By Deacon Mike Seibert
Connecting Faith and Life
We’ve all heard it — Heck, we’ve probably all said it as a kid: “Do we have to go to church? The inevitable response would follow: “You don’t HAVE to go to church, you GET to.” It occurred to me today, that while that’s a true sentiment — it doesn’t go far enough. Is Church a “have to” or a “get to”… or is it “top priority?”
Bottom line: Until we realize that Church is NECESSARY, it will never reach the top of our priority list.
I’ve heard before of the Church being compared to a clubhouse versus a lighthouse or cruise ship versus a battleship. Each of these comparisons reveals something we might believe about “church.”
Is Church a clubhouse? While we should be welcoming and comfortable with each other, we don’t exist simply to hang out with people like us … Rather than a clubhouse, we are the lighthouse in the storm of the world, seeking the lost and giving them a visible point of reference to follow out of chaos. A clubhouse is not a necessity, but we all need a lighthouse to get through the storms in life.
Are we a cruise ship? Is it all about comfort? One article I read (https://blog.adw.org/2010/06/is-the-church-a-cruise-ship-or-a-battleship/) pointed to questions asked in a survey to cruisers:
- Do I like the music they play in the ballroom?
- Do I like the captain and his crew?
- Is the service good?
- Am I well fed?
- Are my needs met promptly?
- Is the cruise pleasant?
- Am I comfortable?
- Will I cruise with them again?
Imagine what a survey of your church would ask … maybe some similar questions. And to be certain, we should do all we can to be welcoming and make each other feel “at home” or at least “belonging.” But comfort is not the aim of this ship. We are more like a battleship. We have been given a mission and sent out into the world to defend the rights of all people, to be a sign of hope that tyranny will not prevail, a catalyst of courage that calls all men to join the battle in their personal lives and then join us in the mission. When we personally join the mission, we are filled with the sense of adventure and fulfillment.
Every person on deck submits to a higher authority — including the captain. We are part of a larger battle plan — not just to win the battle today — but to inevitably win the war with the enemy. Each person trains daily to stay fit for the mission. Each person practices with the weapons they’ve been given (like prayer). Each person serves in a task to keep the ship afloat and maintained. Each person puts the needs of the mission above their own personal agenda … In fact, each person makes the mission their personal agenda. We exist for the mission. I think that’s the key point … if we don’t have a mission, the church is just a cruise ship. A cruise ship is not a necessity.
One other comparison I’ll throw into the mix: Is Church a pontoon boat? Folks with a pontoon check the weather to decide whether or not they want to go out. They’ll rearrange their priorities for their day — or even their week — to allow for those hours of tooling around on the lake drinking beer, soaking in the sun, grilling, spending time with family and friends … it’s a great day and fulfills a need for relaxation. But is it necessary? You could argue either way, but instead of a pontoon, I suggest that Church is a rescue boat. Regardless of the weather, we must go out, because our friends and family are in need of rescue. In fact, it’s more likely that a rescue will be needed when the weather is not pristine. Every one of us has been rescued, and we know what it’s like to need rescue. Now, out of compassion for our neighbors, we now exist to rescue others. A pontoon is great, but it’s optional. We all need a rescue boat.
Until we realize that Church is NECESSARY, it will never reach the top of our priority list.
Deacon Mike Seibert serves in the discipleship/evangelization ministry, assisting the north Dubois County pastors.