The Only Way…
For years now I have been blessed to have regular deep, theological conversations with a good friend of mine. It is truly a blessing to have this friend in my life because he not only helped me grow in my faith, but has also challenged the beliefs I have formed and helped refine them through his questions and willingness to discuss, disagree, and not hold a grudge over differences.
One of the reoccurring topics of conversation between my friend and I revolves around the necessity of attending church. The question goes something along the lines of “can you be a Christian if you don’t go to church?” Usually we discuss what “church” means and try to put some rational meaning to “Christian.” In the end, almost without fail, he ends up on the “you really need to belong to a church in order to be a 
Christian” side, and I plant my flag on the “if you believe in Jesus as your personal Savior and friend, and is Savior to all” side of the discussion. And while he and I have not had this little bit of friendly banter in a while, something last week brought our long-time discussion back to the forefront of my consciousness. A video showed up on YouTube that pitted Jesus against Religion. The first time I watched this video, it had tallied 442 views. As I type this sentence the video has garnered more than 13 million views.
While Religion and “church” are not totally synonymous, the parallels are undeniable. And I am not going to argue the definition of “church.” It is not outside the stretch of the imagination that the young man in the video is talking about “Why I Hate the Church, But Love Jesus.” But that gets back to the discussion topic…are “the church” and Jesus mutually exclusive? Can a Christian survive without one or the other?
At the center of the whole discussion is John 14:6. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (NIV). This and several other scriptures affirm that the only way to God is through His Son, and my friend and my discussions never question this. We agree that a Christian cannot survive without Jesus. He is the “cornerstone” of faith. “Whoever has the Son has eternal life.” But does a Christian need to be a part of a church to be a “good” Christian?
Here is where my friend starts to really shine in his argument. There are certain things a Christian cannot do without in a truly dedicated walk with Jesus, and one of the most important aspects of a Christian journey is community. It is unwise, unhealthy, and almost impossible to have a fruitful relationship with Jesus without some sort of interpersonal interaction with other Christians. Without being a part of a Christian community an individual stands alone without any support, guidance, or accountability, and whether you argue against “religion” or “church” the truth is that both of those institutions supply or create an environment of community. They offer a place where a Christian can find the support he/she needs in brothers and sisters. Is it ideal? No, way less than. But it is necessary to some extent.
Have I changed my mind about how I feel about the institution of religion or church…no. I am not a big fan. I am an individualist. But I 
recognize that I cannot do it on my own. In 2010 Matthew West released The Story of Your Life featuring the song, “My Own Little World.” It is a powerful song that talks about how we as Christians sometimes become insulated, isolated in our little “Christian” bubble. Sometimes we start to think that our own little world is all about “me.”
So I think there is a balance somewhere between my friend and I. While I do not necessarily like the “church” and organized religion, I do understand their role and the benefits they offer. I agree with the young man in the video. I believe that their is only one true way, and He is Jesus. But without the church, I would not have my friend to argue with, to grow with, to be friends with.
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
I pray that I can continue to see past the imperfections of the church. I pray that the church will continue to do the good works of the Lord. I pray that God would make me a blessing unto someone as much as he has made my friend a blessing unto me. And I pray that you would find your balance between religion and faith…between perfection and imperfection…between Jesus and the church.
Be Blessed
One Love
One God
One Way
Jason
