Christianity is not a worthiness test. It is incredibly easy – and at times even well intentioned – to allow religion to become “membership” religion. Christianity is not membership religion.
Making faith about membership makes it about dogma – about specific doctrinal ideas/ concepts that we believe or don’t believe. This is not to say that beliefs are unimportant. They are incredibly important but that cannot lead us to an exclusionary form of faith. New Church theology is clear on this ….
- Heaven depends on people from many religions
- Heartfelt belief is possible only for people who lead a good life
- All religions give people the general principles to live that good life through communicating what evil is and asking people to avoid it and what doing good is and asking people to do that.
Allowing faith to narrow to solely dogma does create drama, clearly. The drama feels good. But does it move us forward? Does it focus us on what is right in front of us? Does the drama get us off the hook, allowing us to feel like we are doing God’s business when we are really just concerned with our ego’s need to be right?
Anne Lamott asked a friend with cancer to comment on her dress. Did it make her look fat or not? Her friend commented, “Anne, you don’t have that kind of time.” We don’t have that kind of time to spin around in our heads wondering how we look.
That is why, we as move into the fall, the “invest” and “invite” strategy around NewChurch LIVE is so critical. This strategy is not about membership. It is about engagement, about moving out of heads and out into the world.
When we engage others, searching for ways to connect and serve, we are living into the Christian life. That is why Jesus issued “The Great Commission” – to go out into the world making disciples out of people, baptizing – in all 4 Gospels.
It is not about bringing people to the church (membership) but about bringing the church to people (engagement). That is one of the more potent guards against worthiness tests, against exclusionary claims. As we reach out beyond ourselves in God’s name, it becomes less about ourselves and more about God. As it becomes more about God, we in turn understand and live into more and more the life He intends us to lead - a life lived from our best selves.