Why are you in Church?

Why are you in Church?

Seriously, what’s your reason for going to church? What’s the drive? Meeting new people? Your favorite pastor? Fear? What?

The recent explosion of atheism and somewhat spiritual passivity has seen a number of ‘former Christians’ and newly ‘enlightened’ people giving the reasons why they no longer go to church. These reasons are everywhere – except usually in the mouths of people when they are asked directly. How do I mean these reasons are everywhere? People are constantly expressing themselves; through various social media platforms, their subtle jokes, their ideas and opinions they passively express, etc. Why not in their mouths, when they are directly asked? If you’re the type that asks people questions every now and then, you would know that people tend to pause before they answer questions on the spot. This pause is a period where they polish the original truths, and re-adapt their responses to appear politically correct. However, when not on the spot, people tend to be more real, because at that time, their expressions usually spur from the tired mind’s disinterest in trying to be politically correct. After-all, they are no longer on the spot. This is more like 80% the case, and not every-time, anyways.

Some of the reasons people have featured as the underlying reason behind their new-found disdain for Christianity has been similar to things like these;

• “The pastor/leader of my church was sleeping around.”
• “The pastor/leader was a pedophile and hardened sex-offender.”
• “The pastor/leader is a thief, he embezzles church funds for personal satisfaction.”
• “Some people I know from the church do this and that in their homes and private locations.”
• “People there get so judgmental.”
• “I didn’t find the answers I was searching for.”
• “I am self-made. I don’t need a deity to cater for me.”
• “Big-Bang! Science! Darwin!”

The reasons may be even more, however, what’s interesting about them is that despite appearing many and different, they are the same. I find that all the reasons can be culminated into these;

• I idolized someone in the church as perfect, and when I saw they were just human, I lost interest in the church. (AKA Lust of the flesh + Lust of the eyes?).
• I was more interested in my selfish (though sometimes appearing selfless) desires, and would be disinterested in anything that doesn’t satisfy them. (AKA Lust of the eyes?).
• I was more interested in how people responded to me and my life choices, than anything else. (AKA Pride of life?).
• I’m just about following the best story. (AKA Lust of the eyes?).
• I don’t want to be bound by any rules and regulations. (AKA Lust of the flesh + Pride of life?).

Just as the school you attend is not responsible for your success or failure in life, the church is not responsible for your established or failed relationship with God. It’s all you.

Gasp! How dare he say that? Who do you think you are? You don’t even know me, you can’t say that! It’s all in the reason. Why are you doing what you do? What is the goal? That determines everything. Let’s look at it from a more everyday perspective. You enter into a relationship with someone because of their beauty alone; what happens when the beauty fades? You enter a relationship for wealth and financial satisfaction; what happens if the person hits bankruptcy? You enter a relationship because of the persons intelligence; what happens when you meet someone more intelligent, or if the person loses his/her mind?

Are you not aware that Christianity is not a religion, but rather, a relationship? Why did you initially enter into the relationship? What were you looking to find?

An example of a long-lasting relationship, is the relationship between a mother and her kid in ideal situations (Although still not nearly as perfect as what I am driving at). You see that love, yeah? It is based on nothing selfish (between her and the kid). She isn’t looking for something she can take advantage of. She is just plain in love. God loves us that way, but we have to love back in that way, as well. Not selfishly looking for things that can end. When the sole purpose of our Christianity is to love God, when we don’t allow that priority to be perverted, we find God. We find life, and we experience things that seal our conviction. This is not once for all. It is not a one-time thing. We have to do this, each day, each time we pray, each time we fellowship. We have to search anew, we have to be desirous of a new relationship. Just like eating physical food is not a one-time thing, eating spiritual food is not a one-time thing. Hence, for each spiritual meal, we have to ensure we have the right utensils and disposition.

Are you going to church because of some other reasons? Or are you genuinely just trying to hone your intention to find love for the one who already loves you (God)?