Monday evening I was invited to attend the investor’s meeting of the people who put up their money (to the tune of almost $2 million) to make the purchase of land and building (and necessary renovations) and operation possible for the funeral home. There were about 17 investors present. All Christian men and women. Lawyers. Doctor. Retired pastor. Investor. Bank president. Bank vice president. Businessman. Realtor. And two funeral directors who will be the recipients of the generosity of this group.
For two hours, they discussed all the ins and outs of that corporation. There were numerous opportunities for argument and dissensions but it didn’t happen. Hypothetical situations were posed just so everyone could be on the same page, but the respect for one another was something I’ve rarely seen when that many people gather to discuss anything! At one point of a hypothetical discussion, one person reminded the group that as Christians this situation would not happen, and if it happened it would not be tolerated. The lawyer leading the discussion said something to the effect of being a Christian himself, but "I’m still a lawyer and I’ve seen …." This group, however, has invested together for many years and the trust and respect and love was obvious.
I bring that up because recently I’ve had an interesting conversation with a couple of people … people making certain assumptions regarding my future relationship to a church family. One was a very sweet lady I’ve loved over the years. A frequent visitor to our church. She mentioned that she had recently spoken at some women’s event at the local church of Christ near Temecula and that I would love that church. This past week another sweet lady was visiting from Temecula and worships with the only church of Christ in that area, the Murietta church of Christ. When I told her we would soon be moving to that area, she said, "Well you’ll be worshiping with us because we’re the only church of Christ in that area." As if to say, the only Christians who assemble for corporate worship in a city of a half million people just happen to be the almost 400 who meet as the Murietta church of Christ.
I’ve never been to that church but I know the preacher. Good man. I know they’ve had some growth. And I know they are far more of a mainstream church than Long Beach. I know some of the prevailing "voices" of leadership and they are very conservative. We’ve had some former Long Beach members move to that area and "check out" that church. Their assessment: Very, very friendly. Good preaching. Very boring worship. I know that’s all very subjective, but having experienced the freedom of worship at Long Beach and being very much outside of the mainstream (whatever that’s supposed to mean), and having visited numerous mainstream churches over the years when we were away from Long Beach, I have no desire to "take a step backward" from what we’ve known and loved here. Having breathed the fresh air of grace and freedom in Christ and I will not go back into legalism and orthodoxy just to remain in churches of Christ. I love our heritage, but my commitment is not to our denomination, but to our Savior. His kingdom is not and has never been limited to those who assume and assert they are the only true Christians.
We haven’t made any decisions about where we will settle down in our worship and ministry to the Lord, but we’re keeping all options open. And we’re not limiting our search to just churches of Christ, of which there is only one! But we are confident that God will lead us where he wants us. And we’re equally confident God doesn’t limit his guidance only to people of a American Restoration background.
And I know that the people I met with Monday evening are not members of the Murietta church of Christ, but they are my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I know they are very intentional about living their faith with integrity. I know they love the Lord deeply. They are very much involved in kingdom work. And they accept Josh, Heather, Janice and myself as their spiritual siblings. We are very exciting about this aspect of our move. And we are equally excited about what the Lord has in mind for the Long Beach church.
I know that if I were to leave beautiful downtown West Cocoa and our church to move to another area, I would make the same “assumption.” That is my next Faith Family would not necessarily be a Church of Christ.
My experience last Friday night at the reception for Jessica and her friends graduating from APU reminded me of that. I don’t know what denomination all of those parents were from but they all had one thing in common. To a person, as they spoke about their child, their family, and their child’s experience at APU they spoke about how Jesus was part of every one of those aspects of life.
God is bigger than one denomination no matter how big that denomination thinks it is.
“Having breathed the fresh air of grace and freedom in Christ and I will not go back into legalism and orthodoxy just to remain in churches of Christ. I love our heritage, but my commitment is not to our denomination, but to our Savior.” Yup, that’s exactly what we have decided as well. The churches of Christ up here in our part of N. Cal. are about as big a step backward as if we had taken a trip in Doc Brown’s DeLorean. We did spend a year-and-a-half driving 40 minutes on Sunday and a bit more on Wednesday evenings so that we could attend a church of Christ that wasn’t, but it was impossible to build any sense of community or relationship with folks. I loved worshipping there and singing on the praise team, but inside, I was dying of loneliness.
We started looking for something closer to home a few months ago and think we may have found it in a local Christian church that started out as a Stadia plant. The only doctrinal differences are the use of a praise band and the expanded use of women in the church. That might scare a few traditionalists away, but not us.
I know the Lord will lead you to the right places. I have been praying for you & Janice now for several weeks. Wes finishes his Residency next month at Vandy Childrens Hospital & they will be moving to Auburn. I know Jennifer will not go back to main stream CofC, and there is only the “one” church in Auburn, so they are also praying for God’s guidance in their search for a new church family.
If I could say one thing to those “mainstream” churches of Christ that would be it……there are others. Too often we are like Elijah and think we are the only ones left. It just ain’t so.
What’s cool to me is the fact that you actually get to choose! That is something that most of us “preacher-types” have not had the opportunity to do for many years. God bless you and your family as you enter into these exciting times! -bill
I think there are at least three churches of Christ here in Winchester, Virginia, where David lives, but he and his family worship with the Fellowship Bible Church, that has about 3,000 members, David says.
I wish I had some real choices in Picayune. It’s been (and is) really hard for me to go back to a very conservative, and terribly boring, church after the last two fantastic fellowships I was in.
Y’all please pray for me about it. I’m not really in a position to do much, but am thinking about trying to do a home church of some kind after we get moved into our new house – if that EVER happens!
I’ll continue praying for you all, Greg.
Dee
I’m making the assumption that if you lived here, you’d be bored out of your gourd with our worship times. And not just because they are in French.
The only reasons I worship at a Church of Christ are that I was raised there and I am able to use my gifts there.
If we ever moved, there is a 1 in 10,000 chance that we would end up at another CofC.
Just based on this discussion, I’m recommending that you get re-baptized!!!
Peace.
I will be praying for God’s leading for you and your family. Of all the commenters, I am the only one to be saddened by the thought of you being in another fellowship. But I trust you and I know the Lord loves you and will lead you to where He wants you to be.
There’s no need to rehash what you already know about my thoughts on the subject, so all I need to say is “Ditto!”
I have no doubt that you and Janice will find the perfect place.
I know that God has wonderful plans for you and will put you right where you need to be, be that a C of C or not.
Ok, gotta put my 2 cents in, as well.
Just since you will be in search mode, give these 2 a try!
Murrieta: http://www.lambsfellowship.org
or
Lake Elsinore: http://www.lambslakeelsinore.org
Praying for you as you find a new “home”.