Cookie Cutter Church

I visited a megachurch in Nairobi a few years ago. The format of the service was the same as we have in North America: an auditorium with a stage, a band, singing, a sermon, etc. Then I noticed that the stage backdrop was identical to one I’d seen a few weeks ago at home. Do they rent these things? Or is there some sort of exchange where you just keep passing them along? Are there a whole networks of churches all trying to do exactly the same thing?

But I know lots of pastors. They are definitely not all trying to do the same thing.

Convenient Church

A few months ago my wife and I were planning her Mom’s memorial service. At first we thought we’d do it at our house, for a warm, intimate time together…. But planning the logistics felt overwhelming, so we decided just to have it at her church. We could have it in the hall instead of the sanctuary, and eat together around tables…. But we didn’t know how many people would be coming. So we decided to just have a regular church service. That’s the easiest.

And I thought I’d struck on something: maybe we all do church this way because it’s the easiest. New Testament church was about eating together, everyone participating with a word or a tongue or an interpretation, washing each others feet, holy kisses, praying together and helping the poor. All that is more effort, more vulnerable.

But I know lots of pastors. They are definitely not all trying to do the easiest thing.

Celestial Church

What if our implementation of church is coming from something deeper? What if it’s coming from a western belief that one day we’ll all escape from the troubles of this world and go to heaven? Maybe it’s proclaiming and demonstrating a foretaste of heaven:

• A never-ending worship service — so church is centered around music and emotional experiences
• A place of direct intimacy with God — so church services focus on helping people feel God’s presence
• A space of perfect community — so church becomes a fellowship-centered gathering where believers connect
• A place free from sin and suffering — so church avoids showing pain, creating a polished, conflict-free environment
• A place where all knowledge is complete — so church is structured around rigorous teaching
• A place of transcendent beauty – so church buildings are elaborate and attractive
• An escape from this world – so church is gathered together away from the persecution outside

Of course we all want these things for the people we love, but is this view biblical?

Christ’s Church

The early church understood God’s kingdom not as a place called heaven, but as God’s reign, his kingship. Their goal was not escaping to heaven, but proclaiming that Jesus was Lord over all the earth (Acts 17:7).

• Instead of a never-ending worship service, the early church saw worship as offering their bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1)
• Instead of creating a space of intimacy with God, they taught that God’s presence dwells in His people wherever they go (1 Corinthians 3:16)
• Instead of separating into a perfect community, they ate with tax collectors, outsiders, and the poor (Luke 5:29-32)
• Instead of avoiding pain, they suffered with Christ and counted it joy (Philippians 3:10, James 1:2)
• Instead of seeking complete knowledge, they trained disciples to obey Jesus, not just accumulate teaching (Matthew 28:20)
• Instead of building elaborate places of beauty, they built people into a temple where God dwells (Ephesians 2:21-22)
• Instead of escaping the world, they were sent into it as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16).

Jesus has a much more ambitious assignment for his church.

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. – Hab 2:14