Church Part 1

When I was in college, I loved going to church. It was one of the highlights of my week. Sioux Falls is a place blessed with so many solid churches. There's a plethora of options.

So many options that if one church doesn't sit well after a minor conflict, you can simply move on to the next one. No big deal. People do it all the time.

Now, I’m in Ghana, not Sioux Falls. It’s different. Church is different. It’s no longer one of the highlights of my week. It’s become more of a chore, a duty. Here, there is also a plethora of options for church; there are approximately 10 on KNUST’s campus alone. But these options aren’t as solid as those back home. So many preach the prosperity gospel (which claims that if humans have faith in God, God will abundantly bless them with material goods) rather than the true gospel of Christ.

 

My team has tried multiple churches, and it’s been a tough ride. Quite a few of us (especially me) are frustrated and bitter. Just two Saturdays ago, I became very annoyed when I heard which church I was expected to attend the following day. My rotten attitude made me realize that I had an internal issue that needed to be addressed.

I am selfish. I want church to spiritually feed me. I want to go to a fun church where I'm full of joy and excitement during the entire service. Don't get me wrong here; having a church that feeds you and is enjoyable is good. But  that's not what it's all about.
 
Church is about participating in the body of Christ. It's about being in community with God and other believers. God is perfect, but the believers are messed up. We fail. We make big mistakes. We say and do super stupid things. (I'm sure right now you might even be thinking of some of those super stupid church mistakes.) 
 
It's not about me. It's about a commitment: a commitment to a group of broken people. Take a look at 1 Corinthians. Wow! Talk about a group of broken people! The believers in Corinth had so many divisions in the church. They fought about everything. They were so immature. They were missing the point of the gospel. (Again, I'm sure some past experiences may be coming to mind.)
 
But Paul doesn't write to them and say, "Wow. This church is hopeless, screwed up beyond repair." Instead, in 1 Corinthians 1:10, he says

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
 

Wow. Paul doesn't tell the people who are hurt and upset by the other believers, "I understand your pain. You've been treated unfairly. It's time to move on to another church, preferably one that will meet all of your desires and make you feel good all the time." Nope. Instead, in 15:56-58 and 16:13-14, he says

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.... Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.
 

Yep. That's what the church is called to do: love. Persevere. Live in harmony. Be on guard. Stand firm. Big things. Never to run away when it gets tough, quit when your hurting or not getting your way, or have "church" at home with an online sermon and your Spotify worship playlist when you don't like the church down the street.

The Corinthian church was pretty messed up. Some members would hog all the bread and wine at communion to the point where they got drunk while others went without (11:20-22). The churches I've gone to have never been like that.

The churches I've gone to just haven't been what I wanted them to be. The songs aren't what I want. The message isn't what I want. The fellowship isn't what I want. But it's not about me. It's about me selflessly loving the body. Now, that doesn't mean promoting lies from the pulpit. But it does mean loving the confused people and investing in them the way Jesus did. I'm meant to reflect Christ. Not just be a consumer in another area of my life.

I almost gave up hope on finding a church in Kumasi and on finding a body I would want to love. Now, I know that I'm meant to love the body in which God places me. I'm meant to invest in the broken. And I can relate well because I am so very broken.

I'm thankful for this trial with church; God's been teaching me a lot about my selfishness and his intentions through it all. Pretty soon, I'll fully commit to a church here in Kumasi, and then I'll be able to share more about that broken body with you. The good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. It's all about learning to be more like Christ. It's all for the glory of God, and even though we screw up quite often, the love in the body is a beautiful, beautiful thing. It's why Paul never gave up on those foolish Corinthians. It's why God never gives up on us.