Who’s Making Up All These Rules

Not Like Anyone Else – Part 5

When “common” finds its way into the wrong place.
What would happen if “common” found its way into the wrong place?  Like your church.  Wouldn’t you agree that if there is one place on earth where “common” shouldn’t exist, it would be the church.  For this reason and this reason alone, God is not “common” and to be like Him, we too must not be “common”.  I’ve heard it said that the church is a hospital for the sick.  Sick really isn’t a good term to use.  Sick implies that most of us don’t attend church unless we are sick.  Sick in this case should mean “common”.  Everyone has common, normal tendencies and need some God interventions.  Everyone, especially in the church, is in need of something.

Years ago, I was apart of a church that made it seem like once you were “saved”, you should then be perfect.  Can you guess what would happen when a person finds out they aren’t perfect and never will be?  Yes, disappointment sets in. Here it is, I thought accepting Jesus in my life would mean no more problems for me. I’m on track for smooth sailing.  I wish that was the case, but that’s just not how it works.  Unfortunately that was and is far from the truth.

Can I go to the left for a moment?  What kind of church-people would pretend that their life is perfect and try to sell that lie to someone who is new at church?   BTW – I can talk about church-people because I’m one, but hopefully I’m on my way to becoming something more, uncommon.  I tell you it’s as if there are people in the small letter ‘c’ church world who I think are trying to sabotage Christianity.
I believe that because “common” has been accepted even in many of our churches, we apply rules to people that even God does not.

Rules applied that God does not…

• Church attendance.  Who came up with the rule that once you gave your life to Christ, you must go to church every Sunday without fail?  Why would someone make you believe you had to attend service every time the church doors open.  Sunday morning service.  Sunday special program.  Sunday 6 o’clock service.  Wednesday night bible study.  Friday noonday service.  Saturday prayer service.  I can continue.  Who’s keeping such a record as if to say, if you don’t have perfect attendance you can forget making it into Heaven.  Where, oh where, did God say this was a requirement to be considered and remain His son or daughter?
• Praying for an hour everyday.  Sometimes I think we as church leaders find ways to make it hard for others to live for Jesus.  I’ve never once read where God took out His stop-watch and said you’re 2 seconds shy of the hour you need, so I am not going to answer your prayer.
• Tithing and giving when you don’t want to.  In my past, we did everything short of holding congregations at gunpoint to get their money.  I bet you can name several tactics used to get into your wallet.  Sidenote: remember I do go to the left at times.  Giving to your local church isn’t a requirement God puts on you.  In fact, I think He has a problem with your giving when your heart isn’t right about it anyway.
• Wearing the right or wrong clothes.  Have you been guilty of wearing the wrong clothes to church?  I am so glad I’m a guy because the rules church people place on us are easier for men than they are for women.  Question, where are these rules?  Sometimes I wish they would bring the people to the front of the church who actually get that one right.  I would also like to see the committee who decides.
• Serving in your local church.  I’ve been made to feel guilty and I’ve been responsible for making others feel guilty for not serving in some capacity at their church.  I often ask a person, what has God asked you to do with your life?  That’s the place you need to serve and it just might not be in the church.  BTW – someone has to serve outside the church.  Also, as the church, shouldn’t we evaluate what we are doing that makes serving our churches so unattractive?

Now that you have some examples and there are many more, let me briefly tell you what happens when the church places rules on people that God doesn’t.

The church that places rules.
(1) The church will never grow, expand or complete its God-given mission.  No one can satisfy the requirements.  No one can pass the tests.  As a result the church’s original mission becomes invisible and what you’re left with is just a church having church.

The individual who tries.
(2) The individual who can’t meet the requirements levied by the church most often quit.  They, more times than not, give up on the church-thing.  You also have people who just attend for attending sake and have few to no results in their life.  A life that should be flourishing.

The uncommon-church viewpoint
Please don’t hear what I am not saying.  I am not saying there aren’t any rules. I’m just saying you need to consult the rulebook – your Bible and not any other book.  If what I am writing was on a cassette tape, remember those, this would be side A.  What a church’s viewpoint should be.  Just off the top, the most basic truth which doesn’t require 10 interpretations, is God is love.  The church, your church, my church should start there.  With love.  There’s a whole lot we can learn to master.  Love says it holds no record of wrong.  That means church people, let’s stop keeping tabs.  God doesn’t.  In fact, He wipes it all away and so should be.

The uncommon-individual viewpoint
Now let’s flip this cassette to side B, so you can hear what should be required of an individual.  A person who accepts Christ should have Him in their heart.  That means we try to please Jesus.  Not trying to get over on Him or to barely satisfy Him so that we just barely make it over.  BTW – people who think like this probably won’t make it over.  Just saying.

If there are rules and there are, let them be His rules.  “Common” is the church that applies rules that even God doesn’t apply.  “Uncommon” is the church that applies the same rules that God does.