Churchianity...Should We Be Required To Participate?

Unfortunately in todays world, we still need to deal with the judgmental attitiudes of those who believe that church attendance is the next step to godliness. In the Christian circles you are looked upon with either scorn or pity if you do not regularly attend a church. For instance, my daughter will attend first grade at a private Christian school next year, and the school that she is attending requires us to attend "a" church regularly. We do not need to attend any affiliates for the school, as long as we are attending a church somewhere. Some might say they are correct to have such a "request." Other might think as long as they are getting the tuition, they should just leave us alone. I have 2 ideas on the matter.

I have no problem with the school being concerned about the lifestyle of the families that send their kid to private school, especially thier own school. They do not want to get kids who come from reprobate parents when the potential for those types of children to victimize other kids is so high in todays society. When I say reprobate, I mean parents who do not know or care about God, might do drugs, be sexually and verbally explicit, etc. They may be sending their kids to private school for the academic benefits only. These are the families they are trying to avoid. I admire and half chose this school for the care they put into family selection. It is their right as a private school and I would always defend that right.

In my families case I have a gripe on the level that we do not attend church on a regular basis. I am theologically in line with their Reformed beliefs. I hold to their opinion of the nature of God, sin, this world, and mankind in general. I do not, however, believe that church attendance is a point that can determine whether families are more or less "Christian." We attend a home group more often than we do not. Our friends in this group are closer than any I have maintained in a church. Behavioral accountability is more closely held in my home group than at any church. However, I am still required to show that my family has regular church attendance, to the school.

Faith defines my life. I would not live the way I do apart from faith. I love my family, my God (THE God), my nation, my friends. I believe that God created this world, that this world will be around forever and we are to maintain our stewardship over it. I believe that without faith in Christ, our children will be doomed to failure in life. There is no life apart from Christ.

Basically, church attendance does not lead to godliness. I have known as many bad people from church as from without. I have met people who love others more from outside the church than from within. Church is an organization. Church is a business that specializes in the business of ministry. Church is a club for like-minded individuals who have like-faith. It is a place where people go to get pumped up about their faith, find peace for their conscience, and encouragement to go on in Christ. If they can get that type of encouragment from somewhere else, so be it. If the church system was the road to truth, there would not be so many denominations that are divided on what they view as truth. If church was ordained by God and not by man, then they would all be speaking in one accord. The fact is, church is a good place to go, but is not a required place to go. God does not judge you based on your church attendance. You can avoid the forsaking of the gathering of the saints in other ways.

It is Christianity, not churchianity. It is called that because we are followers or Christ in our own lives. We believe and try to mold ourselves into what He wants us to be. He made no "church" demands.

May God bless all those who love Him, no matter how or where they fellowship.
Nate