I quit going to church

By Joel Atwell

Dear Church,

Last night I sat in a room with about 40 of you and listened/watched (via video) some much needed teaching about marriage. It was excellent – entertaining and so very helpful (potentially, if we apply it). I wish every married person, and everyone who wants to get married, would watch it and apply it. In fact, it sometimes makes me sad when there are such helpful resources and opportunities made available (that could really help people and marriages) and folks simply “take a pass” – stay home and watch American Idol or whatever.

Anyway, this morning the thought struck me, “What other ‘institutions’ (other than the church) exist to edify and equip people to become more loving, more giving, more servant-hearted and servant-minded – more like Jesus?”

Answer? If it’s not “the Church” it’s usually some ministry that has been birthed out of the church, is it not?

But as soon as I say that I find that that answer kind of flies in the face of all I’ve been writing concerning “the Church” over the past couple years because, as we know, the Church is not really an “institution;” it’s an “identity.” It’s not an “organization;” it’s an “organism.” It’s a living, breathing, dynamic Body made up of individual persons who have been rescued from bondage to sin and who have become the children of God – and, consequently, brothers and sisters together – whose adoption into God’s family has been purchased by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

That’s why church is not, fundamentally, “something I attend” or “something to which I belong.” It’s “who we are” and it’s “how we live.” However, part of “how we live” is expressed in giving ourselves to the practice of meeting together regularly for the purpose of edifying and equipping one another “to become more loving, more giving, more servant-hearted and servant-minded – more like Jesus.” Members of the “body of Christ” (the Church) who meet only sparingly with the gathered community of faith rip themselves off – and they rip off the other members of the Body. We need each other!

So, as we go about learning what it means to live as the Church lets not forget the model of the first century church who continually “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42) Your/my individual life and our life together needs all the encouragement and help it can get.

Thankful for the Family,

Joel

I quit going to church

By Joel Atwell

Dear church,

Last week I wrote to you concerning your “being the church” to the Sparks family during this very difficult time of Austin’s cancer. I thought you might be interested in Ericka’s (Austin’s mom) response.

I smiled while reading your weekly "I quit going to church" email. For
one thing it is just really cool, but also I have been meaning to write
to tell you how blown away I have been by the support that we have
received. It has been truly humbling. The schools have raised money,
our neighborhood is bringing us one meal a week, Austin’s baseball team
(kids and parents) have been amazing. All of the boys are planning to
shave their heads when Austin starts losing his hair and the coaches
are teaching him to keep the books so that he can still be involved
with the team.
Then there is our church family (WOW) who are bringing meals, not just
once, but twice a week and, well, just being FAMILY. I told Austin, “It
may be hard to feel blessed right now, but we have so much support and
so many people praying” and he said, "Yeah I have noticed that." Now when the support is strong enough that a 13 year old boy notices, well that is
just COOL!
Being on the receiving end of things; I just want to say thank you … I personally will be forever changed in a positive way through this experience.
Love you much,
Ericka

So, once again, thanks for not simply “going to church,” but truly “being the church.” That’s the kind of church the world longs to see and Jesus intends for us to be.

Encouraged by your ministry,

Joel

PS – Austin is going in for his second round of chemo this weekend so keep him in your prayers.

I quit going to church

By Joel Atwell

Dear church,

One of the most difficult questions with which we wrestle during this earthly journey is the question of human suffering. “If God is ‘all-loving’ and ‘all-powerful’ and ‘all-wise’ then why …?” Well, while I think the answer is wrapped up in the issues of human freedom and human sin, we’re going to have to save that discussion for another time. However, the good news is that because Christ is risen human suffering does not have the last word. In the cross of Christ, God fully entered into human suffering and, by his resurrection, he conquered it. And while, one day, because he is the Resurrected One, he will once and for all put suffering and death under his feet; even now, as we lean into his grace, God turns our pain inside-out and  uses it to accomplish his purposes in us and in the world. He even uses it to teach the church how to be the church.

Enter Austin Sparks. Austin is a 13 year-old seventh grader who is a part of our GC family (and happens to be my great nephew). Recently Austin was diagnosed with bone cancer. Unbelievable!

Of course we’ve cried and prayed and asked “why.” And, of course we continue to plead for God’s healing touch on his life. And, of course we wouldn’t wish this on Austin (or anyone) for one minute. However, even in the midst of this horrible situation we see God’s hand at work. Let me give just one tiny example (one of many).

Kara Pope helps us coordinate delivering “crisis care” to people connected to our church family – which, among other things, often consists of having meals brought in to people’s homes during times of duress. Well, because of the extenuating circumstances of Austin’s cancer treatments, Kara decided it would be helpful to arrange meals a couple times a week for a while to help the Sparks family through this difficult journey. So, she set up an on-line calendar where people could volunteer and this past Sunday she reported to me (with great joy and pride in her church family) that, so far,  people have volunteered to provide meals through the month of August!

Just so you’ll know; I share Kara’s joy and pride. Grace Community, way to “BE the church!” The only thing worse than Austin suffering with cancer is if we would not allow God to use his pain redemptively among us and teach us more and more what it means to BE the church.

Austin, we love you buddy! And we’re praying for you every day!

With a strange mixture of sadness and joy,



Joel

I quit going to church

By Joel Atwell

Dear church,

A number of years ago Pastor Bill Hybels authored a book titled Descending into Greatness. He opened with the words,

“In the vocabulary of the world, ‘down’ is a word reserved for losers, cowards, and the bear market. It is a word to be avoided or ignored … A word, it seems, only on the unfortunate lips of the weak, the poor, or the dead.”

As you might suspect, Hybels spends the next couple hundred pages considering another side of “down” based on Philippians 2:5 and following in which the Apostle Paul writes,

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant … he humbled himself … Therefore God exalted him to the highest place …”

(Is the title Descending into Greatness making more sense yet?)

The obsession of this world might be “up,” – up the corporate ladder, up the pay scale, up the ecclesiastical ladder, a higher office, more, bigger, better, faster, newer, etc… But Jesus was not obsessed with “up.” “Up” can be ok if God puts us in such a place (not if we get ourselves there by abuse, greed or compromise), but those who are “up” should always use it to reach “down” and serve. I like what Phillip Yancey says, “The ladder of power reaches up, the ladder of grace reaches down.” (What’s So Amazing About Grace)

Actually, what brought all this to mind was Chuck and Marge Hanson. Chuck is a retired pastor who is serving part-time as our church janitor. Truth be known, I’m sure Chuck would rather be in a place financially where he and Marge didn’t have to subsidize their income by cleaning our building, but you’d never know it. They come in faithfully week after week with smiles on their faces and gentle, loving spirits to empty trash cans, mop and vacuum floors and clean toilets. Never have they communicated in word or attitude, “I’m too good for this. I used to lead congregations, not clean up after them” (although anyone who has ever led a congregation has also spent a lot of time cleaning up after them).

Then, though I’ve known church janitors who have gotten so disgruntled by “having to clean up after the people” that they wanted virtually nothing to do with the rest of ministry of the church, but not Chuck and Marge. They volunteer to visit hospitals, teach classes, welcome guests and otherwise fully invest in the life of the church. Chuck even pretends to be intently listening to my sermons on Sundays.

Chuck and Marge, you are living out what Jesus modeled. You have “descended into greatness.” You’re not simply “going to church.” You are “being the church” and we are all blessed by your ministry.

Inspired by your example,

Joel

Rich Generosity

By Joel Atwell