of many who have abandoned the church but are still searching. What do you think she really wants?

"My husband and I would like our daughters to have a strong sense of spirituality, but we prefer not to raise them with the traditional church background that we both had. How do we teach them to have a strong faith in God without a special congregation or place of worship that would guide them with formal religious customs?"

I did not read the article but the tease reveled some truths and misconceptions of why we plant churches...or not.

First, what did she not like about the traditions of her old church? If she noticed that (1) her old church only kept people happy, (2) her old church failed to help them address sin in their lives that Jesus can heal, and (3) if her old church reached out very little if any to the lost of their neighborhoods, then she is aware of what is missing in the dying churches of our culture. If this is the case, she wants good things from her local church.

However, if she was only looking for "a strong sense of spirituality" without addressing sin, then she might as well stay in her old church or out of church altogether. Being spiritual or religious is not what Jesus is about. Jesus is about addressing sin with honesty, openness, grace, and love; not avoiding it and acting "spiritual". I should know; I did that for years and made a mess of all my relationships.

Second, I would invite her back to church. I, too, left church for a while and sometimes I want to do it again. But I know that God wants us to assemble together in order to encourage one another, to pray together, to teach one another, and ultimately to send one another out into this lost and hurting world. Our church or any church should be preparing one another for the battle that comes along with being sent into a hostile world. We should not just hide out from the church and/or the world.

The true fellowship (koinonea) of Acts 2 is intimate, open, honest, forgiving relationships and is an irreplaceable part of what God uses to grow faith in each of us. Without the true church where intimate fellowship (koinonea) is practiced, faith is hindered. Without faith in Him, we are weakened as we are being sent out.

At Sojourn want to see the miracle of redeemed and changed lives. We don't want a more disciplined, but doomed attempt to follow the law. When miracles happen, nobody needs "formal religious customs" to make faith grow. Customs and traditions never did work anyway. Ask a Pharisee!

Finally, I would tell she and her husband that they should keep looking for that body of believers who want the same things that I hope she really wants for her children; intimate relationships and a faith that is growing. Changes in our hearts where we become adventurous disciples of Jesus are so much better than an external spirituality. Real change is messy but wonderfully mystical when it happens deep in the heart.

We gather together as missionaries to be the real church to this lost, unreal world. We want to see the miracle of healed relationships and freedom from sin. If you want your life changed, you might check us out. If you are seeking merely a "strong sense of spirituality", we are probably not for you.