The beautiful Hofsóskirkja Church near a heated pool and Basalt Columns (65.89593° N, 19.40756° W) looks like it may be the only church in in Hofsos, Iceland. While links to tourist activities for the small town with a population of less than 200 are abundant, I can’t find any details about a congregation or the date and time when you could worship at the church. But, the photo above invites my mind to picture life both with and without fellowship. The conversation of how we’re called to do church – outdoors alone or in a church building with others was the topic of an Instagram post by brycectravels titled, “this isn’t church”. He shares some really good perspectives and his call is a simple one for people to, “go to church”. Others replied to his post with thoughtful comments.
There’s been a ton of press on the “dones”. We’re told these are people who identify as a committed Christian but have given up the pursuit of fellowship with others in a church. Most people would agree, that humans are social in nature (I suggest that this is in fact God’s nature in us). So, the idea of giving up on fellowship in church is at the very least an unfortunate evolution and more likely evidence of self-will elevated over God’s better plan.
However, I found the article, The Dones are a Bridge to the Nones, by Josh Packard in the, Refresh The Church website, to shed some light on a positive and very beneficial outcome to this shift away from the religiously tainted model of church that some are making. He says about the ‘dones’: “We have heard countless stories of people being more involved in their local communities, often in groups and organizations that have no religious ties at all. And they do all of this for deeply religious reasons.” [I think I would have said: groups and organizations that have no STATED religious ties – but in fact are adamant in their seculosity. And they (the ‘dones’) do all of this for the purpose of being obedient and faithful to God.] In other words they still desire God deeply and desire to be salt and light in the world around them.
If going to church for you (if you’re to be totally honest with yourself) is little more than a faithful routine, hanging out with lovely people and basking in the presence of God you’ve settled for a construed and dangerous perspective of Christ’s prayer, “on earth as it is in heaven”. We’re called to fear God and keep His commandments not party Sunday after Sunday.
That Francis Schaeffer book and movie title, How Should We Then Live? seems to rather accurately represent the apparent conundrum. Should we go to church or not? Can I find God better alone or with a group? And perhaps the most often quoted of questions, first emblemized as WWJD? on plastic wristbands – What would Jesus do?
Well in fact Jesus did both. He would go to the tabernacle (church building) and go to the wilderness alone. AND – He did a whole lot more. Jesus would go and go and go … to fellowship with the disciples, instruct the crowds, minister to the sick and hurting, thoughtfully engage the sinner. He would go to where there were needs or great sorrow or group judgement or celebrations of praise. If you were following Jesus back then you almost had to have your head on a swivel because Jesus was everywhere and not just some of the time but always!
God wants you to not get stuck in the either/or mentality. Seek God in the solitude and worship God with others in the sanctuary. Do both and a whole lot more. How? Draw near to God. Keep a firm grip on Him. Be inventive in encouraging love. Don’t give up meeting together.
Sure that’ll take some real effort, passion and commitment. And, as you do it you’ll discover that THIS is worship!
Go where God is,
-Brad Bloom, Publisher
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