Have you ever been a part of a club? I think the first club I can remember being is was the rock club my cousins and I started one summer at my grandparent's house. All you needed to join was a beautiful rock. That's it. We didn't have a long list of rules. You didn't have to fill out a long application or pay dues. All you needed was a rock, or to be more precise, a beautiful rock. Who judged the beauty of the rock, you ask? Myself and my two cousins who are all right about the same age. And, who was never able to find a rock beautiful enough for acceptance? My younger sister. She tried over and over to pick just the right rock, but each time she showed us a rock we had a reason why it wasn't perfect enough-too big, too small, not shiny enough, not flat enough. You get the idea. We were mean little jerks and my poor younger sister was being excluded. We laugh about it now(in a cringy sort of way), and I think we apologized to her at some point in our adult life. (If not, sis, I'm sorry!)
Being a part of a club or team can be great fun! Friendship, teamwork, laughter, and accomplishment are just some of the joys of belonging. But, have you ever been a part of something that was honestly more work than it was worth? It was maybe fun in the beginning, but over time when the excitement wore off, you were left wondering, "Why am I still coming to these monthly meetings?" The person who was supposed to bring treats forgets or the conversation is dull. You get busy with other things and the excuses not to attend get easier. Or, frankly, you've just moved on to other interests.Sometimes the reasons for leaving are more serious, like that the organization is going a different direction and no longer has the same purpose or values. Or maybe there is conflict with another person in the group and it's easier to part ways instead of causing a scene.
In our culture we have so many social options to choose from. Why would we stay in something that isn't fun or is causing us stress? It's easier to just go find a new book club or different moms group. Sometimes clearing an obligation off our schedule is actually a good thing.
And, you know what? People are difficult! Sometimes the very group you joined for the fun, social aspect is ruined because of little jerks who don't like your rocks.
But, here's the deal, church isn't a club, team, or a social option. If you look at it that way, you'll probably find a thousand reasons not to go. The people are difficult, there's a time commitment, and the messages don't always feel like they apply to where you're at in life. Let's be honest, church can feel like a burden or an obligation sometimes. Sleeping in or going to brunch might bring me more joy.
There's a song we sometimes sing at church called, "King of Kings", that starts off with these words, "In the darkness we were waiting, without hope, without light." It's a beautiful song that tells the story of Jesus coming to redeem mankind. When I sing it at church I get more and more emotional as it progresses. There is one particular line, toward the end, where I just know the tears will start streaming down my face. We sing, "And the church of Christ was born, then the Spirit lit the flame. Now the gospel truth of old shall not kneel, shall not faint." I am always struck in that moment that I am a part of something so much bigger than myself. I am united, through faith in Christ, with believers from centuries ago. I am joined together with brothers and sisters all over the globe. I am a part of something that has withstood trials, persecution, and all manner of attacks, yet is still growing and thriving.
But let's be honest, the Church (the whole body of Christian believers around the world) is not always fun and sometimes the people are hard to deal with.It doesn't take much effort to find reasons not to love the Church. Throughout history mistakes have been made, people have sinned against one another, and the hurt can be very real. The Church will continue to make mistakes and giving up on it might seem like the easiest thing to do. But, can I ask you not to give up? Don't give up on meeting together with brothers and sisters in Christ. Don't give up on finding a church to belong to. Work through the challenges, have the hard conversations, and resist the urge to prioritize other things. I am convinced that if you devote yourself to the body of believers where God places you, you will begin to see that there are many things to love about His Church.
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