I just finished reading the weekly bulletin and thought how wonderful it would be to lay down for a few minutes and nap. I couldn’t stay down because within just few minutes thoughts were flowing through my mind concerning an attribute of my fellowship I grew to understand and make important in my life. While I would like to say the articles, one mentioning how apparently dysfunctional the apostles chosen by Jesus were in their approach to each other, it was a simple little note reminding everyone how Sunday would be our last day to make corrections in our “CHURCH DIRECTORY.”
Prior to starting this blog, I went to the directories I have on hand and I am pleased to say, whether it was a mistake or the maturity of the one typing out the directory, we no longer list the “LOST” of those attending with us each week. In the churches of my past, placing an asterisk or other designation by names to notate for everyone who was not in a “saved” position was a common theme. I am not sure how this got started, but in my life, it was born from a position where I would take the responsibility of being the savior away from Jesus.
Instead of being a messenger for Christ, I was the one tasked with being the savior for the lost and I had to know who they were so I could be about my task. I refused to let Jesus be the savior because my leadership was necessary to save.
Straying from a biblical basis, I often gave a reason in my Christian immaturity of needing to know who was baptized so I could call on them to help out in ministry. In my training, baptism allowed the new creature in Christ to serve the communion trays, lead a public prayer, lead a song, teach a lesson and be a “real” contributing member of the CHURCH. As I began to finish this last sentence I realized I left out the official doctrinal position of this only being applicable if you are a baptized male. Sarcastically, if you are a baptized woman, you can help with some trivial task but nothing officially authorized by the churches of Christ.
I made the comment in this manner because none of this is born of what we have in the bible. All of this “baggage” of my youth came from man and has been burdened on successive generations because people fail to read their bible and simply be a servant.
When speaking of a church directory, I have a problem with it in many contexts but not from the point of purpose in giving us necessary numbers to contact those within our congregational family. My first problem comes with the promotion of an idea where we are the official representative of God deciding who is and who is not a viable part of His family. The call is simply not ours and while most of these designations fall on children too young to realize we are saying “you don’t belong to God,” there were often those in my past who resented and put off accepting the Lordship of Christ because we were condemning of their position.
Not only do we openly condemn others with the special designation found in the church directories of the churches of Christ, but we place restrictions on these people who might learn to function and transform their lives into the life of Jesus. In my past, it placed a wall between me, “the good Christian” and the wicked person invading my space. I can remember one of my friends taking me to an Episcopal Church service one morning and he got a robe for me, some music and proceeded to guide me to the choir loft where I was a participating member of those gathering in the name of God. Did he think I believed in everything taking place on this day? There was no way for this to be the case since I have already described how condemning I was for Christ. My important realization now is how he understood my desire to please God and he accepted rather than condemned the working of God in my life.
Ultimately, my life should be used to engage people with God and if I am serving on the table and my friend (not a baptized member of the body) can help, then it has opened something to him for maturing towards a point in his life when the importance of communion is something other than juice and a cracker.
I am pleased to see our last directory did not have this designation but the desire to make tradition our Lord in place of Christ is still strong in the churches of Christ and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it return.
I guess it is not enough to be about the Lord’s work, we need to replace Him as Lord and decide for ourselves who is and who is not allowed to enjoy the fullness of Christ.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with you more. I remember when I 1st noticed the asterisk, as a teen who had not been raised in the church. It was in the Sunday handout, next to someones birthday. It took me a while (looking at directories, etc) to realize what the * meant. I, for one, was very offended. I find the whole practice self righteous, rude and offensive.
My reasons may differ though. I believe instead of an asterisk, we might just want to love those who worship with us. I believe that as a "family" we ought to know our family. If I know and dearly love those arounf me, then I KNOW which ones are struggling, I know which ones have rejected Christ and I am in a position to help them learn and grow. I realize that I will not have a relationship with every person who walks through the door, BUT someone in our body should if we are all loving each other the way Christ called us to.
Therein, I believe, lies the problem. It is much easier to "know" where people are by looking at an asterisk in the directory that by taking the time, energy and love to build a relationship with them. We are lazy. We want a formula. we want to see the asterisk, go have a formal study with them and then...it is off our conscience. If they choose not to obey, well that's on them and they stay forever in the *. I believe with all my heart that this is not the Christianity God desires. I believe he wants us to embrace people, love them and let them be part of our body until they believe. We insist that they have to believe BEFORE we allow them to belong...I just wonder, how many more faithful, active brothers (and sisters) would we have if we loved them and allowed them to belong until they believed??
Ronna,
ReplyDeleteI know others who have been offended by this and I remember well how it kept the husband of a godly woman from getting baptized because that was all that was important to the congregation as published in the directory. I wonder how many others have been shunned and kept from a great relationship with Christ because we call them condemned before we ever get to know them. This man I mention was at service every time the doors opened but he was just there, greeted and allow to take a seat. No one "taught" him by including him in service. You are awesome and have been a great example to all of us in your service.