Recently I ran into a gentleman that I attended church with a few years back. He was a leader in the church, as a matter of fact he had actually led the core group that started the church. Oh yeah, this was not a church plant it was a church split. By the way, about a year ago he left the church we attended together and started another church… not a church plant, another church split.
To my knowledge each “new” church was not the result of poor theology, worship style or even bad preaching. It was because the church leaders didn’t do things exactly the way he felt things should be done.
Needless to say our interactions since I became a part of NewSpring have always been strained. NewSpring, in his mind, would never be suitable because of worship style and the fact that people don’t wear ties to church (or some other external appearance rule). Here is the saddest part of all of this and why I had to write this… he never passes on an opportunity to either criticize my church (in a backhanded way) or our old church (in a very pointed and specific way… hoping I’ll affirm the comment). I’m afraid that he doesn’t see that many people who follow Jesus will not do so in a way that is to his liking. I’m afraid that he feels this so much that he can’t really see Jesus because of the rules and personal preferences he has set up in his life.
When we begin to mistaken following Jesus for attending a church that suits our needs we end up like the man CS Lewis writes about in Screwtape Letters:
Screwtape (lead demon talking to Wormword, demon in training) expands on developing church participation for evil ends:
“Surely you know that if a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that ‘suits’ him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.
The reasons are obvious. In the first place the parochial organization (the local church) should always be attacked, because, being a unity of place and not of likings, it brings people of different classes and psychology together in the kind of unity the Enemy (God) desires. In the second place, the search for a ‘suitable’ church makes the man a critic where the Enemy (God) wants him to be a pupil.”
I am so grateful that Jesus came to make his disciples one (Ephesians 4:4-5). Church method and style is not really important. What is important is that the Jesus of the Bible is preached and offered as the only hope of this world. When a church becomes about our preferences it becomes no church at all and that is what the real enemy desires.
Man, you hit the nail on the head. Most of these guys, although my heart breaks for them to get saved or get right are missing the life of Christ. They wouldn’t know God if he walked into their church and slapped them in the face!
While I understand and agree with you post in general, perhaps the statement, “Church method and style is not really important” is a bit of an overstatement. There are overarching concerns of ‘doing church’ and biblical mandates of church method. The Bible is absolutely not silent over how we approach worship or ‘do’ church. I have many friends that attend NewSpring and I attended for over three years. I gave, volunteered, attended home groups, and invited many to visit, some of whom are now members. Much grace was/is preached there and I absolutely do not infer any ill-intent on the part of NS by my following statements. However, one thing I noticed, which led to one of the main reasons I left NS, is that their method of worship, of doing church, without intent, seems at times to lead to a NS centricity. Every one of the many conversations I have heard about NS from attendees, and I really mean every, (and I had been particularly guilty of this) centered exclusively around how awesome the band was on a particular service or centered exclusively on how funny Perry was that particular sermon or centered exclusively on how witty a video intro was to a particular thematic message, etc. I often hear such comments often at work; I often heard them leaving NS after the service concluded. These statements, again, reflect my experience, and I am sure yours are different. Also, most everyone at NS seems both hyper-focused and dismissive of any concern and criticism about NS without regard to the nature of the concern(and I note the irony of the preceding statement in this context and acknowledge many criticisms of NS are quite ignorant and unfounded). Regarding clothing, we (I include myself) have to be careful of the ‘thank you God that I am not like that suit and tie Pharisee’ attitude. Whether we wear jeans of suits to church, remember that we in Christ are all recovering Pharisees. We in Christ, as we grow in sanctification, still struggle with the old sin nature, every one of us. Just as some are dismissive of casual clothing, we can also be unrighteously dismissive of those who opt to wear a suit and tie in honor of the Messiah. I know I may seem to be slamming on NS, but that is not really my intent. I learned and grew in Christ while there, but my concerns overwhelmed me to the point I had to leave. Long story….
Thanks for letting my thoughts ramble
In His grip,
Ron
Ron, I’m glad you expressed yourself. I hope that when you have an opportunity you’ll visit us again. As I’m sure you know, NewSpring doesn’t claim to have all the answers and we do not hold ourselves out as better than any other church. We simply want to strive to see results like this church (by the way, I don’t see mention of a particular method or style, just results):
Acts 2:37-42 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.