"What is the point of church"

In today's modern way of thinking, I have the slightest idea. All I can say is that I have experienced all forms of western church and very few have I found that are actually "Church," at least the one that Christ began. Lately, I have meet friends outside the security of believers that are more real and loving than the majority I have found within the walls of church. So what is the point, why do we strangle ourselves to keep this club together? Why do we brainstorm ideas so we can continue to grow? Why do we write books to teach others our way of doing it?

I believe the main reason for church, other than a desire to build upon what Christ started, is a sense of belonging. Seriously, I WANT TO BELONG!!! I want to be part of something bigger than myself, I want to be doing something that is going to influence others, I want to be part of what GOD is doing. Oh how we corporately long for the Church of Jesus Christ to honestly be, period.

There is something inside of every single one of us that has a intense desire to belong to something and to be loved by that something. Children for example, love. Automatically, they love to cuddle, hug, and be held. They love feeling that sense of security that is around them and knowing that no one will be able to come and hurt them in anyway. My little girl Riley comes in the middle of the night as I'm writing and wiggles her way onto my lap, there is no other place she would ever want to be at that moment. She feels comfortable, she feels secure, she feels a sense of belonging. And I too as a parent feel intense responsibility to secure my children with all I have.

Why do we attend Sunday church services that bore the heck out of us and why do we endure that pain and sorrow that the "church as a whole" causes so many believers? It doesn't matter if the pastor can preach or the singers can actually sing, does it. It doesn't matter if your church teaches verse by verse or topical's each service either. It doesn't even matter if you fall asleep and take a nap every time you go to hear the preacher preach.

What matters?

Is knowing that someone there is blessed to see you. Someone that says, "Hey brother, how's life, do you know that Jesus loves you today." And it doesn't even matter if their real or not. All you really want is to know someone acknowledge you and knows you by name.

Don't get me wrong. I do believe that believers that are mature in the faith and long for more than the everyday Sunday morning ritual desire much more than that. But as the majority of surface deep Christians, let's say 80% of North Americas church, need at least the bare minimum and they are happy and contently satisfied with that.

Seriously, if church was just as simple as the old sitcom "Cheers" where everyone knows your name, where you have your favorite seat, and you always see the same people. Every once in awhile there is a newbe that comes along, you give them a hard time but then, after the initial welcome, they become part of your crew. What a good time it would be to have such companionship.

Now this is the main point of the things I am writing. Christians suck. And I am one of them. I suck so bad that I have mis-represented Jesus in almost every way possible. Being part of the modern church I have made Him out to be a judgmental, arrogant, selfish god that doesn't care how you feel as long as you agree with what I believe. I have wondered why so many feel rejected by modern Christianity, then I just look back to the way I was as a believer and I get the answer.

We all want to be part of something that is bigger and better than our frail lives. We want to be part of something that is tangible and real, something that is authentic and genuine. A place that is tolerant to your opinions and personality, a place that connects with the person rather than the congregation.

I believe it is possible to find such a place here on earth. I believe that God is moving in the midst of His people and He is preparing a Church that will look like nothing that we have seen before and we will be amazed when we realize it. Then we will understand that the point of church is to belong to a body as members of Christ.