For by grace, you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
The standard doctrine of salvation within any true Christian church is that one is saved not by what they do, but in whom they believe and submit to. That being, of course, Jesus Christ. And yet, one of the most common qualities among Christians today is an overwhelming sense of the need to do things on one’s own. We are a society and culture that is obsessed with the ability and necessity to completely forgo the help of others so that we might be isolated islands of self-sufficiency.
I wonder how that is working for everyone?
In our haste to be the hero of our own stories, we have sacrificed the ingrained need within our nature as humans for community. God instilled in each of us the need to gather as fellow persons of faith, grow with one another, challenge one another, and submit to God together. But it is often one of the first things we cast off from our lives! Who needs community, who needs connection, who needs the church?
Turns out, those who follow Christ (and even those who don’t) desperately need the connection and direction that the church provides. From the very beginning, the Bible calls upon its readers to recognize the importance of community. In Genesis it is written, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone;” In the New Testament it is written, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2). The purpose of the church is far more than we truly realize. It is not just a place to hear God’s Word, but to wrestle with it in community with others, to share each other’s burdens and not journey on the road alone.
If your whole idea of church is about individual needs being met, rather than the collective purpose of the body of believers toward each other and the world outside, then you might be on the wrong track. The job of the church is not to serve you; it is to serve Christ or even serve others through Christ. If you leave church on Sunday feeling affirmed and equipped, that is not just for your benefit; it is also for you to share such affirmation with others.
As Christians, we have to start reorienting our churches from a self-serve model to a community outreach model. Giving offerings to the church is not “dues” for a country club or “rent” on a building. They are sacred investments in the work of the Holy Spirit. Bible Studies and Small Groups should not be “clicks” in members’ social lives, but rather intentional, open spaces for people to grow in their knowledge of God. And Sunday should not be about what the church can do for your personal needs or wants; instead, it should be a place that challenges your soul and redirects your path towards Christ.
Individualism, as worship, leads to idolatry. It completely removes the need for a savior, such as Jesus. And to apply such individualism to the church creates spaces of comfort and approval for its membership, rather than embassies of equipment for Disciples and the Holy Work of God.
We need to have serious conversations within our congregations about what our true purpose is and who is truly being glorified in our worship: man’s individual accomplishments or God’s infinite power and work?
Just a thought.
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Pastor Mike McVey
Minister – First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, TX
ACS Chaplain – United States Coast Guard, Station Galveston, TX
Cell: 919-935-2513
Email: pastormike@fumcfairfield.org
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
“Semper Paratus” – Always Ready
