Finding the Way Home
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Below is the archived version of Marshall Hayden's eNewesletter "Finding the way Home." If you would like to be added to to mailing list, please send a blank email to evangelism-subscribe@worthingtoncc.org.

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August 2008

The Best Imperfect Place I Know

Twice in my lifetime there has been a significant season of "I love Jesus, but I don't love the church." During the sixties, when I was preparing for the ministry, seminaries and Bible colleges were suffering enrollment challenges, because there was quite a surge of that spirit going on then. The catch-word was "institutional church," which approached curse-word status, or at least drew snickers and scoffs. The Jesus people looked as much different at they could from the folks in suits, dresses, and clerical robes. I was young enough to be puzzled by all of it, and single-minded enough in my own idealism to think that "this too shall pass." And after a while it faded. I hoped that they did not give up the "I love Jesus" part, and that they adjusted to a more patient look at the church, rather than leaving faith in Christ behind and taking up some other kind of faith.

More recently, under the influence of post-modernism, some of that feeling has cycled back again. What some young folks have seen in some church-going folks, or what they think they have seen, causes them to label the larger body of believers with the attitudes that they believe they see in their sample. There is some warrant to their observations; but very often they paint with the same kind of wide brush that they despise to see being used by those whom they label "hypocrite" or "hateful." And it is rare that either side gives the other the courtesy of explaining why the feelings that they have are there.

Before I wander too far away from the point that would like to underline today, let me say that the church is the best imperfect place that I know. I believe it to be divine in its constitution. I believe that the writer of the book of Hebrews had the right concern when he wrote "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25)." That's the church, the fellowship of believers, the body of Christ, those "called out from the world" and "led together" as a family – smaller or larger, more formal or more informal, a mixture of persons and personalities, spiritual infants, adolescents, and grown-ups.

Just reflecting on that arouses my determination. I really don't think there is such a thing as a disembodied Christian, attached to the head, but not to any other members. And the reflection makes me smile. Starting with my first memories as a pew-crawling, nursery-inhabiting four-year-old I have been part of ten churches (five with my parents, and five with Judy and our sons); and I have loved all of them. If you could see my face as I type this you would know how fervently I mean that. I could not imagine knowing better people, strong and sensitive, energetic and patient, committed to the body and to the Head; and if I started listing names it would fill several pages.

Some people have made missteps, serious ones. Others have grown up way too slowly. A few frauds have been mixed in. All of us have some nicks, bruises and breaks, some of our own making, some from absolutely no fault of our own, some as a result of living in a fallen world, and a few (worn with honor) that have come from a desire to be found faithful. We're not perfect. But the body of Christ is indeed, the best imperfect place I know.

Just this plea! If you are trying to shape a life of faith and faithfulness on your own, or with too few others to keep you warm, strong, growing, assisted, cautioned, charged, reminded (I've got more words, but you get the idea) find an imperfect fellowship. "Try it. You'll like it!"