A prominent publication posted a graphic (and corresponding article) on “5 Dangers of Missing Church.” All five dangers, by the way, pointed directly to sin and consequences. If not punishment, then diminished blessing and usefulness. Given its overtly shameful tone, I don’t think it a coincidence that they posted it on a Sunday morning, prime time to catch those delinquent saints skipping services.

The support? This short passage from the New Testament.

“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
–Hebrews 10:24-25

No less than three times in the past year I have asked social media: “What is the purpose of church?” I have yet to get two answers the same.

People have listed all sorts of things from rituals and scheduled gatherings to specific doctrines, constitutions, and published statements of belief. Some talk about service and sacraments. Some government filings and legal documentation. Others reduce it to any community of people who love God.

I think there are no two answers alike because people don’t actually know and the Bible doesn’t really tell us.

A handful of verses seem to offer guidelines for how assemblies should be run or by whom; who qualifies to be a leader and what their responsibilities might be. Reading through the New Testament is like sifting through someone’s mail from 2000 years ago, so we have to ask: Are these guidelines prescriptive or just descriptive? Are they telling us how to do it or are they specific to those particular groups of believers? If they are instructions for us, then why are we so bad at obeying them?

Do we greet one another with holy kisses as we come and go?
Do men always raise their hands to pray?
Is studying the scriptures the central focus of our gatherings? Or do we tack it on to more “practical” points?
Do we confess sins to one another?
Are women supposed to wear head coverings all the time or just when they pray?
How many churches encourage speaking in tongues?
Do we always have translators when people do?
Why don’t we keep the Sabbath?
Are divorced men allowed to be leaders?
Can women preach? Or serve as elders?

We all sing some kind of music, but what’s the right kind? Are we allowed to use instruments? Which instruments? Which songs?

Some churches do communion every week. Some only do it once a month.

Some routinely recite The Lord’s Prayer and The Apostles’ Creed.
Other congregations don’t even know what those are.

If we all do it differently, how do we know if any of us have it right? Or are we all, in part or in the whole, missing the point?

What is the point of church?

Is it FELLOWSHIP?
I want to say that church should be where we fellowship with other believers. But can we achieve that same connection with friends on a Friday night? If, when we get together, we pray, share, and encourage one other with Scripture, isn’t that fellowship? Is that church?

What about BIBLE TEACHING?
I could also say that church is where we learn about God, but a lot of sermons are more about us than Him. Someone gets up and talks for 40 minutes or so (shorter in some churches, longer in others) about a better way to live life. They’ll throw in personal anecdotes, some pop culture reference, persuasive arguments, a joke or two, and then supports for their argument (usually Scripture or quotes from known theologians). They may be working through a book of the Bible, but even then, the focus is almost always on application and what it means to us today rather than what it says about God. Kind of like a TEDtalk or a spiritual self-help lecture. So couldn’t we get that on youtube?

Is CORPORATE WORSHIP the point?
Maybe the point is corporate worship. It’s hard to argue with this one, because it is something that must be done together in a group. You can’t do it by yourself. You can’t stream it. It’s just not the same.

One woman wrote: “I used to believe that God was moving during worship. I could feel my heart quicken, my hands raise, my face light up. But then I went to a secular concert and had the same sensations. So I realized it wasn’t God. I just love live music.”

What do we do with that? We can dismiss her comment with some argument about emotion and the content of the lyrics. That nudges us toward questions about contemporary worship music.

Someone on made a case that the theme song from Friends is a worship song. I gotta say: he had a great point! The lyrics are just as deep and meaningful as some of the songs we sing on Sundays. “You feel like you’re always stuck in second gear. When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year… I’ll be there for you.” Yup. You can almost hear the worship leader interject: “God says: I will never forsake you! He has promised—” and the music begins again “I’ll be there for you!”

Could it be SACRAMENTS?
Now we have the sacraments: communion, baptism, confession. We have offerings and tithes. We have evangelism. Again, not all churches do them the same way. We don’t even agree on which ones are required and useful. And none of these need an official, organized institution to be completed. Believers in the first century did all of these things in homes or on riverbanks.

So maybe I’m asking a different question altogether.

Have we conflated the function of church with a form of church?

We know the point of church is SUPPOSED to be fellowship of the saints, teaching of Scripture, worship of God, and service to those in need.

As one online friend put it:

“What church SHOULD be: community where we come together as the body of Christ to not only hear the good news of God’s love but where we equip members to use their gifts to act with compassion in the world.”

I love that. It combines community and preaching of the Gospel with spiritual gifts and accountability to grow and serve. And this definition is thoroughly biblical.

Another suggested that, at least in their opinion and understanding, Christian and Church should be nearly synonymous terms. One (Church) is the collective or plural of the other (Christian). If that’s true, then individuals should actively be doing everything the Church should be doing, and the Church is just a gathering of already active believers.

That make sense, too.

The next question: Is that how we do church?

Looking through the calendars of various churches I see Sunday gatherings, Wednesday night prayer groups, mid-week Bible studies, children’s programs, and service opportunities. I also see support groups (sorted by profession, topic, stage of life, and more), date nights, entertainment, clubs (kids’, book, knitting…all sorts of clubs!), social activities, and retreats. You can find everything from “trunk-or-treat” to softball teams, exercise groups to board game fellowships.

We could look at this list and say, “YES!! We’re doing it all! We’re doing it right.”

Maybe we are.

We could also look at these calendars and think, “There’s a lot of extra stuff here, and we may be diluting the point a little bit.”

One could –and many do– argue that all of these “extras” are “outreach opportunities.” That’s a valid point. You cannot minister to your neighbor if you never see them, and hosting an attractive community event will get them on your campus.

Others could –and many do– argue that believers should go out into the community rather than expecting the world to come to them, that we should be salt and light in the midst of unbelievers and not insulated on our own campuses. In other words, join the book club at your public library instead of starting one at your church just for Christians.

These are good and tricky questions! I don’t have a final and concrete answer. And maybe the answer is different for everyone.

Here’s what I know:

The church is people, living and active, not a building and not a service. Those may be formats the church can use, but they are not the limits and extent. Furthermore, it’s downright inaccurate to claim that one can only meet God or minister to others at an organized weekly gathering. God is much more creative than that. He’ll not be limited by our definitions. He can meet us in the most unexpected places and ways.

And, yes, it is vital that we regularly meet with other believers to encourage, edify, and challenge one another. That may, however, happen during your lunch break at work or on the sidelines of a youth sporting event. It might be at the public library or while walking at a local park. It could be at home over a glass of wine. It definitely happens while serving food to the hungry and loving your neighbors, whatever form that may take.

YOUR TURN:
Talk to me. What do you think is the point and purpose of church? How do we define it? What does it look like? I want to hear your thoughts.

Read my review of Zach Lambert’s book Better Ways to Read the Bible.