Faith – Why Do Church?

This past year, I was honored to be asked to sponsor a young friend for Confirmation. At the beginning of the process, I took him out to lunch so we could talk about what he needed from me. The question he was pondering was this:

“Why do we do church? Why do we need to gather together as part of our faith?”

I may have changed his words a little but I think I have the concept right. I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

This is a quintessentially American theological question. I’m not sure any other national culture has placed individualism as much at the center of our identity. We want to believe, against all evidence, that we can “go it alone”. So, naturally, we pull against the idea that we need a group or organization.

It brings to mind another discussion from years ago. Are we “American Christians” or “Christian Americans?” While they may seem the same at the surface, the order of the words is of vital theological importance. The first word serves as a “modifier”, it changes our understanding of the word that follows it. So, is our “American-ness” modifying our faith, or is our faith modifying our “American-ness”? There’s an impulse to put our faith in the “center”, that we are Christians who are Americans. I think that’s backwards. The very essence of a life in faith is one that changes who we are, that “modifies” us. To allow our national culture to modify our faith places the importance in the wrong place.

So our call together will stand against our cultural individualism. And that’s a good thing. Overemphasis on the individual results in an inward, self-centered focus. The opposite of what a Christian life in faith does. (This is true for most religions of the world. But it’s not appropriate for me to speak for traditions other than my own.) Christianity does not call us to me, me, me. Over and over, it is clear that the call is to us, us, us.

If we are to take care of ourselves first and foremost, then the men who passed by the beaten man in the parable of “The Good Samaritan” did fine. The disciples who were going to send away the crowds during the feeding miracles were right to weigh their burden against the needs of the many. There is certainly no need for Stephen and the order of deacons in the Acts of the Apostles if it’s every person for themselves. Over and over we are shown examples of believers coming together.

So, there’s our first reason. Scripture clearly and repeatedly models a life together. A life that is outwardly directed and otherly directed.

That’s probably all the answer we should really need. Scripture clearly shows a model for life. A model of a body drawn together. But the American personality isn’t one to simply accept authority. The inevitable next question is “Why?”

Why does Scripture point us to this model? What advantage is there, what do we gain? If I might borrow a term from the business world, a faith community is a “force multiplier.”

A force multiplier allows you to get more results from the same or less effort. In simplest terms, “many hands make light work”.

A life in faith works the same way. The work of learning is easier when you are surrounded by other students. It means that every person doesn’t have to start at the beginning and discover everything from scratch. It means that we are not alone in doing the work that we are called to do as we try to improve the world. And it means that we are not alone in times of sorrow or times of joy. Our burdens can be shared. Our happiness can be magnified.

Perhaps most especially in worship can we see the effect of the amplification offered by a community. A single voice can be beautiful, but it can be drowned out or even swallowed by a larger silence. Our voices raised together can be heard above the noise around us. It is together that we create the power that brings the Gospel to life in our world.

Hope that helps my friend.