Your piece seems to come from the stance that institutional religions/churches basically ‘get it right’ with the exception of a few outliers. I tend to think that, with humans, it’s always a constant slide towards Phariseeism, especially when those humans are part of an establishment that basically thinks it’s getting it right. When those institutions don’t have built in inflection points that ask ‘where are we getting it wrong?’, the average churchgoer will just leave because there’s no other way to communicate that they want something that actually is higher and better than what’s being offered. Church websites should include exit surveys maybe lol?
Thanks Susan - I agree that there is a constant pull toward Phariseeism. I don't think churches basically 'get it right' necessarily. I also don't know the best way for good feedback to be given and received - but I am not sure my feedback is going to be right either. Having been at the receiving end of feedback in the church, my experience is that feedback within a church on a particular program or service (worship, for example) often varies widely from person to person on the same topic. The tendency might be to ignore feedback altogether in response, which isn't the right response, of course. I think our tendency is to evaluate something based on our (subjective) experience of it. I think here, at least one operative question is how is God experiencing my worship of Him? We don't have a handy answer, but I think it is a good question that might help ground my worship.
The point I was hoping to make is that there isn't a replacement for the church when it comes to spiritual experience. We can have spiritual experiences in many different places, but God has given us corporate worship in His church (for example) and my contention in this piece is there isn't a direct substitute. Not sure how best to do that, or what exactly my part is in that - just that there isn't anything that really can replace it fully.
Your piece seems to come from the stance that institutional religions/churches basically ‘get it right’ with the exception of a few outliers. I tend to think that, with humans, it’s always a constant slide towards Phariseeism, especially when those humans are part of an establishment that basically thinks it’s getting it right. When those institutions don’t have built in inflection points that ask ‘where are we getting it wrong?’, the average churchgoer will just leave because there’s no other way to communicate that they want something that actually is higher and better than what’s being offered. Church websites should include exit surveys maybe lol?
Thanks Susan - I agree that there is a constant pull toward Phariseeism. I don't think churches basically 'get it right' necessarily. I also don't know the best way for good feedback to be given and received - but I am not sure my feedback is going to be right either. Having been at the receiving end of feedback in the church, my experience is that feedback within a church on a particular program or service (worship, for example) often varies widely from person to person on the same topic. The tendency might be to ignore feedback altogether in response, which isn't the right response, of course. I think our tendency is to evaluate something based on our (subjective) experience of it. I think here, at least one operative question is how is God experiencing my worship of Him? We don't have a handy answer, but I think it is a good question that might help ground my worship.
The point I was hoping to make is that there isn't a replacement for the church when it comes to spiritual experience. We can have spiritual experiences in many different places, but God has given us corporate worship in His church (for example) and my contention in this piece is there isn't a direct substitute. Not sure how best to do that, or what exactly my part is in that - just that there isn't anything that really can replace it fully.