Thursday, December 29, 2005
Clashing Traditions?
Mark Ropberts is blogging about Christmas on Sunday. This paragraph really caught my eye.
I think the problem twofold. For one, it does not get in the way of "being with family" - it gets in the way of "being with family" - in pajamas opening presents with a massive breakfast cooking and everybody sleeping in. I think that can be overcome readily enough, either sacrifice the sleeping in or move the worship service to later in the day. Better yet, have a slightly lower standard for the expectations of appearing at church - which is what my church and many others did.
But I don't think that's the real problem - the real problem is that we do church in such a way that it seems like an imposition instead of an enhancement. Church should be a place that we want to go. Not out of duty, not out of discipline, but because we love God, it is the place where we express that, and because it is a place where God feeds us.
Now, perhaps your hunger for the Lord is not what it should be, then you need to work on that. But I think most people hunger for the Lord, I just think they have a problem finding the sustenance they crave at the place where it is supposed to be most readily available.
I think this discussion which has erupted this year should be used as an opportunity for the church in general to examine what it does and how it does it.
There is one fact that I come back to in my mind over and over. Jesus was, as this season celebrates, God Incarnate. He should, by definition, then be the most attractive human ever to walk the planet. We as His disciples should be attractive as well. That is to say, people should want, quite naturally, what it is we have to offer. If they don't, especially those already firmly planted in our midst, then the question becomes why are we not properly displaying the attractiveness of Christ?
If the church could make a New Year's resolution - that's the one I think it ought to make.
But then, every few years, Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. What seems like a happy coincidence turns out, in fact, to be a problem for millions of Christians and for thousands of churches. We face a clash of traditions and priorities. On the one hand, Sunday is a day for worship. And it would seem even more important to worship on the day of Christ's birth, given that worship is for His pleasure and glory. On the other hand, being with family of Christmas morning is a high priority. Fitting in church seems like an easy thing to do, but it may require a significant reordering of beloved traditions.I don't dispute Mark's statements, but I find the facts just sad. I refuse to accept that Sunday worship stands in the way of "being with family" - if anything it should enhance family closeness. Either there is something wrong with church that it does not do so, or we cherish that time at home just a little too much.
I think the problem twofold. For one, it does not get in the way of "being with family" - it gets in the way of "being with family" - in pajamas opening presents with a massive breakfast cooking and everybody sleeping in. I think that can be overcome readily enough, either sacrifice the sleeping in or move the worship service to later in the day. Better yet, have a slightly lower standard for the expectations of appearing at church - which is what my church and many others did.
But I don't think that's the real problem - the real problem is that we do church in such a way that it seems like an imposition instead of an enhancement. Church should be a place that we want to go. Not out of duty, not out of discipline, but because we love God, it is the place where we express that, and because it is a place where God feeds us.
Now, perhaps your hunger for the Lord is not what it should be, then you need to work on that. But I think most people hunger for the Lord, I just think they have a problem finding the sustenance they crave at the place where it is supposed to be most readily available.
I think this discussion which has erupted this year should be used as an opportunity for the church in general to examine what it does and how it does it.
There is one fact that I come back to in my mind over and over. Jesus was, as this season celebrates, God Incarnate. He should, by definition, then be the most attractive human ever to walk the planet. We as His disciples should be attractive as well. That is to say, people should want, quite naturally, what it is we have to offer. If they don't, especially those already firmly planted in our midst, then the question becomes why are we not properly displaying the attractiveness of Christ?
If the church could make a New Year's resolution - that's the one I think it ought to make.
