Church is for cowards, wussies and wimps

A friends of mine recently contacted me and said that she was thinking about finding a new church home. Although she's had a difficult couple of years, I applauded her desire to connect with a new fellowship of believers. As she and I have chatted about what to look for in a church, it dawned on me that church is often viewed as a place for "happy, smiling, perfect people" with "2.5 kids, an SUV, a mortgage and 2 weeks paid vacation per year." The dad is clad in khakis and a pressed polo and the mom sports the latest designer scarf, perfectly matched discounted skirt (it was 30% off!) and knee high boots.

Wait, maybe I'm just describing us.

As I search the Scriptures and especially the book of Acts, a different perception is portrayed. The believers in Acts shared everything they had with each other (Acts 4:32), worked all night - in prayer and preaching (Acts 20:7-12), celebrated "life together" (Acts 2:44) and even were willing to meet in an upper room for days on end in prayer (Acts 1:13). The notion of showing up on Sunday and warming a pew for an hour just wasn't an option.

If we were to practice these types of activities in modern days, I believe most would consider us a cult, which wouldn't glorify Christ. However there is a way for us to share "Life Together" as the German philosopher Dietrich Bonhoeffer described in his popular book before he was hung in 1945. Life together is openness. Accountability. Growing together. Learning together. Praying for one another. Freedom to be. Freedom to laugh and snort.

My friend and I have had quite a few discussions on what to look for in a new church home. Is the preaching the #1 thing to evaluate? How about the "friendliness" of the church? How about a good children's ministry? An annual cookout? Comfortable seating? Nicely tuned worship band? Ease of location or a close parking spot for visitors? I absolutely agree that a solid church community should have biblical preaching, fellowship, worship and prayer (Acts 2:42). And I absolutely believe there should be small groups that stand for one another, pray for each other and have an accountability system put in place. The #1 consideration however is "Lord, where are YOU planting me in your body?"

You see, church should not be a community of perfectionists who put on their Sunday best and pretend they have no problems. Church should be more like...a hospital. A place for those who can "come as we are." A place for the down and out. The misfits. The sad, the broken. Jesus himself said that "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Mark 2:17). Jesus the great physician, calls the imperfect - the sinners, and welcomes them into his house.

The message of the church is for cowards. He promises in Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you…"

The message of the church is for wussies. He promises in Isaiah 41:13 "I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand, and says "Do not fear, I will help you..." 

The message of the church is for wimps. He promises in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My power is made perfect in weakness…"

He takes us where we are and elevates us to the next level. He leads us into deeper intimacy with him. He calls all of us, even the cowards, wussies and wimps into his home. The church should welcome such with open arms…Jesus does.

Maybe, just maybe, we need to have a new viewpoint of the church. Maybe we need to change our perception of who goes to church. Maybe we need to welcome those who come in who don't fit into our "box." Maybe we need to recognize that the church is a place for healing. Maybe the church should be a safe place where we embrace each other's problems and speak love and edification, rather than look at someone with a judgmental, haughty, condescending side-ways glance derived out of pride, arrogance and self.

And maybe, just maybe, the cross on the steeple needs to be replaced with a new cross. A reminder of the spirit of the cross. A cross that looks like…this.