Things I Learned at Church, Part 5: the Church at its Best

Church people are not always at their best, I will admit. It's not difficult to find examples of church people who write, speak and behave in shameful ways. I make no excuse for them or for myself. 

However, if you would like to see church people at their best, pay attention to them at worship and watch them serving.

In a zoom interview with Christine Caine in 2020, Dr. Anita Phillips mentioned that you find people at their best when they are worshipping [1]. This idea has rolled around in my mind for a few years. When regular people are worshipping God in church, through song, prayers, giving their money to benefit others, receiving the sacraments, and listening to Scripture, we see them in a humble posture and attitude. Their focus is not on themselves but on their Lord. Their desire is to give God the glory. If you want to see the church at its best, come on a Saturday evening or a Sunday morning. Don't come just to hear the preacher. Don't come just to hear the musicians. Come to observe the people sitting and standing and giving their attention to a divine being who is transforming them.

Another place to see church people at their best is when they are serving others. Last Thursday evening, my schedule allowed me to scoop taco chili into bowls for anyone needing a meal. This food had been prepared by a team of six or seven church people, earlier in the day. To my right was a retired woman, who provided the same meal in takeout containers. To my left were several men and women adding veggies, cookies, utensils, and coffee to the orders that were going to be eaten inside the community center. Behind the scenes another refilled anything that was running low. As our short shift began, I said to my fellow volunteers, "I believe this is the church at its best. It is my honor to serve with you."

When we are together worshipping the God who created us or together helping out folks in need, we are occupied with fulfilling the two great commandments as Jesus summarized them: to love God with our whole selves and to love our fellow human being as much as we love ourselves. When we are thus occupied, we are not elevating ourselves or finding fault with others. We don't just have to imagine the church at its best. We can participate in it!

[1] BODY LANGUAGE: A Conversation on Race + Restoration in the Body of Christ, (June 1, 2020).