"How do you balance the traditional expectations of church attendance with finding spiritual fulfillment and community in unconventional settings?"

Introduction:

Navigating the dynamics of church attendance and community can be a sensitive topic, often fraught with opinions and expectations. As believers, we're called to fellowship, worship, and edify one another, but what does that look like outside the traditional Sunday service? Let's explore the idea of church beyond the building and the freedom in following where God leads us.

There are a lot of opinions out there about going to church, not going to church, judgment that comes with those that aren’t “going to church on Sunday morning” or whatever day of your choosing (on Saturday or whenever).  

 My understanding from The Word and other biblical teachings, is that the reason to go church, is for fellowship, worship, community, to share your giftings with others, and let them share their giftings with you (if there’s interest about spiritual giftings, I can get into that in another post, just let me know). This focus is more about the “church”.

It’s really quite interesting because then you have the whole “we are the church, we are His hands, we are His feet,” but then we need to go out and share.  We need to share testimony.  We need to share giftings. “Iron sharpens iron.”  We need to edify one another.  

Well, what if you’re already getting that in another setting, you know?  I don’t know -  it’s not what the man to the left or the right is seeing or saying to you.  You can appreciate their opinions in a respectful manner and hopefully they aren’t saying it in a judgmental way (that’s not how the body of Christ should approach something – in a judgmental way).  So, assuming that they’re not coming and saying these concerns to you in a judgmental way, what do you say?  

If God gives you a peace about something, trust it.  You don’t have to justify or explain unless He releases you to. Unless you feel that discerning in your spirit of, okay, this is how He’s told me to explain this or whatever.  When you start adding your own commentary to it (I know I’ve done this so many times because I just want to try to give people an answer to help them understand) it just ends up complicating things.  And simply, it could just be, “this is where God has me right now and it’s a beautiful place.”

Personally, I realize this is not normal, I work in an environment where it is not just “work”.  It is a sanctuary.  It feels like a sanctuary.  We have pastors who come in on a daily basis.  We have prayer meetings that will break out on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times per day.  It’s the coolest thing.  We have people walk away that say “You know what? That hurt and now it doesn’t”.  Healed.  Amen!

Things like that happen on a daily basis.  So I’m in the “church” environment that uplifts, edifies, heals, prays with, worships, shares with others, shares testimony, shares giftings with others four days a week.  Four days a week.  I know a lot of people that go to church once a week.  Again, there’s no competition in this but it’s like, “don’t be judging me!”  

I feel like I go to church four times a week on top of a lot (sometimes on a daily basis - that’s my goal) of podcasts and worship music.  Sometimes I just rest.  I rest in His presence and I just rest and restore and He restores me.  Sometimes that involves music and worship and sometimes that’s in silence because I need that time to just rebuild.  

It’s such a beautiful thing because it can look different. It’s okay that it looks different.  Know that it’s okay if it looks different and you don’t have to justify the place The Lord has called you to, to anybody.  This is the place The Lord has me right now and it’s a beautiful place. 

*Disclosure: God has called me out of the environment described in this episode as my season has been completed, but it is still applicable with our clients, contractors, volunteers, family, and friends today!