I was going to write a post on the following subject a week ago but I was looking for a snazzy metaphor to tie it all together. As sad as it is I spent several days (not all day, mind you) thinking about it and trying to come up with something. Then Mr. Kiki helped!
We were finishing lunch one day with an orange. Never one for patience Kiki thought he'd get a jumpstart and stuck some peel in his mouth. Love ya, Ki, but don't eat the peel. Peels are for the compost pile.
Enter Lightbulb! Fruit would be my metaphor.
As you know, some fruits (i.e. banana, kiwi, Fruit of the Loom), eating the peel does not offer a tasty experience. In the case of an orange it's very bitter.
Such as been the case for our mission in finding a new church home. We've visited 3 churches in the area. I know, I know, not very many, which is why I must offer this sidenote--no, we haven't visited very many churches and what I'm about to say is in NO way meant to judge those churches, it's only my opinion and preference. Also, please understand that our experiences is in no way indicative of all churches in the area.
That being said, I'll continue to story you with our experiences "church hopping" (to borrow a term from a friend!).
Two Sundays ago TBo looked on the Southern Baptist Convention's website to see what churches they endorsed in our area. We chose one from that list. Walking into the building we encountered a coffee shop and gift store on the right and the sanctuary on the left. As with the other churches there was a very secure check-in for the boys. While this type of thing is necessary these days, it doesn't make it any less sad. We completed the check-in for them and passed through the doors to the children's wing (that's right, not hallway or floor...but wing). Above the doors was a phrase painted on the wall, "KidsCrest: why kids drag their parents to church." We took Gman to his class but not before passing a full volleyball court, art room, video game area and full snack bar. Appealing to youngsters I'm sure.
We left Gman with an adult at the snack bar where he was able to choose a free snack for it being his first visit.
We walked down the hall to the toddler's area. On the left were classrooms and the right a large (maybe 50x30) playground. Inside the classroom were two adults and many children. As is our habit for the other churches I stayed with Kiki while TBo went to the service.
I was in the nursery for probably 45 minutes when TBo came back. We left the children's wing and into the main section of the church. TBo entertained Kiki while I went into the last few minutes of the service. The gentleman on the stage speaking was dressed in raggedy jeans and untucked shirt. I only heard a few minutes of his message before a curtain was raised from behind him, the lights dimmed and a full band took the stage.
It wasn't until we'd collected Gman and headed home that my true opinion of the church started to form. I listened to Gman's recollection of his experience in Sunday School and TBo's experience in the service and I realized that while this church's peel was certainly appetizing...the fruit was bitter.
TBo recalled listening to the message for 20 minutes before hearing even one Bible verse. Gman said they didn't have a Bible story but instead just talked about how God wants you to have self-control. He said they didn't learn any Bible verses.
The peel was all this church had. There was a bitter fruit, no sustenance. It just felt like the churches we've attended with their contemporary music (appropriate at times) and disregard for Scripture were competing for our "business" so to speak.
Maybe I'm old school...but shouldn't a Bible based church have a few Bible verses in there somewhere? Shouldn't there be a Bible Story told in Sunday School? At the very least shouldn't the pastor wear a suit (maybe that's trivial, but to me it's just plain respectful). Give me some of that Old Time Religion...and stay out of the compost pile.
