Church III:The Church of Christ (unambiguous)

I do not know how to begin this blog. So far it has literally just flowed as soon as I left the church building. But now, it is so different, people are beginning to read, offer suggestions, invite me to visit their church (please continue), and ask questions about motives.  What am I getting from this, and am I leaving any sort of encouragement with them?

Then I begin to think should I categorize my visit? A Sunday morning in infinitely different then a Wednesday night, a “young adults” meeting is polar opposites to bible study…and what about the women’s meetings?

We join my latest visit at my desk in my office, Wednesday afternoon. I didn’t hit up a church on Sunday so I will fall behind in my goal if I don’t make a visit today. I want something close, which is hard seeing as my office is 15 miles from a major freeway.  So I hit up my trusty Google, which seems to have some difficulty in rural areas, mostly because these backroads churches don’t have websites to refer back to. On another hand the large mega- churches do not have Wednesday night services except for small groups...which could take months to break into, not really an option on a Wednesday afternoon.  You can’t show up on any given campus on any given Wednesday and blend. I called such a church in Denton 5 minutes after office closing time in hopes of getting a recording; no such luck, the polite gentleman explained that Wednesday was held at individual homes, and I could come to the monthly assignment Sunday in 2 weeks.  *or not.*

Some nifty white pages maneuvering and I zeroed in on a Church of Christ. Trying to pull from my denominational checklist I couldn’t recall the tenants of said denomination and instead of doing some quick researched grabbed my bag and was out the door.  If it has Christ in it I should be good, right?

As per my arrival times so far, I was a couple minutes late.  The map on the website was right on, and I didn’t get lost, which was a plus. 

Rabbit Trail ALERT: Check out another churches' marquee which  I stopped to take a picture of on the way!  A very welcoming hand to the community, yes?  SMH

Back to my target church..it was by far the largest I have blogged so far, and had loads of cars parked on both sides of the main pavilion and smaller classroom arms extending from each side.  I tried to chew my gum to kill the breath from the chicken sandwich I grabbed on the way, but was worried they may see gum a little progressive, where are my altoids when I need them? I glanced at an also late family walking in and breathed a sigh of relief that my work clothes wouldn’t be appropriate.

I entered a small lobby area that had the 8 doors to the auditorium standing at open. As the speaker had already begun I snuck around grabbing what I thought was a bulletin on my way in; turns out it was a church directory….so much for my anecdotal bulletin reconnaissance.

It was a perfect re-creation of an auditorium I had been to before, but I couldn’t pinpoint which one. Except something was missing…oooohhhh...INSTRUMENTS! Not even an organ, a harp, or guitar string to speak of. But, no time to consider the implications of this, the speaker was on a roll.  As I made my way to my seat (second row from the back because some chick stole my customary visitor back row), I got wind of the discussion. About thirty-five people were yelling out an answer to a question unbeknownst to me…”playing cards,” “women wearing slacks,” “co-ed swimming,” “dancing.” The preacher thanked the crowd and went on to explain about how customs change from generation to generation and how many religious rules and regulations are often times based on human tradition.  He then went to his text in Colossians 2:8, see the full chapter here: (Collossians 2)

He then went on to disparage those who believe that you can simply invite Jesus in, and established baptism as the point of which people are spiritually circumcised, and the line which is crossed to enter into Christendom.  He made a very good case. He then opened the floor to questions and I really, really wanted to ask him about the man crucified beside Christ, who cried out to him and was promised to be with Jesus that very same day in paradise. Perhaps he was an exception because he was in the actual physical presence of Jesus? I truly just wanted to see what he would say. But wisely kept my “first time visiting” mouth shut.

The lesson was very brief, and a bell rang so the preacher closed.  Everyone remained seated. The chick who took my back row seat leaned forward and introduced herself. When I asked if it was over she explained that all of the other classes came together for a final devotion, and people began to pour into the auditorium, first the kids ran in, then what looked like a young adults ministry, the youth lingered in clumps in the back, and lastly the women folk. The talk of the church was the first week of school, scarcely a soul was unlinked to a family in the church; therefore “singles ministry,” thank you Jesus! 

The clump of mothers who took up residence in the row ahead of me eyed me interestingly until the mother hen arrived and introduced herself. This was perhaps the friendliest church I had been to so far. We were soon interrupted by a row of 4 guys giving announcements, then a 5th guy who was in charge of this week’s devotional. Mama hen quietly informed me that different men in the church volunteered for the weekly devotional.  

This guy perhaps had a heart of gold and a truly intriguing devotional, however, he seemed stone cold nervous.  He shared the remarkable story of George Walser, an anti-religionist, agnostic lawyer. He bought 2,000 acres of land and advertised across the country for atheists to come and: "found a town without a church, [w]here unbelievers could bring up their children without religious training,” and where Christians were not allowed. “His idea was to build up a town that should exclusively be the home of Infidels...a town that should have neither God, Hell, Church, nor Saloon.” Some of the early inhabitants of Liberal even encouraged other infidels to move to their town by publishing an advertisement which boasted that Liberal “is the only town of its size in the United States without a priest, preacher, church, saloon, God, Jesus, hell or devil.” Read the entire story (here)

I think he read the story straight from Wikipedia, then as if everyone got the memo but me; the church stood with their hymnals and sang acapella from page 907. And it was over just like that.

Since mother hen had approved of me the flock came around and greeted me, asked me questions, showed off their children and pointed out their husbands. They asked very in depth questions. I’m beginning to think I may need a cover name and/or cover story, especially in such a small town as this. People know my place of work, and my boss, and they genuinely desire to know why I came, and if I will return…things could get dicey.  Help me think of a good cover story, readers!  One of the husbands even looked me up and down surreptitiously and asked what I was selling.  Such suspicion towards a newcomer, ha! Perhaps warranted, am I a wolf in sheep’s clothing?  As the “fellowship” started to wind down mama hen introduced me to the church secretary, laughing as she explained that if women could be in church leadership…she would run the place, because she practically already did. I find it amazing, and inspiring  that the very defining tenants of their denomination are freely and constantly shared with even those newly acquainted, no secrets there, its all on the table. I like that.  I would perhaps return,  the pros almost outweigh the cons. It would be a theological stretch for sure, but everyone needs a good stretch before we run, right?

Coming up in the next couple of weeks:  A mega church, a catholic mass, and the church everyone confuses with my current home church. Stay tuned!