Church

We arrived at the building which looks like much the office building it once was on this crisp fall day.  The leaves are beginning to change, though I know that only because of the ones we saw as we drove here this morning.  There isn't a tree in sight as we pull up to the building.  There is little activity in the parking lot. No one directing traffic as they were the last time we were here.  We find a parking spot, one a little farther away so we can pull straight out instead of backing out amongst the cars that will hurriedly be exiting to enter into the rest of the Sunday routine.

We hesitate a moment as to the best way to enter the building.  Having visited once before, we know the room where we will worship is on the bottom floor of the building.  So if we go up the stairs to enter the front doors, we just have to go the stairs inside to reach the worship room.  Did you notice I didn't call it a sanctuary as you would in a more typical church?  Or I suppose I could call it an auditorium.  Sanctuary seems too "churchy" for this space that looks more like a corporate meeting space.  And auditorium seems like a word that should be used in a theater or school setting.  So I'll call it a worship space to reflect its purpose and also the reality that it looks and feels different than what is expected at a traditional church.

We opt to go up the wide concrete steps at the front of the church and enter the main doors upstairs.  We are greeted by friendly but unfamiliar faces, smiling at us as we enter.  We shook hands with the young man and then headed down the aforementioned stairs to the worship space.  Unsure whether we were early or late, we headed through the doors to find seats.  The lights were low in the space that contained a stage, rows of movie-theater like seats, carpeting, and these annoying pillars that you have to pay attention to when choosing where you will sit.

We tend to be front of the church people.  I find my ability to pay attention is much greater if I can focus on the speaker rather than all of the people in front of me.  And because of me, our family has always tended to sit toward the front.  Sometimes much to the dismay of my children, but because they aren't with us this morning, Eric is a good husband who lets me sit where I want.  We find on the same side of the room where we sat the last time we were here, something I realize I do:  always gravitating back to the same place when choosing a seat.  I love change, but this is one way where my behavior does not reflect that.  I really like to sit in the same place each time I visit a church, go to class, attend a staff meeting, or at our dinner table.  A creature of habit in that.

We were meeting our dear friends Ian and Bre, whose wedding we had attended in the middle of September.  As always, they were a little late arriving, so we were in the midst of singing the first song when they arrived.  We had been looking out for them and had even texted them to let them know where we were sitting.  We adore this young couple.  They inspire us to be better people.  To pursue our faith.  To look at our own marriage and the example we are setting as we interact with them.  Their wedding was truly one of the most precious we have ever attended.  We are so blessed to be a part of their lives and to have them as a part of ours.

We exchanged awkward hugs as they stepped past us in the row to get to the seats we had "saved" for them.  Bre sat next to me and Ian went to the end.  Interesting to me how this ritual is so often repeated. The women sit together in the middle with the men on the ends.  I actually appreciate the custom and feel cocooned by the protection of the men on the outside.  One of the very few times I welcome an old fashioned tradition.

As we continued singing the worship songs I found myself melting more and more into the mode of praising Jesus.  If I'm honest, this is such an important part of the Sunday morning experience for me.  This time of lifting my voice to the Lord, letting Him know how much I love Him, and doing it with lots of believers around me.  It just feels good to me.  And even though the songs we sang this morning were unfamiliar to me, I was able to follow them and experience a true love of Jesus as I sang the unfamiliar words to unfamiliar melodies.  As always, I am keenly aware of the body language, participation, and posture of those worshiping around me.  I always struggle to stay aware and not judgmental, as I know that is not my role.  More importantly, this is a time when I am to be focused on the Lord, and not on those around me.  And so often I keep my eyes closed to avoid any distraction.  When I don't know the songs this is a little harder for me and so I really do prefer to sing songs I know well.  It keeps my attention on Christ alone!

After the music, we sat down while a young pastor, you know the one who is a David Crowder wanna be, comes up, announces the video with the announcements, prays for us, and then conducts the offering.  The praise band leads us in another worship song while the velvet-like bags are passed around.  These are interesting to me.  They look like those bags that magicians use when trying to pull a bunch of flowers or a rabbit or a dove out of a bag.  The bag passes down our row without anyone placing one penny in it, and for a moment I wonder what kind of example we are setting in that.  We tithe Eric's gross income and spend more than I make on our college ministry, so I don't really feel guilt about not putting anything in the bag as it passes, but I wonder if we need to have a conversation with Bre and Ian about tithing when you don't have a home church yet.

Following this song, the pastor comes up.  He is dresses, as usual, very casually in designer jeans, an untucked shirt, and what appear to be some very expensive shoes.  A stylish, tall, handsome man who looks a little too pretty to be a pastor.  His appearance has always been a little unsettling to me, having seen him in person three times at this church.  He starts talking to us by relaying a story.  Honestly, I can't even remember that first story right now.  I do remember the gist of the message, however.  And more specifically I remember those things he mentioned that, I believe, were especially intended for me.

The text was Exodus 14-15, the story of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea.  The sermon series has to do with taking our faith to the next level.  Pastor Ron outlined the 7 steps we need to take to achieve that next level of faith.  For me, the biggest challenge is the same one I addressed and committed to during my class, Teaching for Transformation:  getting out of the way!  I so often want to be in control that I don't leave room for God to be in control.  My efforts will never match His, so why do I keep trying to do what only He can do?

There were lots of other points, some I'm certain would be worthy of my attention.  But it seems that God has a message for me and I keep hearing it over and over.  Get out of my way!!!  I've got this.  When I need your help, I'll let you know.  But for now, get out of the way!

What will it take for me to learn that?  What will it take for me to be transformed by the teaching I keep hearing?  Lord, I pray I would internalize those words and allow You to do your job while I do the one You have designated for me to do.