So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore (Part 2)

Just finished the book and here are my thoughts:

Many times we can get so wrapped up into supporting any system (church, a business, relationships, etc) that we forget the reason they exist. Sometimes church becomes more about sustaining church than fulfilling Jesus purpose for the church. Sometimes church becomes a substitute for real spirituality. We can substitute a relationship with God for a program, event, or a chance to get involved in something. These are not bad things in and of themselves. If we aren't careful we can get us busy doing church things and forget about doing spiritual things. We can teach a Bible class but not spend time letting God's word speak to us. We can attend a give-away day but not help those in need in our own neighborhood. Sometimes all the programs and events give us a false sense or security and feeling like our involvement equals a relationship with God.

We define commitment to God by commitment to the church's programs and events. I never thought about this but it is true. If someone isn't involved in a program we can look down on them for not being committed or desiring to grow. But it could be that they live a busy life, are involved in things they don't parade out in public, going through personal struggles, or maybe they just can't make the meetings. It could be a reflection on their commitment to God but probably not.

You can find fault in everything. There is no perfect church, ministry, minister, Christian, etc. Some things need reformed but if you focus on all the faults you will find that you will never be happy or satisfied. This book highlights every fault of the church. Sure they exist but come on if I wanted I could highlight all the faults of his religious views.

Don't treat the symptoms treat the problem. If we helped people fall in love with Jesus all the other will take care of it self. We can treat symptoms (attendance, prayer life, bible reading, etc) all day long but the problem is someone's desire to love and know God.

Everyone is on a journey and there is no cookie cutter answer to life. The solution to our love, trust, and desire for God will be different for each of us. We will all connect to God differently and we all have different lives and responses to them.

Don't scrap everything. He suggest that real Christianity is best lived separate of any structured system. I could tell you 50 things wrong with our church if I had enough time to get out the microscope and highlight every fault but that doesn't mean you should just quit and throw it all out.

Read people that take extreme views from your own. I loved this book. I disagreed with allot of it but it made me think and grow. If we never read alternative views we will have little perspective and cheat ourselves from chances to grow.