This post is written mainly with Christians in mind though I suppose much of what I say here could be applied to other faiths and traditions as well.
I’ve known several people, just a handful really, who have decided for one reason or another to leave the church they are attending to either go somewhere else or stop attending church altogether. Now, I doubt very much that they have left the faith, but I can’t help but realize that more and more Christians today are ceasing to attend a physical church and instead have joined the “virtual” or “media church” through radio, TV, the Internet, books and Cd’s. I admit, in many ways it’s an excellent trade but at the same time it has the potential to be very detrimental to a Christian’s life.
The “virtual” church is in your control
Some of the reasons why the “virtual” church can be an attractive alternative to attending a “physical” church are that it’s convenient, encouraging, polished and (perhaps most importantly) it’s non-confrontational. If you don’t like the message you’re reading or hearing all you have to do is click a button and the problem is solved.
“The virtual church is convenient, encouraging, polished and non-confrontational”
In contrast, at “physical” church it’s nearly impossible to so easily get out of uncomfortable situations. You’re certain to run into people who look differently, think differently and even believe differently than you do. All the church member’s hypocrisy, pettiness, hostility and jealousy is right there in your face. Truly, it’s no wonder that so many people are leaving physical churches and seeking solace in the “virtual” church.
Let me quickly say that I’m a huge fan of the “virtual” church; in fact I’m part of it. Many Christian bloggers, writers and radio personalities have inspired me and encouraged me in very real ways. There are countless websites with excellent tools which help me grow in my faith. The “virtual” church is a great resource for Christians who are looking to supplement their spiritual diet. However, if it is their only source of spiritual nutrition it can lead to the equivalent of scurvy. That is, a absence of key nutrients in their life leads to a lack of overall spiritual health.
The “physical” church is a sanctification workshop
Being an active participant in a physical church is akin to a marriage relationship. One of the purposes of marriage is to allow God to work through your spouse in order to remove your “rough edges.” In marriage we have the opportunity to learn how to truly forgive, truly love, and truly share ourselves with another person. It’s a painful and often messy process, but this is where transformation and sanctification take place in the context of marriage.
Similarly, God wants to use the relationships that happen only within a physical church in the same way. He wants to teach us compassion, forgiveness, and servant-hood within a body of believers. The Scottish preacher Alexander MacLaren once observed, “The Church is a workshop, not a dormitory.” The imperfect church is the perfect place for us to learn lessons of love. It’s a place where imperfect people have come together to walk side by side with each other as they live out the Christian life.
Alone and unprotected
This may come as a shock, but people will inevitably fail you. Yes, even I will fail you at some point (perhaps I already have.) But if we continually run away from conflicts we can’t learn how to genuinely forgive or be forgiven. There’s no telling how many people whose lives you will potentially bless in the next year.
But if you separate yourself from them, your ability to affect their lives becomes null. In Proverbs 18:1 Solomon wrote, “He who separates himself seeks his own desire, he quarrels against all sound wisdom.” In isolation we forgo meaningful, deep relationships. Mere acquaintances can’t help me, or warn me of a destructive habit I’m hanging on to. They can’t point out the flaws in a plan or idea I’m harboring. Does the truth hurt sometimes? Yes, but so does the surgery that removes a cancerous tumor, the adjustment that brings a dislocated joint back into place, the cleansing of a wound before it can heal properly. My weaknesses stay put in isolation.
I’ll conclude with a direct quote from Dan Schaeffer:
People are a collection of strengths and weaknesses, and we’re exposed to all of it within the church. We need this often-confusing variety! As we learn to show grace for the weaknesses of others, we gain patience; as others lift us up in our need, we learn humility.We can never fulfill our spiritual destiny if we strike out on our own away from the church, because we were created for this fellowship. We are designed to function in this sometimes clumsy, uncomfortable, and problematic family of God.”
Some wording, quotes and ideas used from Dan Schaeffer’s article, “The Return of the Lone Christian: Why We Need the Church”, In Touch, September 2006.
