Hey old schoolmate! Saw your note on Facebook. Great topic. I think that it is impoprtant to remember that we are social creatures, and this characteristic of our creation is intentional. God created us to- and wants us to- seek a relationship with him as individuals, but he also created us to- and wants us to- live in community with each other. God delights in using his people to accomplish his will. When we separate ourselves from the Christian community, we cut ourselves off from this original intent of his. There are many dangers in doing so. When we are alone, it becomes very difficult to find encouragement to live holy lives and to resist succombing to Satan’s lies, anything from disobedience to depression (which is related to unbelief). Additionally, refusal to help others is disobedience, whether it be daily bread or friendship. If we are honest and humble we realize that we need encouragement and accountability and that we dishonorably put God to the test when we remove ourselves and the possibility for fellow Christians to bond with us. Plus, we dishonorably skip out on helping other Christians. Everyone needs friends. To avoid any relationship with other believers is to wander from the flock. There is good reason why the Good Shepherd wants his flock to stay together and why he seeks out those who stray. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” Thank God for close Christian friends!

There was a point in my life where I was ready to throw organized religion out the window. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) I’m married to a pastor, so that wasn’t an option. It’s easy to look at all of us sinners who make up the church instead of focusing on God. WhenI look at people, I tend to get discouraged, frustrated, and cynical. But I don’t go to church to check out the latest fashions or gossip. I go to learn about and worship our Creator. So I think if our focus is right, we’ll grow. (Heb. 10:25) Especially in a church like NewLife.

Thanks Jim – well said. I like what you said humbly realizing we need encouragement and accountability. I’ve found that close relationships often shine the light on areas of my life that are not in line with what God would want. When I go it alone, I can mistakenly believe that I’m fine.

Thanks Kelly – that seems to be the hard thing, somehow being a part of a community without allowing God to be blamed for the failings of the community. Somehow we give to and receive from others, but reserve our identity and our greatest needs for God alone to fulfill. That way, even when people let us down, we are not crushed, for our security is in God.

I have to say I think I myself for a long time have fallen into the category of “Nones”. I’ve always believed that there has to be a higher power, someone or something who watches over and guides us, and at times felt a presence in my life of something greater than myself. I’m certain that that “presence” watched over me and my family during the trials and tribulations of our pregnancy with Benjamin, and protected us through the roller coaster of ups and downs until the arrival of our healthy baby boy. Sitting in the hospital countless times I felt a hand on my heart that guided my through the Bible to passages that gave my wife and I the strength to faces every obstacle throughout that trying time, one of which I consider the hardest of my life. That situation especially has opened me up to greater possibilities and freed my mind of a great number of bias that clouded me previously. I still can’t say where I stand for sure, even now my dog tags still read “NO REL PREF”.
I can’t speak for other “Nones” but in my situation I wasn’t brought up in a home where God and religion were spoken about regularly. We went to Catholic mass until we were able to choose for ourselves whether or not we wanted to go, but feeling no real connection at such a young age there was no desire. I think a contributor to the rise in “Nones” may have a lot to do with the situations tied to organized religion; abuse of power and position, not to mention the state of the world today in which we live where money, power, and greed have become their own organized religion.
At the same time I’m surprised that the numbers aren’t shifting in the opposite direction considering the times. Since the Global War on Terrorism started the number of members of the military joining or revisiting their previous religious backgrounds has risen dramatically. If I remember correctly they called it “Battlefield Baptisms”. Large groups of people are gathering together to feel a shared sense of comaraderie through religion, finding strength not only in numbers but in the strength of a guiding hand offering protection and peace of mind. I think it offers us hope, that regardless of the situation in which we find ourselves, that we’ll be protected and find our way safely back to our loved ones.

Great to hear from you Jason. I think what you shared encapsulates how a lot of “spiritual but not in an organized religion way” experience God. At different points in life, you feel him more strongly, especially in times of need. At the same time, what you see in organized religion often seems distasteful, off-putting, and not something you want to be associated with. So… do you just keep your safe distance, reaching out to God when you need to? Or is there something more that you are missing out on by keeping Him (and the church) at a distance? Is there any reason to take it that next step?