Why Are We Meeting Again?

I've been thinking a lot about the reasons we gather for worship. What is supposed to happen when we gather? What is the goal? What should I expect to happen to us because of our gathering?These are questions that are easily answered in nearly every other communal event in human life. Ask your kids what they expect to happen to them as they keep going to swim lessons. Ask the spanish teacher what her goal is in teaching the course. Speak to the driving ed instructor about the same thing. They will all give an answer about becoming a certain type of person; a swimmer, a spanish speaking person, someone who can drive well. Now why is it that if one asks the same question to church attenders, or even pastors, all of a sudden there is lack of certainty in the response. Don't believe me? Try it out this Sunday. Ask people what they expect to happen to them as a result of coming to worship service week after week. Chances are you will receive answers that are so varied that it might make one think that different events are being attended.Why is this the case? I think it's because our spoken mission statements differ from the unspoken agreement made between parishioners and leaders about what is actually supposed to happen when we gather. It is unspoken because to say it out loud would reveal the utter ridiculousness of it all; but it must be said.The purpose of our Christian gathering is supposed to be to draw closer to God, and become more like his Son through that encounter. But that is not what is actually expected. In general, church-goers do not expect to take upon the character of God that is seen clearly in Jesus. Instead there is an expectation that something else will happen; something like hearing something good about God, singing good songs about God, learning new and challenging things about God, etc... But you'll rarely hear anything about becoming a certain kind of person.I believe this is because our focus has been on the wrong things. We have begun to think of the important as peripheral, while shoving the peripheral into main focus. If you doubt the validity of this claim, consider the makeup of your local congregation; consider what kind of people are being produced there. I am pretty sure that you can name a small handful of people who everyone considers to be saintly. It is evident that these have the life and character of Christ flowing in them; they are the minority, right? Thought so. Now think of everyone else, the normal people; this group is made up of people who largely exhibit the same behavior as the culture they live in, right? It doesn't mean that their behavior is irrepressibly wicked, but it does mean that their lives align more with their culture, than with Christ. The reason for this is because, "Our systems are perfectly designed to give us the results that we are getting." Many church systems are designed to produce converts who experience little to no transformation into Christlikeness. I'd wager that no church has this as their mission statement, but many experience it as their reality. So, if we don't like the results, we will have to change the system. We will have focus on different things when we gather, and not simply try to do what we have been doing, only better. As Dallas Willard said in The Divine Conspiracy, 

We would intend to make disciples and let converts “happen,” rather than intending to make converts and letting disciples “happen.” And we certainly recognize what an overwhelmingly difficult task this shift would be. This is why, once again, it is absolutely necessary that those who exercise leadership must be close and faithful students of Jesus himself. He must be the one who shows the way.

This is a necessary step, and the results of taking such a step, and making such a shift, will be jarring in any faith community. It will upset people primarily because it will introduce a new normal. Rather than playing to the lowest common denominator, it will make Christ the standard, and call everyone to reach for him, mind, body and soul. It would highlight things like Disciplines of the spiritual life, obedience, prayer, etc. At first such a change would be tumultuous, people would feel like bait and switch has happened. They may even be so upset that they will leave. But after a while it will be wonderful! Soon churches would have to figure out how to handle the rush of people that are coming because they want to experience the transformation, too. Imagine a church being known for "teaching people to do all that Jesus commanded." How refreshing, right? Would you want to be a member of that church? I would. Nobody wants to be part of any club that is ineffective in achieving its own mission statement. But everybody wants to join a group that turns out the product that they advertise. How wonderful it would be for churches to be thought of in the same way. That is actually my goal as a minister of the gospel. It is my intention as a disciple of Jesus Christ to learn to do what Jesus taught. It is also my intention as a pastor to lead a congregation in such a way that people are systematically taking on the character and brilliance of Jesus. I don't yet know what all is included in making such a shift, but the Lord will help me. The results are his department anyway, the obedience of faith is mine, and yours. When I think about the possibilities of what might become of a people who intend on being transformed into the image of Christ, and commit to meeting regularly to attend to that goal, I get lost in dreamy excitement and wonder. That's why I was called to be a pastor. And, with the help and energy of the the spirit of Jesus, this will happen at my church. I pray it happens at yours, too.