I went to church this past Sunday, in honor of the assassination and martyrdom of Charlie Kirk. I don’t go to church very often. Jesus has been my Lord and savior sense the age of 17, I am now 71. Some might consider that feat a bit of a miracle, but in fact it is the result of countless miracles. I came to know Jesus as the Son of God during the Jesus movement in the early 70’s near Spokane, Washington. Then we were referred to as Jesus Freaks. That, primarily due to the fact that we would stand on street corners and tell passers-by that, “Jesus Loves You” and try to engage people into a conversation about Jesus, who He is and how they could have a relationship with Him as their Lord and Savior. We would pass out a news tabloid call “The Truth”, it was all about Jesus. We believed that churches were more like spiritual morgues, filled with lifeless tradition and a spiritual rendition of the living dead. We were determined to introduce to everyone that Jesus was alive and full of promise, love, joy, and eternal life. The movement was a simple faith in Christ, and that where there were three or more gathered together in the name of Jesus, that constituted the church. Church was revered to as fellowship. We sang songs about our faith and love for Jesus. It almost always involved bible studies amid questions and conversations about current issues and were frequented by personal confessions of sins followed with laying on of hands and prayer.
Like all movements it was eventually swallowed up by the complications of everyday life, disillusionment in self-proclaimed leaders and divisions.
I grew up, and at times apart from my faith. The challenges of marriage, family, work, etc. took its toll on my relationship with Jesus. That being true, Jesus was always there and as often as I stumbled Jesus would pick me up and remind me who I was and where and how to walk with Him. I would try finding fellowship with many different churches. For a time, I dedicated myself to reading the entire bible and studying both the Hebrew and Greek translations to better understand the Word of God, this went on for a number of years. In all of my walk with Christ I can honestly say that I have been punished, chastised, and tremendously blessed by my Lord and Savior. The bad was of my own doing, the blessings were from Him, and that is when the countless miracles often came into my life, of which I am a humble and grateful recipient of.
Between 17 and 71 I have lived many lives, (figure of speech), been to many churches and yet experienced little fellowship. I think church may be a place for anonymously worshiping God, but not much for personal fellowship with one another in Christ.
My wife has gone to a certain church off and on for over a year, I have only gone with her two or three times.
“You shall know them by their fruit”
I have watched an listened. I have mentioned the fellowship aspect to my wife on occasion. She tells me that they have “groups” for that. I have mostly been interested in one particular group setting, the one that involves our 13 year old, high functioning autistic son, Noah. Large churches today come prepared with age categorized groups. This is so that the adults have a place to dump their children off into the care of a church group leader, (another word for “babysitter”) so that the adults can gather together to worship God without child interruptions. I’m sure you know what I mean. Noah has gone to church every time my wife has gone. He does not like it. In all the time he has gone he has not made any friends. I do not know that anyone from his group has personally reached out to him, I don’t know either way. I do think that Noah would say so if someone approached him to be a friend, he is big on friendship. This is why he does not like to go, he doesn’t feel love or friendship, and I get that, I get that. It’s easy to blame me for not reaching out to strangers in a strange place to make friends, I’m an adult, capable of forcing myself into awkward introductions, but Noah isn’t, he’s autistic. He loves people, but if they don’t love him back, he knows that and will not want to be where he does not feel personal contact, warmth and…friendship. That’s church, not fellowship. For now, I will think about it and I will occasionally go, and Noah will go because he has to.
PS Going to church is not a bad thing.
Sky Valley Messenger 