Life has changed significantly since I last posted to my blog.
One big change is that our old congregation has found a pastor which made my wife and I feel less responsible for the church which was a good thing. Our interactions became challenging after I had to share the criteria for eldership with a long term member who wanted to be an elder, but did not meet the high bar God has set for those who He chooses to lead his people. I’ve thought often on why we stayed at a church for so long that wasn’t feeding our family and ultimately it was because I felt like God had brought us to the church for a reason and because I knew that so concretely I didn’t want to move on. I have always wondered what God brought us there to accomplish, but as I reflect I can’t help but wonder if God brought us there for us to grow. My wife and I talk constantly about how much we grew in our faith at that church because of the challenges we faced. The church didn’t feed us, God did!
Now we are at a baptist church as it is the closest doctrine to our beliefs. It makes life interesting some times when we have to explain to our children how we don’t 100% agree with the things they are taught at the church. That being said it is building strong friendships for my children with other believers and that is what is important. While we no longer have a true Mennonite congregation to attend as our old church is more non-denominational; we are teaching our children to follow the scriptures in Hebrews 10:
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
We don’t attend every Sunday but we are consistent and the church knows we consider it our “home.” Our children participate in AWANAs there, our Homeschool co-op that my wife help start is based there, and 99% of our children’s friends attend there as well.
That leads to my title, why do we feel like we have to be at a specific church to commune with the body of Christ. The scriptures do not speak of a specific denomination nor do they say exactly what day of the week you should attend a service. It is my humble opinion that the main point of the passage is to create in your life a space and priority for worshiping God in a group setting. A group that loves God and wants to work together to advance His kingdom.
One of the definitions of the word commune is: a group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities. Isn’t that a definition of what the Apostle Paul wanted the early church to be? That’s what we are trying to make sure our children understand, you don’t have to be exactly alike to commune together and that accepting people as God brings them into your lives makes you better understand who He is as we are all made in His image.
An Ordinary Methodist 