The “C” word – Church Defined

When I say “I-don’t-go-to-church” I understand “go” and “church” in very specific ways.  It’s a little scary to publish this out there but here’s my head on a platter.

When I say “go” I mean attend, frequent, be present regularly and consistently.  I do occasionally buy a bacon double-cheeseburger from Jack-in-th-Box but I don’t go all the time. I have one of those maybe two or three (ok, maybe four) times a year.  Now, I recognize that there are people who have a JIB attendance kind of record at church (Easters and Christmases) who consider themselves church-goers but that’s not what I’m mean when I say it.

When I use the word “go” as it applies to churches I’m meaning that I participate as a regular attender or even a member.  I’m there most every Sunday. I probably have a regular place to park and to sit and listen to the sermon. I’ve been going to church in this fashion since 1987 – that’s a lot of years!

A Church I don't go to

No Address

I’ve been tossing that “c” word out a lot and when I say I don’t go to “church”, I mean I don’t go to a place (building, house, coffee shop, beach, conference room, stadium, cafeteria) where people meet regularly to hear a bible sermon, sing praise songs, fellowship with other like-minded persons, learn about their faith, be held to certain group determined norms and standards and contribute financially to group projects or goals. I also don’t go to a place that has an identity that can be communicated through bumper stickers, t-shirts, pencils, journals or other swag.  Nine out of 10 times this type of church has an address I can find through a google search.  This is what I don’t go to.   Sort of.

Neither do I (and here I might appear to digress too broadly but bear with me) regularly go to a place that is configured for fitness activities, occasionally offers free weeks or months of access with no sign-up fees, has lots of other people with similar goals, provides expert instruction on the use of the machines/equipment, and…Yes, I don’t go to a gym.  Sort of.

When I get asked what church I’m going to (frequently asked, in fact just yesterday) or what gym I workout at (less frequently asked!  Why is that??) this is what they’re asking.

The “sort of” responses above require some explanation.  First, I do workout.  A lot.  I eat a lot too which is why I don’t get asked what gym I go to very often.   Secondly, I do go to church.  Ughh!!  Even as I write that I shudder because of how I’m using those words!  But I do a sort of “church” thing that will require further explanation.

I’m doing this post in pieces not to build suspense but because I went to the beach today, just me and my wife, and am running short on time.  So, when I get back to my keyboard my plan is to share the “Why” part of “Why I don’t go to Church” along with the problems inherent in my lack of attendance.  And yes, there definitely are problems with not going to church as I’ve defined it above.  I’ll also share the one word that if I do a global find/replace in the New Testament for “church” and replace it with this one word it radically clears up my understanding of where I’m trying to go.

Feel free to post comments, love/hate messages in the space below

Stay tuned.