Wednesday, May 12, 2004

Church ‘rules’

By JOHN HATCHER
Pastor

In their book, The 1 Thing, Thomas and Joani Schultz compiled a list of favorite rules found in churches with a police department mentality. They suggest that far too many churches have constructed their mission and ministries around the mandate of keeping rules. The more rules one keeps, the better a church member he or she is. Here’s their list of favorite church rules:

• How to baptize

• Where to baptize

• Which Bible translation to use

• When to observe the Sabbath

• What to eat and drink

• What to wear

• How to celebrate the Lord’s Supper

• Who may take the Lord’s Supper

• Which musical instruments can be used (if any)

• What to do with candles, crosses, and flags

• How to address the clergy

• How to dress the clergy

• How women may serve

• When to stand

• When to kneel

• When to clap

• Who can use the kitchen stuff

Someone shared their personal experience with the church in the Schultz’ book:

“Today I picked up my two young kids from vacation Bible school at a nearby church. I asked them what they learned. Without hesitation they said, ‘When you are in a line, walk and don’t talk. Look straight ahead and don’t play around. When you get inside, sit quietly and don’t talk or move.’

“Hoping for something a little deeper, I asked if they learned anything else. ‘Yes,’ they said, ‘If you get up to go to the bathroom, you have to sit in the back and can’t get back with your friends.’”

Of course, as you read these seeming exaggerations, just think back to the signs posted at your church:

• Do Not Tack or Tape Anything to the Walls (from The Property Committee)

• No children under 12 allowed in sanctuary without an adult

• Please! No beverages in the sanctuary

• Pastor Parking Only

Jesus had his share dealing with the rule makers. There were a kazillion rules related to what you could do and what you could not do on the Sabbath and Jesus broke his fair share.

It was almost impossible to go to the bathroom on the Sabbath back then. Finally Jesus confronted the Royal Society of Religious Rules and made it clear that his father, our God, did not make man for the Sabbath, but he made the Sabbath for man.

I’m infected with this fascination with rules. For some reason, my mother thought chewing gum was very inappropriate in church. She perhaps thought it showed disrespect for the House of God. Maybe Mom thought there would be no place to discard the gum once all the good stuff was chewed out. Today, I must admit, a little bit of me cringes every time I see someone chewing gum in church. Thanks, Mom.

But, really, what’s the big sin chewing gum in church? I suppose I’ve got a problem just like so many who focus on the rules rather than the royal law which is to love everyone else no matter what!

Would we rather have a church full of people chewing gum or a church full of nobody?

John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303