How Novel Is God?

I, like so much of today's American culture, become excited by the novel. I like to try new things. When I pastored in a traditional church setting the congregation never knew what to expect. I might do a skit, story (sometimes with big props), a multisensory type of activity, and on and on. I have about ten different "hobbies" that I may or may not engage in on a regular basis. The "new" gets "old" so fast that I am ready to move on to something else. I wonder, though, if church was ever meant to be novel?

It's all the rage, from the mega-church to the emerging church, to be novel and do things or even adopt philosophies or world-views that would attract the "masses". From children's programs with huge stage productions to full-blown movie theater settings with popcorn. But is this how church is supposed to be?

I think we can bring the whole intent of the Church down to one goal. To develop the individual's relationship with God and thier relationship with other believers. It's about growth in love. Now when I grow in love with my wife the novel really doesn't come into place. We like to do some new things together but that doesn't necessarily help our relationship along. What builds our relationship is doing the same "old" things over and over; communicating, sharing, resolving conflict, forgiving, learning to live together and love each other. It's hard work and rarely novel.

Maybe this infatuation America has with the novel has something to do with our horrendous divorce rate. It's easier to go on to a new and novel relationship than to deal with the "old lady" at home. And maybe that's why so few Christians have an authentic and growing relationship with Christ. Reading your Bible and praying just gets "old" and so we need books to give us new and novel ways to pray and we need "one-minute" devotionals so that, even though Bible reading may be "boring", at least we can make it short. And yet these are the things that build our relationship with God while only 2% or less of "Christians" practice them on a regular basis. Even more "laborous" is the act of (gasp!) communicating with other believers. Sure we chit-chat over potlucks and in the foyers but do we really share? Does anybody at your church really know "who" you are? Is there anyone you would call a fellow believer that you can share all your "secrets" with and are confident you could tell anything to?

If you are like 98% of Christians the answer is "no way!!".

Why do I think House Church is God's answer for us? It's hard and laborous but it brings my family and I together. It's not "novel" as we do the same things over and over, but we share and are learning and growing together like I have never experienced in any "building" that is supposed to be designed for such a purpose. You will never find anything novel in the Scriptures about the gathering of the Church. Paul never writes, "if you get bored, try this or that to liven things up a bit!" Yes, God is always up to something new but you don't find it by doing "novel" things you find it by getting into His presence through His word and in prayer and becoming intimately connected with other believers, offering yourself in sacrificial service to the needy and doing all those "old" things.