The Individuality of American Christianity

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing..." Hebrews 10:25

This past Sunday got me thinking about something really important in our culture. In order to prepare for the overflow of attendance many churches will have to create an overflow room for Easter Sunday. Many churches, which are usually not completely full, will be so full that they need an overflow room, because it is Easter Sunday, so that is what people do; they go to church.

Now, is going to church on Easter Sunday wrong? Of course not, but this brings to light a greater problem: America's Christianity is often only individual. some people are only going to church once a month, maybe once a season, and sometimes once or twice a year - Easter and/or Christmas.

In our post-modern culture today, Christian and non-Christian alike, the idea of Church attendance has been minimized. Even Personally, when I was in college, I spent many Sunday's sleeping and told myself that "attendance is not important, all that is important is my personal relationship with God."

This type of thought is rampant within our post-modern culture where individuality is valued over community. Why go to church? If we have a individual relationship with God, and the priesthood is for all believers, why does going to church even matter? I can read my bible at home; I can pray at home; I can worship with my I-pod; my Christianity is personal, individual, and not communal. I believe this is a big problem, because Christianity has always been BOTH personal AND communal; it is BOTH individual AND community.

Gathering together does matter. Taking communion together does matter. Fellowshiping, encouraging, and loving each other Christians does matter. Worshiping together as a church does matter.

As we see from the bible verse above, this is not a new problem; in fact the early church dealt with this problem, and Hebrews 10:25 is a Scripture principle that encourages us to be in church community, not just on Easter, but regularly. 

Everyone, if you claim to be a Christian, find a biblical church, become a church member, because we need each other. Let us not fall into the extreme of saying that church is useless and let us find the balance and paradox of the a relationship with God and Christianity as BOTH personal AND communal.

We need community. We need others believers. We need the church.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing..." Hebrews 10:25

The Pendulum of the Church

Why is it that whenever the church finds out that it is doing something wrong, it seems to jump to the opposite extreme?

Today I read something in a popular Christian book that said God is love, so it is wrong to fear Him, or think of Him as a judge, or think of His wrath, or think of His discipline. Refer to 1 Peter 2:17, Psalm 75:7, & Heb 12:6. 

I read that grace is by faith, so any attempt to test someones fruit or tell them that being made holy is part of the gospel is a flat denial of grace. Refer to Matt 7:17.

I heard a sermon that said the church exists solely for unbelievers not the saints, and that evangelism is the only reason the church exists, and not discipleship. Refer to Eph 4:12

I heard another message that said learning about propitiation, justification, sanctification and all of those "theological" words make people "fat" and useless.

I see churches that rarely ever practice communion, and in order to be culturally relevant they neglect these great historical acts of worship. 


I heard another famous speaker say that churches should not be marked by "belief in a set of doctrines or beliefs" and actions is what matters.