Why the Church?

In a post on The Sub-Dean’s Stall the Revd Canon Robert Hendrickson wrote a response to a question he received. The question was, “Why the Church?” His reply can be read at: http://thesubdeansstall.org/2014/08/22/why-the-church/#comment-8788

A response to Robert Hendrickson's post by Tom Poelker that I found interesting and appropriate for today’s Church follows:

“Robert,

I think that you have missed the fundamental nature of church.

The English language is part of the problem, because “church” does not at all reflect the scriptural term, “ecclesia”, whose closest English equivalent might be “gathering”. Individual Christians are gathered into supportive groups.

While individual Christians are called to follow “The Way” which both is and was taught by Christ, they gather together for the needed mutual support for living that holy way in a very unholy world, where instead of loving their neighbors they are encouraged to compete with them, to win more than anyone else, to take care of themselves and their own, rather than loving their neighbors and caring for those in any kind of need. Living as a Christian is simply difficult in a world which worships wealth and entertainment instead of the eternal, loving God.

The reason why there is church is to be the support group for those attempting to make their individual lives conform to the way of Jesus taught in the Christian Scriptures. You say many things about the means the church has created and transmitted to do this task, but I ask you to distinguish the end from the means. The church is a community in support of those engaged in the hard work of living according to Jesus. That is its purpose.

To value and evaluate church correctly we need to be clear that its purpose is not to maintain itself as an institution or to act upon society or to perpetuate specific forms of prayer, but to support individuals, We should leave the church buildings not feeling that we have served God but feeling that God and our fellows have provided support in what we know is difficult, living every moment of our lives as Christian.

Why Church? So that people are strengthened in Christian living.”

I have only one small disagreement with the response. I do believe that the church should "... act upon society...". It, among other institutions, can have a positive affect on our society and is part of the church's responsibility in the world.