Mike and I are in the middle of a debate...well, actually it's not a debate so much as he is angry because I am lumping all churches together by saying I don't like church and it's boring.
Granted, every church is different but I'm just not going to spend years visiting every church in the area (multiple times, too, because you can't judge them by one Sunday *rolls eyes*) to try and find a good fit. I just won't. No.
I've been to a gazillion churches in my childhood and not one was both doctrinally sound and interesting. I've seen pretty much every denomination (and nondenomination). I've even toyed with the emerging church and house churches.
I mean, what is church anyway?
You worship God with music. So do I. Just not in a big distracting group with songs that I can sing without thinking about the lyrics because we sing them EVERY WEEK or on a rotating basis. I prefer Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Switchfoot, Brandon Heath, and Todd Agnew to hymns. There's nothing wrong with that, but any church that uses them gives me stimulation overload with their messages. They're so dramatic I lose focus on the message.
Which brings me to...
You get a lesson. If you're lucky it's one you haven't heard 6 times before. I listen to chapel online, or read CS Lewis or the Eldridges. Or any number of Christian speakers. There's no difference between reading a sermon or hearing it online or in person. But I'd have to travel a little far to attend the churches where most of them are (in some cases, a time machine would be necessary).
You get "fellowship." Which I put in quotes because all churches pride their fellowship but so often it is just gossip. Gossip about your husband and what a trial he is, or about your neighbor who was in that awful car accident. Ever notice that prayer request time turns into "OH! I've got a story!" time? First off, I am not a people person. I don't need a lot of people, especially people I don't know, to help build me up or direct me. I have parents and a roommate who do that. I have dead people (Lewis) who do that. I have fictional characters (Kreacher, Thomas Hunter, Jan Jovic, and Elwin Ransom) who do that. It may not work for you, but it does for me.
I am far more easily encouraged and convicted by the written word than the spoken one. I like to mull over deep thought and quotes that took people days to perfect. I like to have the Truth slammed in my face once in a while. Just not by people who are literally in my face. I want people far far away when I get convicted. Otherwise I'll just get pissed and defensive and the whole point will be lost on me.
You also get a home base for ministry (hopefully) from a church. Well, I give money to WorldVision and other organizations. I save kid's lives for a living. I defend the faith on Xanga.
And that's good enough for me.
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