Going to Church

We visited Imago Dei with Laura Sunday morning. I was interested to see if they had a "more authentic" way of doing community. I enjoyed it a lot. Lots of tribal drums and a mandolin in worship; they sang hymns I knew from my childhood with a celtic-tribal flaire; Catholic icons all around; a long sermon that was all about the gospel; a time of open communion up front with wine and bread and someone doing a water color on stage. The place was filled with 20-somethings. Lots of energy in the air. I felt old.

I walked away recognizing the "formula" they were using, just like a number of other "emerging" churches are. And formulaic just the way Abundant Life is, but different. You find things that work for people, the people in your community, and you go with it until it doesn't work for them anymore, then you change. I'm glad so many enjoy Imago Dei and Abundant Life.

I continue to pray that everything we do in our church communities are driven by relationship, not program. As I read the paper today about whether to make a law requiring teenage girls to tell their parents before they get an abortion, I thought "why don't we engage these girls in a relationship that helps them make the right choice, instead of having a law that forces a one size fits all on them?"

Healthy, trusting relationships based on common values and doing life together. It seems that's what God has called us to, regardless of what the weekend service looks like.