Welcome to the United Methodist…”Social Club”?
I am a member of the United Methodist Church, an institution that was established based on the teachings of John Wesley. Wesley believed that the best way to grow in faith was to pursue a steady, “methodical” study of the Word of God (hence the name “Methodist”). “United Methodism” is a particular branch of Methodism in which a lot of Methodist churches have united and pledged to do things the same way: organization of the church leaders, hiring and transferring of pastors, order of worship, etc. The coolest thing about this is that, no matter where you go, if you attend a United Methodist Church, you’ll be able to follow along with the service without fear of standing, sitting, or kneeling at the wrong time. It makes you feel more at home, which is really nice when you’re far away from family and friends.
In fact, the mission of the United Methodist Church is often focused on making people feel at home. “Open hearts, open minds, open doors” is the Church’s slogan. On the first Sunday of each month, when we have Holy Communion, everyone in attendance is invited to participate, even if they don’t belong to our particular church, even if they aren’t a member of the United Methodist denomination. We feel that, since Communion is a way to remember what Christ did for us, we can’t deny anyone that experience based on their supposed “unworthiness.” After all, how do we determine who is “worthy”? Are any of us truly worthy? The whole point of Christ’s sacrifice was that none of us are worthy; that’s why we need Him. We are equal in God’s eyes, just like it says in the Declaration of Independence: not just equal in our rights, but equal in our wrongs. We are equally unworthy and equally in need.
At least, that’s the way Methodists are supposed to feel. But sometimes, just like in a lot of denominations or religions, the idea that we are all sinners—that no one is better or more deserving than another—gets lost in the mix. The activities of our faith are a blend of worship, service, and fellowship. But sometimes, fellowship shoves worship and service out of the way, and church becomes more of a social club than a place to focus on serving God. If church is a social club, then social club customs apply: you have to be the “right kind of person” to get an invitation. In the case of church, you have to be the “right kind of person” to be worthy of our attention, our fellowship, and our service.
This kind of thinking leads to an attitude of superiority among churchgoers. “I’m better than you because I come to church every Sunday.” Perhaps they have a point. Regular church attendance is an important part of the Christian lifestyle. But does merely showing up and sitting in a pew make one a better Christian? Does the fact that one can “see and be seen” in a brick and mortar building with a steeple on top once a week really spread the word of God through Christ? If so, then does sitting in a chair in a doctor’s office make you a doctor? Does merely setting foot into a courtroom make you a lawyer? Somehow, the mere act of being counted “present” at church doesn’t seem sufficient, does it?
For me, a Sunday service in my hometown church—complete with the charming antics of the “Children’s Minute,” a sermon by our outgoing, kind, and expressive pastor, and, of course, the majestic sounds of the pipe organ—elevates me to a higher level of worshipfulness. Whether or not I maintain that level of worshipfulness during the week is a challenge that sometimes proves quite a struggle. But, during the service, for the moment, I am in the moment. I feel closer to God. I feel the Holy Spirit within me. I hope that my fellow worshippers come away with the same feeling.
I fear that, for some—perhaps, for many—that is not the case. And that, I think, is the problem. While “see and be seen” is good enough for the social circles, it isn’t nearly good enough for God. Physical presence is not enough. Without the presence of your spirit—and your heart, mind, and soul—your body sitting in that pew might as well be a mannequin. To me it seems that many professed “Christians” today settle for physical presence in their faith. And then, just as they deny entrance into the social club to those who don’t “make the cut,” or fit their ideal image of what a fellow Christian should be, they deny entrance to their own hearts and souls, putting up barriers of prejudice, pride, spite, politics, hate, and ego.
In my church, over the past few years, some of our missions have come under fire from other church members, who think we shouldn’t put forth effort helping the recipients of these missions. Our food pantry was criticized for giving food to people who “look like they should be able to hold down a job.” Our day care was criticized because the renovations and start-up costs were paid for by “the church’s money” (when, in fact, after a few months it became completely self-sufficient). And our Hispanic ministry was, is, and likely ever shall be criticized for countless reasons, many of which you can likely guess—bigotry, racism, elitism. Some members apparently think that all persons of Hispanic or Latino heritage who live in our town must necessarily be illegal, and thus, undeserving of… our help? Our prayers? God’s love??
Does God care if you have your green card? Does He care if you are able to hold down a job? Does it matter to Him if you are dressed in dirty clothes, if you smoke, if you drink, if you’ve been divorced, if you’ve had a drug problem? Do any of these things truly affect His love for you?
How about this one: Does God care if you are lying to others and yourself about how “Christian”—how Christ-like—you act when you’re out of church?
God wants us to help others. Yes, we should hope and pray that these others learn how to care for themselves and their loved ones. Not because we want to be rid of the burden of helping them, but because we should want to rejoice when they are able to reach their full potential, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Until they do, those who need us—no matter their income level, their personal problems, their “questionable” lifestyle, or their ethnic heritage—should expect our help. No questions asked, no dress code, no rules of etiquette.
Why? Because they do deserve it. Those in need deserve our help because, though we don’t deserve it, God freely offers his. We were given the gift of Grace, the gift of God’s Love, and it is our responsibility, and our joy, to share that Grace and that Love with others, any way we can.
In Matthew 25: 35-40, Jesus says this far better than I can:
“Then the King will say…’For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me’.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 3When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’.”
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