Messy Spirituality

Checked irene's site and found an interesting trackback.

I'm the first to admit that my spirituality is, at best, a messy spirituality and that my Christianity is, at best, a messy Christianity. I've even received censure. I'm probably not even worthy of standing near Christians like Adrian Warnock, the evangelical outpost, ireneQ, Jollyblogger, One Hand Clapping, Sovereign God Blog, and Vessel of Honour...but after my first experience of being on my own (going on 10 months now), here are some thoughts about an entry by Messy Christian.

Still, I hesitate to find a church at a time such as this because I know the only reason why I'm attending a service is to ease this sense of guilt I have. I also know that I'm going to sit in that pew thinking: I've been good. I'm in church!

Right now, I'm only in church to earn brownie points with God. And with people.

I don't know any Christians who are successful in their attempts to become a Lone Ranger Christian. I certainly did not succeed. My first attempt at Lone Ranger Christianity was in summer 2000 when I was ostracized by the three authoritarian leaders of the TKC elementary (Sunday School) dept. Thankfully, in August of 2000, a friend persuaded me to follow her to LHCC. After August of 2003, I decided to leave Living Hope because I disagreed with the pastor about the purpose/role of a seminary education. It is only after spending the past 10 months, here in Korea, as an on-and-off church attender and after having spent the past 6 months free of any commitments at church that I am beginning to understand the importance of active commitment to and involvement in a church.

I know some quarters out there would not approve of their approach to living out the Christian life

As I have said, I am the first to admit that my Christianity and spirituality are, at best, messy. This post is not so much an expression of disapproval as it is an expression of the thoughts that were generated by Messy Christian's post.

Could we just simply exist as Christians who gather at all kinds of places and care for one another? How do we practically do that in today's world now?

Indeed, we could exist as Christians who gather at all kinds of places and care for one another. Attending church-as-a-group-of-Christians-inside-a-specific-building is not what matters. What matters is the frequency with which those-who-profess-Christ meet and that when those who profess Christ meet, that they seek to build each other up in faith and encourage each other in faith. If church is turned into an exclusive social gathering of those who are "acceptable" and "good enough," then that is not the Church that Jesus Christ intended.