Why do we exist?

We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Why do we exist as a church? This is a question that I think about often.

In a world of ever-changing culture, it seems more imperative than ever for us to clarify why we exist. Research going back ten plus years shows us that more and more people grew up never being part of a church or that their only church experience is being at a wedding or funeral. Increasingly, there are more people who grew up going to church only once or twice a year. The absence of a real experience in church shades the culture's understanding of what the church is, how it operates, and what its role can be in the world.

As we approach Easter morning, and celebrate the resurrection once again, it is more apparent that the church is a place where people go as part of tradition but not always a place that creates lasting change in their lives.

It would be easy to blame this on the younger generations, but we cannot merely say, “They have no interest in God.” For some, this is true, but the research actually shows that others are seeking the presence of God in their lives—just not in the ways you might think. People in the United States are increasingly becoming more in tune with what spirituality might look like, but they seek that spirituality outside the walls of an institutional church. It isn’t that people have wholeheartedly stopped believing in something greater (the divine), it is that they are seeking it in different ways. For me, this shows a great willingness for meaningful conversations about faith in our communities.  This is an open-door opportunity to find real ways to relate our experience to the needs of the world.  The church should not be there to police the decisions of others, rather it should be there to invite them into an experience that draws them into the embrace of God.  This is only done in relationship; through listening first and then opening up space to tell of our experience.  It is never down through an abstract, but always deeply connected to something real, tangible and personal. 

Rev. Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection, notes; “The main difference between the intersection of the church to the culture of today and the intersection of fifty years ago is that fifty years ago the culture was directing people into the institutional church whereas today the culture does not bring the institutional church into its discussion.” He goes on to say, “The culture of yesteryear was a broom that pushed people into the church and now the culture is like a vacuum pulling people out.”

I believe we have moved past the vacuum to a place that most do not consider the workings of the church because the church has not made itself vital to shaping people’s lives. Simply put, we are not on their radar anymore. Like “MySpace” or “MC Hammer Pants,” we no longer are culturally relevant…people have moved on to TikTok and Athleisure Pants.

And, what has been the response of the church?

In many ways, the church has stayed the same. Most churches look the same, smell the same, and do similar (if not exact) activities as they did in the mid-1990’s. For the most part, churches have failed to answer the question “Why do we exist?” Until we have a full grasp and an answer to this question, it is hard to see where the church will exist in the future.

But love never goes out of style.

Love never changes nor is it diminished by a culture's particular tastes. Rev. Mike Sluder out of the Holston Annual Conference asks, "Why are we missional as a church? Why do we reach out and meet needs around us? Quite frankly, that’s who we’re called to be.” This is our main purpose and why we exist in the world. He goes on to say, ”John Wesley guided us along this path as he emphasized many, many times about love of God and love of neighbor being hand-in-hand. They must go together. He was simply living out what he believed Jesus was teaching us.”

Our question might dovetail into the question of missions and outreach. Why do we exist? It is to know who Jesus is and to make Jesus known. It is to be in relationship with one another and create communities that reflect the healthiness of the gospel lessons—communities that give life. This is why our mission as a church is to build God centered relationships through acts of love.  Love and relationships are at the center of all that we do.  I believe as we make the love of Jesus Christ crucial to our actions, words, and movement in the world around us, the world will start to look more like the kingdom that Jesus speaks about in the gospel lessons.

But this is a daily, moment by moment decision.  Love is hard. It is messy. It can be complicated. We must commit and remind ourselves often to act, speak, and relate in love.   

Through small and subtle ways, we can enrich lives, thus making the church vital to the repair of a broken and hurting world. This conclusion means the church must be more than a sign outside and doors that are open for a particular worship style in a specific worship time.

It means that the church must be a culture of love that creates a dialogue of what love can look like in the greater culture of our communities. In the end, the love of Jesus Christ can transform lives if the church accepts its role in being torchbearers of that love.

-          Pastor Jon