Hoophouses & Body Parts

 

WARNING: This post is about deconstruction and going back into the church building. Go ahead and skip this if you're sick of the topic. I know I am. Which is why I'm writing.

I’ve been avoiding it, my hoophouse. Being in there in the summer is akin to roasting yourself with wet heat. And for what? 

Nothing much at this point in the growing season as we wait for September to arrive next week. Most things are dead or dying and everything is overgrown under this 3,000 square foot bubble of plastic. It looks awful in there.

What is funny now, and never makes me laugh, is that when I dreamed of this 3,000 sqrft space I KNEW it would be perfect. No pest pressure, no animal pressure…a controlled environment. “Perfect.”

After we left the church building I think we entered into a sort of spiritual hoophouse. Thinking we would grow what we deemed good and eliminate what we thought unnecessary.

For a while it was like we had “jumped ship” so to say…got in our little rowboat and pulled back far enough from the mothership to see what in the wide world was this thing we couldn’t be a part of any longer. Here’s the truth, you cannot see what you’re a part of until you get far enough away to see everything. 

Listen, I am so glad we got out. Deeply grateful.

What I didn't know over a decade ago is that it is an illusion that a controlled environment prevents things you do not want to grow from growing.

When you enter a “Hoophouse of Deconstruction” you feel a sense of peace, really. Like you can finally breathe because, get this as a follower of Jesus - God loves you. And not because of what you can do for Him, but all that He’s done for you.

Deep, purifying breaths. 

You plant things you want to plant in here - like the following:

• Sabbath - who knew Sundays could actually bring rest as a lay person who “volunteers” at church? 

• Finding Him moving in lives at the coffee shop as much (if not more) than some churches.

• Realizing that all of these structures and systems are not necessary for God to be at work.

• Realizing that the money we put into the building, the staff, the ________ may not be actually what Jesus meant in the beginning when He said He would build His church? But if you look at patterns, God was definetly into a building with staff in the OT. #Temple #Levites

• You cannot earn God’s love - not one Great Commissional bit. 

I could keep going. But you get the idea. And it is all true.

Here's the plot twist.

Pest and animals, you never considered find a way in and you see more destruction than anything you imagined you were keeping out.

To begin, it’s in the soil. This is how destructive things get into the growing space. Through the very soil of your heart.

Your heart is the biggest part of the problem.

As the season of Goodness that grew in my and my husband’s lives after the leaving the church building came to an end, other things began to grow.

Things like:

• Arrogance toward denominations because they are deemed "religious" and not "free"

• Condescending views toward a structure and system that has done more good than anyone wants to talk about - think hospitals, orphanages, schools, clinics, churches in areas no one else would go.

• Aversion to buildings, staff and hierarchy - even though meeting in a home is a structure and has someone teaching, etc…at least nobody is touching your money

• Curiosity that all faiths lead to God (They don’t.)

• A general sense that if it’s good for me, it’s good for everyone (Not true)

• An "enlightened" attitude that lets everyone in a church building know you're better than them

Obviously, there came a time in our journey where this space that had produced some beautiful things began to cause more actual destruction that construction.

And why am I writing about this topic, again?

It usually doesn't matter where I find myself, I end up listening to people who struggle with the church. And probably more than anyone, I get it. I'm here for it most of the time. It is so healthy to take ownership of your faith journey rather than following like a mindless being. Questions are good.

The church has taken heat from her origin and like a good mother, she can take the entitled judgements of naive children. I know she weathered mine.

However, there is a vast difference between honest questioning/standing up for transparency vs becoming hostile.

Between humble concern that a church system is harmful vs arrogant judgement that your own disposable clothing and lust for cheap gas do not also come from sweat shops and wars that kill people, all causing more harm than any large church staff or building program ever did.

We have to own our hypocrisy.

Deconstruction is a posture of the privileged, because saints dying for their faith in the Middle East or East Asia today are not deconstructing over worship music triggers or if their church has a good preacher or leaving because of purity culture. Jesus, come. They are showing up hungry to be a part of the Body of Christ. Say that again - the actual Body of Christ of which He is the Head.

I'm no advocate for a certain denomination. I find a lot of peace in practicing the ancient traditions of Anglicanism, but I love most all denominations and cannot imagine participating in the majority of them because I disagree. :)

Get this...there won't be any denominations in Heaven, so don't get label proud...and don't think you're not a part of one, either. There is no follower of Jesus who is not a part of a denomination. From the little accountability of home churches to the oldest, most rigid denomination - God is at work.

When someone is dying of a disease, I want the petitioning prayers of the Pentecostal and when someone I love is dying of a disease, I want the Peace that comes from the Reformed surrender who see the Grace and Sanctification of suffering the very things Christ suffered.

Everyone has a preferred part of their body, even the Body of Christ. Beautiful. Do that part with all of your heart. 1 Cor. 12:12-27

In the meantime, it is helpful to me to remember that the only perfect part of this Body of Christ is Jesus...and we would do ourselves a favor to extend a lot of grace and encouragement to the rest of the parts while holding each other accountable.

There is perfect worship around the throne of God today in Heaven. Angels and saints gathered around singing His praises. For the King, because He alone is worthy.