fellowship apart from organised religion

adapted from Churchianity Today by Chip Brogden

If we are one with the head (Jesus), we are one with the body (church), even if we are not gathered together. But, if we are not one with the head, we are not one with the body, even if we are gathered together. Hence we can have fellowship with one another whether we are attending a church building or not.

Can you meet with people, and even make friends without actually joining a local church?

If you do, are you any less part of the church?

A common term for people who don't join a specific local church is “church hoppe”. They are viewed people who flit between groups, in the hope of finding the perfect pastor, music program, youth group, etc. They are criticised for their unrealistic expectations and lack of commitment. Yes, some are so obsessed with their needs and wants that they will never be satisfied and will forever remain uncommitted.

But is this always true? Ask them of their personal history with churches.

• What are seeking?
• Why are they unwilling or unable to commit to church membership?
• Are they wary of churches generally because of regular spiritual and emotional abuse?
• Are the churches they have visited cold, aloof, or cliquish?

Why do we turn the fact that they are even attempting to connect somewhere into something negative?

Among growth-oriented churches the goal is to persuade you to join the local church because attendance is the next logical step. However once you do join, the honeymoon is over. The list of expectations, rules, regulations, and by-law appear. You are educated in what is considered acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, and your performance is  measured in terms of dollars contributed, services attended, and hours volunteered.

This is not suggesting there is a conspiracy, only how easy it is for the generally accepted attitudes, traditions, rituals and practices of organised religion to quickly deteriorate into something other than what God has in mind for a community of believers.

In short, the way we go about “doing” church is far removed from what “being” the church is all about. Church as most people know it today has become a business, social, or legal arrangement, not a community or family.