People frequently ask me where I go to church on Sundays, after leaving my old place of worship for 32 years. Many assume that River City Ministries, where I work now, holds services on Sundays; but we do not. One of the many liberating aspects I have experienced in this new chapter of my life is that there is NOTHING in the Bible that requires me to worship on Sunday. It is the tradition of man.
After 32 years at my old church, and 26 of those years as an associate pastor, I am thrilled to have Sundays off, in fact I'm off the whole weekend. I am now free to go places, plan trips, camping, & weekend get-aways. There is an exhilartion at being on the same weekly schedule as most of my friends, actually, as most of society. It's new to me and it feels good.
But getting away is not the only benefit of being out of church on Sundays. I have actually experienced more Sabbath rests in the last few months, than in the many years of being a pastor. Not a few times I have lazed around the house, spending time with the pets, reading, napping, and having excellent prayer times with my Savior. The next day I have felt wonderfully refreshed, and this has given me a new appreciation for God's Sabbath purposes.
I must admit that I have taken a few Sundays to visit other churches, and it's been a blessing. Being committed to my own church for years greatly inhibited my opportunities to see how God is working in other gatherings of my Brothers and Sisters. Seeing different approaches, different worship styles, and different outreaches have been a blessing to me particularly because it greatly broadens my view of our God and King. Not only so of His greatness, but it gives me a better view of His diversity. One of the goals I have this year is to visit a number of churches here in Sacramento that are culturally different from my ethnicity or upbringing. I not only want to see other Christians' ways of worship, but I want to experience that worship as well.
This last 9 months has seen the return of contact with several of my old friends. One of them, Dana, said to me that he and his wife were looking for different ways to have church with their family, not necessarily looking for a new church. This started me re-thinking about the practice and meaning of church. A lot of new ideas and a surge of creativity has awakened in me, and church has a freshness to it for me that has been lacking for a long time. In my next blog, I will share a few more thoughts on the subject, and some recent alternative church services that I've experienced that have blessed the socks off of me!
May His River keep flowing through you and me!
Steve
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7 comments:
I’m thrilled you’re in the center of such a tremendous blessing while learning more about Christians from different backgrounds. It is easy for me to be near-sighted and comfortable with my Sunday Christian experiences. I feel it is important to reach out, like you, for a deeper understanding of God’s handiwork among different cultures and feel God’s love and power work beyond our imagination. I’m excited you have this incredible opportunity.
I am also trying to appreciate the “rest” of the Sabbath of the Lord, to break away from the tradition of the legalism. I am very thankful to hear of another member of the body of Christ that is experiencing God's love. As an ex-truck driver/evangelist, I got the opportunity to experience the diversity of worship. It is an awesome journey to attend other churches in worship, and recognize the unity of the body of Christ.
Great idea to visit churches with people from different backgrounds. If you ever want some company to go let me know. I'd enjoy that as well.
Steve,
Thank you for sharing part of your journey with us. I'm looking forward to read more about how God leads you as you interact with more of his church.
-Alan
Steve, you ROCK ! Most folks that have the wisdom and talent you possess would get all puffed up, wear offensive clothes like a button-up shirt and tie and go gallivanting around churches as a "guest speaker" then sell CD's and books in the back after service. But you are the example that Christ Jesus tells us to be like. A humble servant, your not after accolades or fame or fortune, your after Jesus. What a powerful witness!
Alan, glad to have you look around. I've been doing some reading on your blog site. Thanks for writing.
ez, thanks for the kind words! "...wear offensive clothes like a button up-shirt and tie..." yikes! I hate wearing monkey suits. Now if we could just wear pfd's and market our products...
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