~ Is this the Church where you Attend

A caricature of ‘church worship’ I once heard in the U.S.:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise him for one hour here below;

Praise him with nickel and with dime,

Praise God we're getting out on time.

                Rowland Croucher

I received the above poem from Rowland Croucher who heard it when in America and have been wondering just how much of a parody of modern church Life it is.

I can remember a time when there was any number of church worship programs, each suited to a particular denomination, and sometimes congregations, but each had the flexibility of a lump of solid concrete. Usually there was conformity in the numbers of the service, not the attendance but the numbers of Hymns (songs) and the prayers (usually 3) and most importantly the sermon took twenty minutes (expected). That was church every Sunday and heaven help anyone who forgot the way.

One of the other things that I remember from not too far back was a yarn. It went something like this. At a church in, of all places Texas, was renowned for receiving in the offering each week a hand signed cheque of variable value. The cheques were all signed by one man. One Sunday the Pastor took up the offering prior to the message, contrary to the usual order, and found that instead of the usual cheque he found an IOU. When the pastor saw the man who wrote cheques and asked him what was the story behind the IOU He answered the question with “Ï write my cheques on the basis of what value I find in the Sermon”. I guess that pastor never made that mistake again.

I would like to think that we have moved out of that “liturgical inertia,” that Christ Jesus through Holy Spirit is taking back control of His Church. What I wonder is just how often is this sort of characterisation being demonstrated to people at large as a truth, or as a slander.

I would hope that now we are more people centred, seeking to serve and love the lost and waylaid knowing that everyone of them is a “someone” for whom He went to the Cross. We are, sometimes, aware that the church is on the nose with society’s perceptions and expectations however the reason that this is so is often ill informed individuals and a biased media eager to sensationalize any misplaced word or foot. It has always been that way

Jesus was known as the one who ate with “tax collectors and prostitutes.” If it was good enough for Him, to tough out public opinion, then why not us? There are two opponents that we must confront on this front. Each has the ability to bamboozle the average church member. The first is the statistician who points out that established religion is on the way out, that churches are shrinking and people are abandoning their faith right, left, and centre. The second is public opinion which is driven by individualist errors and a sensationalized media eager for a story.

You can call me a “cock eyed optimist” if you like but I see the church going out in triumph, if we will only become souled up followers of Jesus only interested in advancing His Kingdom here on earth. A community of believers who take seriously the agenda laid out by their Master, whether with an established church, an unaligned church, or as individuals focussed on God’s will in their lives. Maybe there is still an element of the old structured church member to balance the newer freer more Spirit inspired member in me. There is something grand about that old old song/hymn

“Onward Christioan soldier

Marching as to war

With the ctross of Jesus

Going on Before”

What is and has been your experience?