After considering “Billy’s” comments the other day, I revised “The Demographic Me” to include a statement on my faith. Driving in this morning, I decided I wanted to say more.
I was raised in a home that had Christian values—for the most part. As with any family, there were challenges, issues, and shortcomings. My parents took me to church from the earliest age I can remember. It was a non-denominational congregation and it was sufficient for a time. Once I left home and joined the military, I found myself questioning the “white bread” teachings of the non-denominational church. There were days when I felt unfed and as if there was nothing there for me to grow on. I remember thinking that if I wanted to sleep on a Sunday morning, I could just as well stay home.
It was then that some friends introduced me to a particular denomination. I considered myself “Christian” with no denominational preference and even after attending services with these friends for a number of years, I was loathe to tie myself to a denomination. After all, denominations are the construct of man.
While in Germany, I had reason to question this new found denomination affiliation and gravitated to another church. It was then that I hit the conflict—one church was right, one was wrong. This wasn’t a point of judgment on my part. No, clearly one preached against the practices and beliefs of the other. They could not both be right. In conflict, I dropped out of church.
At no time did my faith waver though. On the contrary, I think my faith was strongest when I did not lean on a church, a denomination, or a pastor to guide me or my spiritual life.
It was a few years later that I ended up back with this denomination again—the same one I associated with in Germany. It seemed to have the least objectionable beliefs and practices and lined up with much of what I believed to be true at the time. I continued with this denomination across Alabama, Colorado, New Jersey, and Indiana.
So here I am—2009—no longer a member of any particular church but still associated with the same denomination. I have strong beliefs about many aspects of faith and religion, but have recently concluded that most people don’t care. They have their own convictions and are seldom moved or swayed by even the strongest of scriptural evidence.
On another note, there is a popular song that speaks of everything being God’s. I believe this to be true as well. As I heard it on the radio today, it reminded me of some of my recent blog posts. Some may think that I have a problem with giving based on those posts. Au contraire!
I have no problem with giving, and I have no problem with generosity. No. People have always cited me on my generosity. Material things are mine today and someone else’s to fight over when I am gone. I own some things that have been around for a hundred years—two hundred years. And the previous owners and users are long gone. So too with the things I own at some point in the future. My parents were keen to remind us as children that we come into the world with nothing and we take nothing with us when we leave.
Everything IS God’s. But for a particular church or denomination to say that since it is God’s, there is an obligation to give to THEM… That’s where I have a problem. God’s Kingdom is far bigger than a denomination or local church. In as much as it is all God’s, it should not matter whether I give it to the local church, the local homeless person, the downtown shelter, or the group feeding hungry children half a world away.
Beginning in 2009, my focus is inward and outward. Inwardly, I am trying to focus on my relationship with God and what that means for how I conduct my life in all areas. Outwardly, I am trying to focus on how my relationship with God drives my relationship with others and what it is I should be doing for the Kingdom. That might start at a local church, but I feel it means going out from the church building to where the people who need God are to be found.
