Welcome to Church

Sometimes it seems like church is just a string of bad experiences. It can feel like all church ends up being is the alarm going off when you’d rather keep sleeping, sideways glances from people in the rows around you, and being reminded over and over that you should join a small group. Then, when you finally decide to take those steps and get involved, sometimes you end up feeling out of place and like you perhaps don’t fit quite as well there as you had hoped. After a while, or maybe after not long at all, you begin to wonder if this church thing is really worth it. All you see are people who claim to be Christians yet act very little like the Christ they profess to follow.

After all, Jesus didn’t call his followers to just try their best--he called them to be like him, which is a standard of perfection we’ll never attain in this lifetime. Over time, and with his help, we hopefully begin to look more like Him, but there is some truth to the fact that the church will always be filled with hypocrites. There is no such thing as a perfect church, because church is comprised of community, and community is built of people, and people are messy and broken and sometimes just not very nice. 

Yet I do think there’s something to this church thing. On Sunday Pastor Dirk reminded us to always look for the redemptive acts that God can accomplish, which I think can go for the people we work with who seem like scumbags, the person we pass on the street yelling out obscenities, and the people of any church you have ever stepped foot in. When God says everything can be redeemed, he means everything--even the church. 

The church and the people in it will never be perfect, but they are being redeemed. 

Perhaps it’s time to look at ourselves and the prejudices we may, even unknowingly, be holding against church and the people in it. While there’s no denying that real, deep hurt has been caused by the church, there is a time to let go of the anger, resentment, and pain, and begin to look for where redemption of those wounds may already be occurring or may someday. 

What does this mean for Encounter as a church though, and on a personal level, our everyday lives? Maybe we can be part of healing past wounds and helping people recognize the redemption written all over their lives, and maybe we can imagine how Encounter can be a community that welcomes people in, not just for a service, but for a lifetime. What things do we have in place that are already helping with that, and how are you or how could you be a part of it? Where are there areas we could do better in, and how do your gifts align with those needs? 

If we only look at the big picture, it seems an overwhelming task to try to make every person who steps foot in our church feel welcome enough to stay. For one person or even a small group of people, it is an impossible task, and because of our human brokenness, at some level we will always do it imperfectly. But it is an importnat task to welcome people in, and a reminder that all things are being redeemed. 

[Brianna DeWitt attends Encounter Church and lives, works, and writes in Grand Rapids, MI. Words are some of her favorite things, which is why her hobbies include reading, writing, and talking. She also shares on her personal blog at http://awritespot.wordpress.com and tweets @bwitt722.]

Psalm 1

Well, on Sunday we learned some important things about Pastor Bryan. Primarily, we learned that he kept some questionable company in high school which begs the question: was Pastor Bryan himself a questionable youth, or was he already like Jesus at such a tender age, keeping company with a few wayward souls?

Obviously, we’ve all made a few mistakes like Pastor Bryan’s friend. We see clearly the right thing to do and then we promptly engage in the decidedly wrong action. When Pastor Bryan mentioned that we live like the apostle Paul, routinely committing the “sins” that we don’t actually want to commit, he really struck a chord with me. This is probably because Pastor Bryan was literally alluding to me--the “on a budget but still buying shoes” example--yeah, that’s me. I was wearing those actual shoes on Sunday (well, more accurately they are Ralph Lauren black calfskin booties with gold hardware, but this is no time to get technical). Nothing like getting called out in front of 400 people at church.  The thing is, I really don’t want to spend money that is outside of our budget, but I still do it all the time. Dirk sometimes reminds me that it’s a lot harder to spend money from home (though not impossible, let me tell you), and I think he means that it’s good for us to intentionally looks for ways to reduce temptation in our lives. When I’m on a budget and know that I have a weakness for shoes, why would I go to DSW? Or why don’t I unsubscribe from the Banana Republic email list so I stop getting those pesky 40% off coupons every Wednesday? And I know that it gets a lot more serious than shoes and sweaters. Some people struggle with addiction, or social binge drinking, or pornography, or a lustful eye. It seems obvious that we ought to avoid situations where our temptations could undo us, and yet we find ourselves time and time again at the bar, out to dinner with a friend whose wife is very beautiful, alone with a computer.

Sometimes, it seems rather dull to live responsibly. It can feel burdensome to drive an old car, to live in a small house or apartment, to take inexpensive vacations (or stay-cations or no vacation at all), and to buy clearanced or thrifted items. My friends have started moving out of their “starter homes” and taking on car payments so they can drive much nicer cars than I’ll ever own. When our friends book trips to the Carribbean or give their kitchen a substantial face-lift, there’s a great temptation to follow suit. Life’s short, right? If they can afford it we can afford it, right? But what we don’t see is that friend’s choice to put groceries on the credit card in order to make the car payment, or the decision to choose a vacation over some much needed marital counseling, or the million other stresses and avoidable agitations that people voluntarily bring upon themselves. We only see the Instagram photos of the new car, or the Facebook status from Maui. And, obviously, some of our friends really can afford all of these things and more, which does nothing to lessen our envy or our judgmental natures.

Luckily, Pastor Bryan presented us with a Biblical answer to all of our problems on Sunday. According to Psalm 1, the solution is merely to open our Bibles and to “delight in the law of the Lord.”

Really? The answer to envy, or financial duress, or an addiction to pornography is to delight in Torah? Psalm 1 promises us that prosperity comes from time spent in God’s word, but it also warns that wickedness leads only to destruction. Lest you believe the “health and wealth” gospel of many (wealthy) preachers, allow me to offer this analogy. Have you ever done something habitually, taken a break from that activity, and then tried to start it up again? Perhaps you used to exercise, then an injury kept you off your feet for a few months, and when you returned to your favorite activity, you found that it was hard: discouragingly hard. Or, have you ever prepared a recipe so many times that you had the recipe memorized? Even the most complicated meal can seem relatively easy with enough practice—so much practice that you have the entire recipe down by heart. So it is with reading your Bible. If you’ve never read it, it’s a bit hard to get started. And if you’ve been away for a while, it’s painful to get back into the habit. But, after only a few weeks of practice, reading the Bible becomes a natural part of a natural rhythm. And you find that when you’re delighting in God, it’s much harder to covet your neighbor’s hot tub. Your perspective on life changes from one fixated on the things of this world to delighting in the things yet to come.

I’ll admit that it sounds a bit far-fetched. I’m not always convinced that if I read my Bible then my envy will subside and my satisfaction levels will increase. But I do think that much the way a recipe becomes ingrained in a cook, the instructions of the Bible can take root in our hearts as well. In that way, doing the right thing will become increasingly automatic, and living in “the way of the wicked” will gradually distance itself from our thoughts.

I have a final thought about Psalm 1. What if you’re one of those “trees planted by streams of water” who have never waivered in your commitment to responsible living and the love of God’s law? What does Psalm 1 offer to you? Besides prosperity, Pastor Bryan suggested that the psalm’s implication is that your fruit is hearty and your shade is substantial—that you have the ability to nourish those who hunger and shade those who are exhausted. Not only are you prospering already “by streams of water”, but you also have the joy of tenderly transplanting others to share in your abundant stream.

[Kristin vanEyk lives and writes in Grand Rapids, Mi. Besides shoes and sweaters she enjoys purchasing anything and everything for her two youngsters, Lily and Colin.]

More Than Enough

If you’re like me, you hate to be excluded or to miss out on something. Even if I miss out on something small, I always feel the weight of the opportunity that’s passed me by. I even feel disappointed over silly missed opportunities—for example when the sample trays at Costco are empty or when I learn that something I need to purchase was just on sale.

Some of us always live with our feet in two worlds—we work for this employer but keep tabs on what that employer is offering. We’re dating this girl but we have an eye on that one too. We choose this major, but we keep other options open. We’re hesitant to commit to anything too permanent. 

Many people are reluctant to jump into Christianity with two feet because they worry that by choosing Jesus they’re missing out on something else—that perhaps another religion is the real religion and they’re putting their eggs in the wrong basket, or they notice that people who aren’t Christians sure seem to be having a lot more fun.

On Sunday we heard the story of Elijah challenging Baal. Baal was considered by the pagans to be a powerful god in the time of Elijah, and the Israelites, God’s people, were having a hard time choosing God to the exclusion of other gods and religions and fraternizations.

It seems that Elijah should have had it easy. After all, in the story, the people were choosing between worshiping Baal, who required human sacrifices, self-mutilation, and other disconcerting tactics, and worshipping God, who required only that the Israelites not act like their pagan neighbors. The choice seems pretty obvious.

But we continue to struggle with the same misery as those Israelites. God is the God of functional relationships, of financial contentment, of peace and generosity. And yet, somehow, we are still tempted by dysfunction, by discontent, by conflict and by fear. The choice to follow God seems pretty obvious, and yet, we maintain the wandering eye.

I think that the problem is that dysfunction and discontent come packaged rather innocuously. We spend time with people whom we genuinely like and enjoy, but leave feeling envious. Perhaps you play a round of golf with friends, but leave angry over a missed putt or a hurtful offhand comment. We live in two worlds and it’s easy to go as the wind blows.  The way of God is holiness, but holiness doesn’t always seem so fun.

Rationally, though, I think it’s pretty obvious that God wants what is best for us, and he shows us exactly how to achieve his best. It’s no secret that the 10 Commandments should lead to contentment, or that trying to life like Jesus would lead to peace and generosity. It’s a matter of believing that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that he is certainly more than enough.

[Kristin vanEyk is an Encounter Church enthusiast who loves Costco samples, nonfiction, and a double tall skinny vanilla latte.]

When Change Isn't Easy

Life is full of changes, whether they be as small as taking a different way to work due to construction, or as big as a cross-country move. Some people relish change—they embrace the freshness, bask in the opportunity for something different, and frolic in the field of the unknown.

I, however, do not tend to be one of those people. When change is thrown my way, I’m much more likely to balk at it, perhaps mope about it, maybe even try to undo the change. In Luke 3, John the Baptist tells the crowd what to do when they come to be baptized. They are told to be generous, to not collect extra money, and to be content with their pay...perhaps drastic changes from the way they had been living. If I had been in the crowd, I don't think I would have liked what John was saying.

Yet change is exactly what God calls us to, and on Sunday, that’s what Pastor Dirk challenged us to as well. It’s Thursday now though, and maybe the change you felt God urging you to make is beginning to feel weighty. Maybe on Sunday it seemed pretty great, exciting, and promising…or maybe it seemed daunting even then, and as the week has gone on, the magnitude of the change has sunk in more fully.

I don’t think the point of change is for it to be easy though. If we truly desire to become more like Christ each day, it’s not going to be a painless process. For the crowd John spoke to, learning to be generous, putting an end to collecting loads of extra money, and trying to be content with their pay likely were not changes that occurred overnight, or even in a few days. Perhaps by now, you’re beginning to wonder what the point is of trying to change. Maybe the change feels too big, too overwhelming, more than you could ever possibly handle. If you’re feeling that way, it’s okay. You’re not alone.

First, you’re not alone because there are other people in the Encounter community who feel the same. The church is called the body of Christ because we are there to help and support each other in every area of life, and certainly when it comes to big life changes.  

Second, and most importantly, you are not alone because God does not leave you to your own devices. He doesn’t ask for change and then fail to provide the resources to actually make it possible. The Holy Spirit is alive and active, working in us to bring about the changes that will ultimately make us more like Christ. It may not always be a pleasant process, but we can be assured that the changes God has in mind for us are for our good. 

[Brianna DeWitt attends Encounter Church and lives, works, and writes in Grand Rapids, MI. Words are some of her favorite things, which is why her hobbies include reading, writing, and talking. She also shares on her personal blog at http://awritespot.wordpress.com/ and tweets @bwitt722.]

Redefined

People are incredibly difficult to define and categorize. A sociologist might say that a person is defined by the roles he or she plays in society—that a person might be defined as a co-worker, an employee, a brother, a friend, a college student, as being a middle child or in the middle class. A linguist would add that the way a person speaks—his or her accent and vocabulary and language-related culture—that this further defines an individual.

Singer and songwriter Matthew West has a single out on Christian radio stations right now about the struggle Christians face when they seek to define themselves as both living for God and living within this world. Each verse begins with the ways that we are defined by the world: “Hello my name is regret. I’m pretty sure that we’ve met,” and “Hello my name is defeat. I know you recognize me.” But then the chorus goes like this:

Hello, my name is child of the One True King
I've been saved, I've been changed
I have been set free
Amazing Grace is the song I sing
Hello, my name is child of the One True King

But what does it mean to live as a “child of the One True King”? Does it mean that we are no longer defined by our regrets and our defeats? In some distant, cognitive way, we know that we are no longer defined by the chaos of this world, but that doesn’t make me feel much better when I’m staring regret and defeat in the face. When I forget to send a meal to a family at church (sorry, Matt and Erin) or when I continually forget to follow through on the promise of passing along some baby items (sorry to Troy, Jodi, Jeanne, and many others) I don’t feel much like a changed and freed child of the One True King.

The message at Encounter Church this past Sunday was about the work of God through a defeated and regret-filled individual named Esther. Esther had compromised herself in every way that one can be compromised, and she was beyond defeated. She was a shell of her true self, she was living a lie, and she was living out a worldly identity she had constructed for herself. She had renounced God and had shut religion out of her life.

In the end, however, she chose to acknowledge the one true God, but not because she had some spiritual awakening or because the Holy Spirit miraculously prompted her to do so. No, it was literally a life-and-death situation. It took the promise of certain death to force her hand. And in the end, she is not reprimanded for her regrettable decisions, but rather, she is celebrated for returning to God. She is celebrated, despite her wayward spirit and misguided intentions, she is celebrated for choosing the way of God and the way of life.

Every time we make another decision to choose the way of God, it is truly cause for celebration, for one does not make a decision to follow Christ and then start on an entirely new life path. Your old life is still there, and changing those patterns and those habits and those people is hard work. Choosing God is a daily task—it’s choosing not to come late to work or to leave early. It’s choosing not to gossip about co-workers or roommates or sisters-in-law. It’s choosing to forgive your friend or your spouse or your son. It’s choosing to actually read the entire reading assignment for your English Lit class. Living as a child of the One True King does me that we are set free from our regrets and defeats, but it also means that no matter how dire our situation becomes, we can always choose to return to God and to leave our regrets at the cross. 

[Kristin vanEyk attends Encounter Church. You can read more from her at http://noaphorismsplease.blogspot.com/]