church is not different
Yesterday I was with a friend who was telling me about a church that he visited. He said there motto, slogan, mission statement (whatever you want to call it) is, “We do church differently.” This statement, or one like it, has been a battle cry of sorts for quite a few churches in more recent years. Although it seems to be a popular phrase I have to admit, I do not understand what it meant by doing church differently.
At first glance I ask what is meant by “church.” It seems that when a person is talking about “doing church” they are speaking about an event – as in something that happens on Sunday morning. If this is the case, then the reality is it probably will not be much different. We can tinker all we want, but no amount of coffee, couches, seating configurations, different ways of teaching, location of gatherings, or anything else is going to make any of this much different.
In reality, an event or gathering of the people of God on a Sunday or any other day of the week that (commonly referred to as a worship service) are all quite the same. There may be differences in music style and volume. Those present may wear a t-shirts and jeans instead of a suit and tie. But in the end the gathering is often predicated on the same idea. A gathering of God’s people to commune, worship, contribute, experience, and learn. The difference between events is akin to chocolate ice cream versus chocolate chip cookie dough. Both ice cream, and both good in their own right, but still two different combinations of the same basic ingredients.
If “church” is not being referred to as an event, but an institution or an organization it will still not be as “different” as some would like it to be. If we are honest with ourselves any grouping of people comes with a structure. Families. Sports teams. Even a group of college students going on a spring break trip has some level of organization. There are some structures that fit some and other structures that fit some. Regardless of what the structure is the better question just might be, “What is the spiritual and emotional health of those within the organization?”
Take the best structure out there and put unhealthy people in it and you will have an unhealthy organization, the opposite is also (almost) true. When we speak about “different” can we just admit that we might need a structure that fits us better? Then can we admit together that we are still operating within some sort of structure?
Some may think, “No, we are organic!” Fine, but allow me to ask, “Are you aware of the intricate complexities of organic farming which necessitates exacting science and knowledge along with precise attention to detail?” Structures come in all shapes and sizes. Some are rigid, others flexible. Some clearly defined, others loosely defined. In the end they are all structures. And like ice cream, they are different.
Back to the statement, “doing church differently.” After taking a couple of stabs at what "church" might mean in this context, I have to ask, “What does ‘different’ mean?” Different from what? Different from who? Different from ... church?
No matter what is meant we are still living in contrast to something else. Should we really be defining our local faith communities by what we are not? Should we really begin by telling people how we are different from what they may (or may not) know? Perhaps we should begin by just telling people what we are … it is up to them to care about the differences.
When we live by comparing ourselves to something that is already existing we rarely get too far away from that thing. When someone says, “She is an out-of-the-box thinker!” It seems that the box is still a point of reference. This is why Walt Disney talked about throwing the box out altogether, because one then has a truly blank canvas on which to create.
Although I am not clear on what the intent is behind “doing church differently” it may be better to simply scratch the whole motto altogether. We are all a part of a much larger story about God and his people. We are all ice cream, and the reality is that each generation (and multiple groups within each generation) prefer different flavors. Rather than talk about what we are not like or what we are against, maybe we should only speak about the goodness of our particular flavor while recognizing the other kind is pretty good too.
Surely some will want to differentiate between themselves and those who have practiced hate instead of love, exclusion instead of inclusion, or condemnation instead of mercy ... rest assured no comparison is necessary. People who live like that are something, but they are not the embodiment of Jesus in our world that we have come to call the Church.
Maybe we should just stick to telling and retelling the bigger story of which we are a part, and speak of our participation in it. We just might begin to see how big this whole thing really is. Wouldn’t it be great if that was enough?