Leaving the Church: God’s Idea?

Last updated on: February 13, 2014 at 12:03 am by Scot McKnight

Leaving the Church: God’s Idea? 2014-02-12T20:10:36-06:00 Scot McKnight

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

By Josh Ross

Leaving Church: It is God’s Idea

This post is by Josh Ross, author of newly released Scarred Faith, and preacher at Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis, TN.

It has been said that Memphis has more church buildings than gas stations. You would want a city with so much religious influence to not have to face the past demons of Auction Street where over 1,000 slaves were sold per year, or the noticeable racial tension that still exists, or the reputation of being a crime-ridden city, or the place where Dr. King was assassinated.

But if you’re going to tell stories of Memphis churches fueling racism, protesting the Civil Rights Movement, or not engaging its people with compassion to restore dignity, you also have to tell other stories. It was the local church that cared for thousands of people who laid dying and sick from the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1878. There were numerous churches that did fight for civil rights. And today, churches are reaching into their communities and local schools to implement change, and to be the change.

So is this just my experience? How have you seen the local church act as a means of restoration?

I have a close friend in Memphis who has been the Chief Jailor of 201 Poplar (a infamous city jail) and the Director over the Penal Farm (a local penitentiary). Occasionally he goes before the County Commissioner to ask for grant money. Believe it or not, some of the very best rehab programs are in correctional facilities, and grant money often provides training and preparation to reengage into society. However, he is often denied grant money by the Commissioner, who says, “I’m not going to give you money for that. The church should be doing it.”

Where does he get this idea from? Whether he realizes it or not, the County Commissioner is making a pretty bold statement about the local church.

Some people are right; the church has made a mess of itself throughout the years. She has gotten off track. She has lost her way. But when it comes down to it, the church was God’s idea. And I think the powerful force of the local church still remains God’s idea.

Recently, I asked my friend, Kemmons Wilson Jr.—a native Memphian, the family behind the successful hotel chain Holiday Inn, and a passionate Jesus-follower in our city—about the influence the local church can have in a city. He told me, “The local church is one of the most critical components to any area or region.” And I think he’s right.

Scripture is pretty clear that God cares about cities. I think it’s one of the reasons Paul argued from baptism more than he argued for baptism. The water symbolized more than status change, but that they were now ushered into a movement that existed to spread restoration, redemption, and resurrection power.

When the local church is on, we bring entire communities to life. When the church is on, weekly worship gatherings are so much more than a destination or a place you go to balance out the sin in your life; it’s a the space where people are launched to live differently throughout the week.

A few years back, Barbara Brown Taylor challenged the church to do something different when celebrating the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist). Usually we take the bread and wine either facing the front of a church building or walking to the front. She encouraged the church to take a week to set up the elements outside on the sidewalk, and to take communion with your back to the facility and your face to the community. As the bread touches your fingers and the cup touches your lips, open your eyes to the community around you to be reminded of our mission and purpose.

The local church doesn’t just gather and we don’t just scatter. It’s a dance between the two. And when she is moving with this rhythm, she is a beautiful and powerful force in this world.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

February 12, 2014

Warren (not Jimmy) Buffett on Two Basic Financial Mistakes

Next Post

February 13, 2014 Once Again: Immortality is a Divine Gift! (RJS)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Acts of the Apostles Adam Advent Anabaptism Angels Anglican Apologetics Atonement Baptism BCP Prayers Bible Biblical Studies Birds Blogging Bloglossary Bonhoeffer Books Calvinism Christianity Church Church History Coffee Colossians Commentary Recs Conversion Creation Creeds Culture Death Ecclesiastes Economics Education Embracing Grace Emergent Emerging Movement Eschatology Essays Ethics Eucharist Evangelicalism Family Fasting Fathers Fellowship of Differents Footsteps Tour Fun and Whimsical Gospel Grace Happiness Heaven Hell Holy Spirit Irenaeus James Jesus Jesus Creed Job Justification Kingdom of God Law Lectures Lent Liberalism Love and Marriage Mabanteneni Manhood Mary Miracles Missio Alliance MissioLife Missional Missional Jesus Movies and Film New Perspective Northern Seminary OneLife Origins Project Orthodox Parables Pastor's Spouse Pastoring and Leading Pastoring and Preaching Patristics Paul Paul-John Tour Pharisees Pietism Political Theology Prayer and Formation Preaching Problems for Faith Psalm 119 Psalms Public Issues Purgatory Religions Resurrection Revelation Romans Rule of JCreed Science and Faith Sermon on the Mount Sports Ten Commandments Theology Third Way Top Ten Lists Translations Uncategorized Universalism University Ministry Way Out Weekly Meanderings Wisdom Women and Ministry Work Worship Writing & Blogging Youth Ministry

Select a Month July 2021 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the wife of Isaac?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Leah Rebekah Sarah Rachel