Two seemingly opposed facts characterize my life as a member of Christ’s Body:
- I am called by God to be a functioning member of an institutional church.
- I am drawn to and hope to one day plant a house church/city church.
Why not leave?
To this I merely answer that the Head of the Church has called me to this place. This answer is sufficient.
But another answer emerges, if we transform the question a bit:
For what purpose do I remain in this church?
- I remain to embody bold opposition that is focused on key issues. Participating in gatherings puts me in a place to instigate paradigm shift that honors the history of this people while calling for needed change.
- I remain to embody respectful opposition that works alongside brothers and sisters, considering the other as more important than self. Working in the system, developing information and feedback flows, allows me to encourage needed change, while appropriately honoring the legacy of the Spirit’s work in this place.
- I remain to embody loyal opposition that shows up and honors the good. Following the call to leadership outside the professional structure of the institutional church puts me in a position to highlight good traditions, tell legacy stories, and publicly recognize needed changes when they occur.
Am I doing all this?
Not yet, but I hold it before my eyes and before the eyes of my fellows. Distractions (internal and external) occur and resistance (mostly passive) happens, but the call remains, so here I stay.
Why do you “go to church”?
Related
Among the Loyal Dissatisfied (on Laura’s Writings)
Being the Loyal Opposition in the Institutional Church
Why Go To Church? on Origins Project
