My Testimony

Church. What is church? What is the purpose of church? Do I really care? These are the questions I have been asking myself for the last few years, but in order to answer them I have to go back to where my life with church began. I grew up in church; I never really knew life without it. My first 25 years was in a traditional Baptist church. I went everyday the doors were open, and I liked it. I knew all the stories, read the Bible a few times, and had the Sunday school answer for everything. All my friends were there; it was like a second home, or family if you will. That all changed a little over a decade ago. The church was slowly dying, and the elders knew they needed to do something to keep it alive. The problem was, that required change, and most of the members didn't want change or at least the kind that was needed.

Five years before I left, they hired a new pastor. With him, he brought a new outlook. Evangelize, service, getting out of our comfort zone. Do something with our faith instead of just sitting on high looking down on the world. The changes being made did not sit well with a lot of people, but most kept quiet. The silence didn't last long however and the war began. Backstabbing and gossip were just the tip of the iceberg. No one was safe. People I looked up to - teachers, mentors - stabbing each other in the back, stabbing me in the back. All for what? A pulpit? Hymns? Stupid, petty stuff. All this lasted for a few more years, when finally the pastor was "asked" to resign, and the rest of the staff followed suit. When the dust settled, my wife and I stood there wondering what was next. The question was, do we stay or go? After getting a glimpse of what church could be, there was no way I was going back, plus a little part of me, which turned out to be a big part later, was done with church. I wanted no more.

Which brings me back to the original questions. What is the church, what is its purpose, and do I really care anymore? Well, one is easily answered. Yes I do care, otherwise I would not be writing this or even thinking about it. Praying, talking, and reading brought me to a conclusion. The church is a refuge, a place of comfort and spiritual learning. It is also, and most importantly, the people. It is not a building, and it is not the worship service. It is the people. The church needs to be a place where you can find comfort, rest, someplace safe. A place to be encouraged/uplifted, and where you can ask the tough questions. The church also needs to be a part of the community. You see, the church I used to call home, if it did die, no one in the surrounding community would have noticed. That is sad, and not what Christ intended. So is the traditional church doing what was outlined in Acts? No. That is why Christianity is failing in the world today. Not only is the word being over used, it is also being misused, and the church, for the most part, is not helping. We need to bring Christ back into the church, back into our everyday lives, and live the church, not just attend the church. That is why I praise God for Paradox, FINALLY, a church that gets it.