Me: But I'm a good person and I pray everyday. And I put my trust in God and I love him.
Him: I know, but how often do you miss church?
Me: Well...
Him: Do you ever miss work? I bet you're there on time everyday.
Me: Yes, just about...
Him: But you can't make it to church once a week? What do you think that says to HIM?
Me: But is it that big a deal? Why is that so important?
Him: Because you can't do it by yourself.
This just really got me thinking. On one hand I don't believe you have to go to church every Sunday to be a good Christian but on another hand, I see what my friend was trying to say. Being a Christian is not easy. I mean I fall down everyday. But you have to have some support system so that when you do fall or stray away, you come back. Because it is a personal journey doesn't mean you do it alone. You need some type of accountability partner, like a church, bible group, or a loved one. Someone to knock you over the head when you're being a selfish and judgemental and say "Snap outta of it!"
This also made me think of a great book I read recently, called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. It's tagline is Non-religious thoughts on Christian Spirituality. It's a beautiful semi-memoir of a young man's thoughts, conflictions, and realizations of the Christian faith. This probably won't be the last time I write about this book. I don't believe eveything he says, but a lot of it really touched me. Here is a quote:
"I was watching BET one night and they were interviewing a man about jazz music. He said jazz music was invented by the first generation out of slavery. I thought that was beautiful because, while it is music, it is very hard to put on paper; it is so much more a language of the soul...
...It is a music birthed out of freedom. And that is the closest thing I know to Christian spirituality. A music birthed out of freedom. Everybody sings their song the way they feel it, everybody closes their eyes and lifts their hands..." pg.239
5 comments:
Willy, you know I love you. But you ain't on time to work everyday. :)
notice i said "just about" lol
That book sounds like something I need to pick up and read, chile. Since graduating from high school and leaving home, I definitely don't think that it is necessary to attend church to be a good Christian. I like to go because I enjoy fellowship, worship and devotion but if I miss one Sunday (ahem, or two) I don't think I'm dammed. Not to mention there are sooo many dutiful Church goers that are straight up sinnin' like crazy.
Yes, you can't do it by yourself but does your timetable of attending church have to adhere to your friend's guidelines?
It seems to me that you are on your path that is working for you and working your way to showing your spirituality and being nurtured by church
which to me is fine.
Because we are individuals, why is it not okay for us to love God in a way that reflects that?
I ask this with the caveat that loving God should not include making women wear ugly pastel dresses and having sex with underage girls as seen by the recent revelations from Texas.
My mother and I just had a similar conversation about church. I went on Easter, but besides that hadn't been since Jan '07. I don't miss it for a number of reasons. I pray regularly, too.
I might check that book out too. Nice blog.
wandered over from divine blacnkess' spot.
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