Lousy Churches

Theologian Miroslav Volf said at a recent conference, "I would not be a Christian because of churches. I have seen too many lousy ones. I am a Christian because of the gospel." My first impulse is to agree. We could tell some stories about the churches we have seen! But I am a Christian, in part, because of lousy churches.

The first church I attended as a child was doctrinally shaky and filled with conflict. It was lousy, but that is where I was introduced to the biblical story of Jesus. We later moved to a church that was known for having better theology. Unfortunately some of the people were so mean-spirited in their purity that they repeatedly made my mother cry. That was definitely lousy. The next church was big enough to offer something for everyone. They ran tram shuttles from the parking lot. We heard lots of good teaching there, but our favorite pastor left in a scandal, and nobody seemed to notice when we found other things to do on Sunday morning. Again, lousy.

Every church experience, given time, will disappoint. So will every church member. I have been a member of lousy churches, and I have contributed to their lousiness. But that is one of the remarkable realities of grace. "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves" (2 Cor. 4:7). God offers grace to imperfect people through imperfect people, and we gather together in imperfect--even lousy--churches. In our experience of life together, we recognize that forgiveness is necessary, gracious love is distinctive, and hope will not be satisfied this side of heaven. But we also share moments of glory, when the beauty of God is revealed most clearly in a human face.

I am a Christian because the Spirit of God has helped me to embrace the truth of the gospel, communicated faithfully through centuries of lousy churches. For all their failings--perhaps even because of them--they remain communities of grace, earthly expressions of the glory and goodness of God.

Bob