What's The Use?

Church: A thing of the past?

I recently had a conversation with a friend who has grown cold in his enthusiasm for church attendance and participation.  He mentioned a few things in particular that discouraged him.  Here's a list in no particular order:

* The church he attends had recently experienced tremendous growth, so as to have changed the feel from small church culture to large church culture for him.

* With that growth there was, for his thinking, a major shift in emphasis where money and giving was concerned. "Every sermon is about giving now," he said.

* He reiterated that he isn't simply discouraged with the church he attends, but church in general--he has no interest in searching for a new church home.

* He's not sure he's been growing in Christ (or has seen his faith grow) for all his participation in church over the years.  He attributes spiritual growth in his life to a handful of relationships he has with other believers in Christ, but outside the parameters of church.

* He personally feels as though he gets body participation more through his years-long involvement in a community bible study (where many of those relationships are)--the kinds of things people say that a church should provide he receives from those he has participated with over the years in the study group.

* Looking back he doesn't see "the benefit" of his years of attending just about every service and participating in just about every ministry the church offered.

Now, let me testify to my friend's having done the church thing to the full, for the many years that I've known him.  Let me assure you that my friend is of sound mind and theology.  He's not back-sliding or wandering to the best of my observations.  He just says he's "over" church.

How would you counsel a friend in such a situation?  Ever have similar thoughts and feelings?

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Comments

[Erik]

Some excellent questions. They're worth asking from time to time. What value is there to 'church'?

I would conjecture that his community Bible study is probably more his local assembly of believers than his 'church' is. We tend to think that church must have certain culturally accepted norms.I don't think he's "over" church at all; but church is not where he thinks it is.

[Darin]

I think your take on my friend's comments is correct - his "body life" isn't found at the moment in a traditional church setting. But, the question becomes, what of the traditional church setting?