NOT GIVING UP, ESPECIALLY NOW

I've been told (and I have seen) that it's very common for people who come back from serving overseas to have a difficult time re-adjusting to church in North America. Personally, I find it true of myself. In a sense, I'm glad for this difficulty because it's forcing me to examine my beliefs about church and dig into the Word - instead of just going with what I've been brought up to accept as truth.

I have a theory as to why overseas missionaries (perhaps those in closed countries in particular) have a difficult time with the re-adjustment. I think it has to do with the depth of fellowship Christians share when they're "on the field." God is very much a part of every part of life. And transparency between fellow believers is a gift readily given and received. From talking about Biblical questions to bowel movements, there is a level of closeness that is reminiscent of family.

Since being back, I've been attending Sunday services regularly, but I find that that's not where church is for me. It's during the week, in my conversations with friends as we connect in the deeper places of the heart, that's where my soul knows I am part of a larger body and Christ's love is intersecting with life. It is in those moments that my heart is brought to a place of reverence and awe of God - a spontaneous place of worship that comes from somewhere deep within.

And so I have questions. What is the role of the church now? In an age where quality Biblical teaching can be downloaded and listened to any day and worship music is readily available, why do we still gather? If we claim to gather for fellowship and corporate worship but we aren't willing to be open with each other and wrestle together through the tough and dirty stuff, what's the point? What would it take for a congregation to truly take on characteristics of being a family and go beyond Sunday morning pleasantries?

I'm searching for answers. And I have a suspicion I'm not the only one.

And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

~Hebrews 10:21-25[NLT]~