Monday Morning Sermonizing
I went back to church yesterday for the first time post-Delta variant.
Everything is weird.
Let’s be clear. Our church has changed a lot in the past 20 months. The world has changed a lot in the past 20 months. Apart from the pastoral staff, I knew a grand total of one person yesterday morning.
The message was on point. Except for one part.
There were a lot of statistics thrown around about how people don’t come to church anymore, especially since the pandemic began. Apparently, 30-some-odd percent of practicing Christians no longer attend Sunday Services in America since March 2020.
And while I know this - I am not entirely convinced it’s as much the call for alarm I hear on the Internet - or what I heard in services yesterday.
Responsibility during a pandemic
I know this is controversial. But there are a lot of Church-goers (I’m one of them) who are of the opinion that most Churches acted irresponsibly during the pandemic. I’m not mad at our church for staying open and having unmasked services with singing over the past 20 months. I just disagreed with the choice and chose to not attend. I’m not in leadership. I had no say in the decision. I don’t blame them for the decision they made. I simply chose not to take part until vaccinations are up and cases are down. Church attendance went down during the pandemic because group gatherings were a bad idea.
I know I’m not the only one who felt this way.
The Organized Church in America is Broken
There is currently so much division - and I am not a fan. Christian nationalism and social media has created real polarization in the American church. Some of us don’t like the feeling of marginalization. Discipleship has become same-thinking about everything. It’s honestly exhausting. Let’s not demonize (or say how concerned we are about) the people who are no longer a part of the organized church. Could it be that the entire structure we’ve created and perpetuate is part of the problem? There are significant issues. Some people are wrestling with their response.
More Than a Performance
Most evangelical church services in America today involve an audience sitting in the dark listening to music and a speaker. Please don’t mishear my point. I like music. I like talented speakers. But I crave connection. I don’t think I’m alone. There are people who have learned they may not need to sit in the dark and listen to music and a message in order to be discipled. Could it be that people want more than a performance? Maybe they want genuine connection, community, and discipleship? This is a reason Sunday morning attendance is down.
I don’t have answers.
I do have possibilities.
We need to take a more exilic approach in thinking about church and discipleship. (This book has been one of the most important things I’ve read this year.)
The Church needs to become smaller and more connected before spreading to fresh places.
While we will probably be back on Sundays, I’m more committed to our small group on Tuesdays, where we disciple each other, pray together, and connect.