Church Hopping?

John Frye was in the Ukraine recently and he described the American practice of church hopping to a Ukrainian pastor.  This was the pastor's reaction:

"Oh, John, that does not happen here. When we unite to the church, it is a covenant decision. It is serious. We would be horrified to see Christians in Lutsk shifting around from church to church. We pastors would not allow it."

It's interesting to get a perspective from outside about the things we do. In the Ukraine they have never been in a situation where church hopping is a consideration.  We live in a culture where this is normative and are not in a position where pastors can bind together to "not allow it."  Which is not to say we couldn't and shouldn't do some rethinking about how we receive "transfers."  But, as  I mentioned here, the answer is not problem management via coercion.

Still, I think we could work on reshaping our understanding.  I can't remember where I read this, it may have been in Alan Roxburgh's The Missional Leader, but the author was contrasting the church as a volunteer organization which exists to meet the needs of its members to the church as covenant community.  A whole different set of entry paths and expectations attend both and would be worth exploring.

HT - Milton Stanley - Transforming Sermons
Technorati Tags: Religion, theology, church, Christian, Christianity

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Comments

[Club Revolution]

An even bigger issue on the rise in the U.S. is the leaving of the church by Chrisitans. Check out some of my postings at Club Revolution Coffee House.

[Mwalimu Daudi]

C.S. Lewis had an interesting idea along similar lines. He wrote in The Screwtape Letters that if a man cannot be "cured" of church-going, the next best thing is to send him looking for a church that "suits" him.

[David Wayne]

CR - true!

Mwalimu - wow, great quote - thanks for posting it.

[DLE]

David,

We need to consider that the number of options of different Evangelical churches to attend is drastically smaller in the Ukraine and other former Eastern Bloc countries (unless things have changed radically in the last ten years). Your average small town doesn't have two dozen churches of two dozen different denominations.

That makes a huge difference in understanding what's being said by this pastor.

Club Revolution,

You can't "leave the church" if you're a practicing Christian. You are the Church wherever you go. We've forgotten this. Some people are remembering, though.

[John]

In my denomination -- the UMC -- it is never asked why new members wish to join. Nor do we ask if they adhere to basic doctrinal standards, like the Virgin Birth. We're in such a "any warm body will do" attitude that we don't even consider inquiring as to why members are leaving their previous church.

Among fellow shrinking denominations, this is probably why churchhopping is never objected to by pastors. And for the megachurches -- well, sheepstealing is what they're in business for.

Again: the business model for the church instead of...well, the church model for the church, which the Ukranians are faithful to.

[Travis Seitler]

How about the church as family? I'm sick of "the 501(c)(3) Driven Church" model. =p From what I've seen, most pastors are too busy running a non-profit corporation to cultivate real community life.

For example: how common is it these days for a pastor to visit members "just because" and not to avert some crisis? (The last time a pastor came into my home for a meal or a visit was when I was eight years old.) I don't know about you, but from my perspective it seems divorce is more common among couples who never have time for each other.

Sorry... early morning rant. ;)

[Club Revolution]

when i say "church", i mean the local church as in attending sunday services.

[pilgrim]

As we live in such an individualistic-"Don't tell me what to do" society--this sort of thing is inevitable. Most, if not all attempts at teaching the seriousness of Church membership meet objections of legalism, dictatorship, or appeals to a false idea of God.

it would take a cultural paradigm shift to be where the Ukrainians are--at least on any large scale.

We ought ot take Church membership very seriously.

But part of the problem is the Church growth movement--where the churches themselves also place a low level seriousness on membership--in order to grow numbers...

[David]

As someone who came out of church abuse for many years in christian fundamentalism just like divorce is inevitable in abusive marraiges -leaving unhealthy churches is not uncommon especially if you know what to look for.
I'm not trying to cause dissension but you have to hear people out. I attend PCA now but in my HFG noone even brings their bible and rarely can I go to one and not see a (excuse the slang)a booze bottle somewhere. Realize many in churches, myself included are recovering alcoholics,raised in homes with an alcoholic or work with someone who is.I attend PCA yes, but have not joined yet.I am watching.

[DLE]

Club Revolution,

I understand how you're defining "church." Some people are defining it differently. Are any of their definitions valid? Must church be little more than a Sunday meeting?

Something to think about.

[Catez]

Travis,
My question woud be - do people from church come into your home? And - do you invite them?
Church is the people.
I've been thinking a lot about that - and living in community. When we truly are a spiritual family (and I love how you mentioned that) then it doesn't matter if the pastor didn't drop by because other family members do. Pastors get so busy - and sure, they could drop by occasionally - but they can't be everyone's best friend either.
On the other hand, when we are in each others homes as people then we are being family. Although, if you really like the idea of the pastor coming round, why not invite him and his family for a meal? :) Just some thoughts there.

[Club Revolution]

my thoughts are more fully expressed at http://clubrevolutiononline.blogspot.com

[Religious Grants]

I like the thought of this blog, creating and uniting as family because we all know "church" is people.