the problem with the local church

There are churchy things that make me cringe. The way some people speak & teach & preach. Certain styles of music. Anything that makes me feel like I’m back in church in the 90s. When people speak from their white privilege - and I can’t even believe this is something I recognize now, but that’s a different post for another day - it pulls me out of the moment and makes me cringe. Why is he talking to us like that? The synthesizer & syncopation of every first line in this “contemporary” worship is giving me flashbacks. I was at an event recently and kept wondering if I had entered a time-machine and gone back in time. Because while the people were clearly giving it their all, I could not get into it. The worship, the teaching, the building. I was so distracted by what I didn’t like and what didn’t resonate with my style.

But the girl next to me was taking notes. The girl in front of me was being prayed over. The girl down my pew was crying. And I was convicted for being super judgey and critical. Because it doesn’t matter that I’ve been in church for my entire life. It doesn't matter that I work in a church and “know” what can be better. Because it isn’t really about the people or the musical stylings or the words. It’s not about the presence of a tambourine or how well the people around me are able to clap on beat.

It’s about Jesus.

The details are important because they set the environment for worship. They make people comfortable to sing out loud and praise their creator, sit in a safe space of His love just as they are and receive God’s truth straight into their hearts. This is why there are one thousand churches in the city where I live. Because it does matter. The environment matters. The aesthetic matters. The worship matters. The lights, production, coffee bar and wind signs matter. They all matter! Because some people find them inviting. Some people find them engaging. Sure, other people find them distracting and might consider them showy, having no place in church. But guess what? Just as I would say that it’s okay for people to not fit our aesthetic & culture, the same goes for every other style of church or worship or teaching out there. Because people who love my home church would not fit in a more traditional setting. People who like a conventional service would not choose to worship at my campus. And here’s really the one thing I need to say about that:

It is okay.

Because it’s about Jesus. It’s about the Holy Spirit moving. And He is not bound by the limitations of human preference. His words are loud and His reach is long. And if He reaches people through styles that make me cringe then praise God for those pastors & praise teams because they are doing their work as His vessel. They have chosen their lane and they are running full speed ahead. And who would I ever think I am to criticize how they run? God isn’t asking me to be standing on the sidelines cheering them on. He put me next to them, running in my lane. Because here’s the thing about how the local church should work: we all run. parallel. toward the same goal of clearing the way and bringing other people behind us to Jesus. Done and done. Yes and Amen. If there are people following you to Him, then keep on going in whatever manner is working for you.

Let’s not be like those public “Christian” figures who we are quick to separate from for the misogynistic, racist, exclusive statements they make about religion. It’s easy to call out others (who can remain nameless, because their names aren’t the point) who make public shaming statements about who is and isn’t called to do the work of God. But when I sit in judgement of others, I am no better than the people who make me ashamed to be on their team. When we let our personal biases determine what kind of church, speaker or music can and can't bring people to Jesus, we ultimately have the same attitude of exclusion that we rebel against. When we think our way is the only right way, we are missing it. When the local church finds itself in competition, that’s when it’s a problem. Friends, this isn’t right on a major level and it isn't right on a minor level, even in our own hearts. Everyone can be used by God. Apparently even Kanye.

Let’s recognize the efforts of all and that it takes the efforts of us all - all kinds & all styles & all voices - to reach God’s people. The people in whose hearts God has set eternity. There is hope for all of us. All people. All colors. All ages. All genders. All denominations. All who are called. (Which is still all of us.) The small traditional church down the street, your babysitter, the author you only half agree with, the music that’s too loud, the church that seems too showy, the preacher who seems egotistical, the influencers you think are only in it for the attention, the start ups, everyone. Put your judgments aside and believe the best about them. Choose to believe that they are doing the best they can. Let’s all run together in the same direction and be overjoyed that all kinds of different people are following all of us toward Him.