Walking in the Valley A weekly column for those who live and walk in Silicon Valley by Barbara Dahlgren

What Do You Think? Column for the week of September 14-20, 2003

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A few weeks ago I met a friend I hadn’t seen in over a decade. We chit chatted a bit about family and jobs. Then she said, “I don’t go to church anymore but I like to think of myself as a Christian.” She’s not alone in that thought. Surveys show that the majority of the United States like to think of themselves as Christian but don’t go to church. Church attendance has declined so dramatically in the U.S. that foreign countries now feel they need to send missionaries to us.

“I like to think of myself as a Christian.” That’s an interesting statement. I like to think of myself as intelligent, thin, witty, beautiful, and the winner of a Pulitzer Prize but that doesn’t make it so. Christianity is more than just merely believing in the existence of Christ. Even demons believe in the existence of Christ. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.” (James 2:19 NIV) To be considered a Christian must take a little more effort. (James 2:18-26)

If you met a Christian what would you assume they would be doing? Reading the Bible? Praying? Attending church?

It reminds me of a little story I heard recently. It seems there were three country churches in a small town: the Presbyterian Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Catholic Church. Each church was overrun with pesky squirrels. The Presbyterian Church called a meeting to decide what to do. After much prayer and consideration they determined that the squirrels were predestined to be there and they shouldn’t interfere with God’s divine will.

The Catholic Church got together and decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creations. So they humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free a few miles outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

It was only the Lutheran Church that was able to come up with the best and most effective solution. They baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. That made them Christians. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

I know all the excuses people use for not coming to church. Some will say more harm than good has been done in the name of Christianity and refer to witch burnings and wars. It’s true that some atrocities have been done in the name of Christ but that doesn’t make it right. Perhaps those who were responsible for those crimes were not Christians at all but just used the banner of Christianity to push through evil agendas. The truth is that more good than harm has come from churches. Christian churches have pushed for every humane reform conceivable from providing education for all classes of people, cleaning up hospitals, opening orphanages, feeding the homeless, to being the first to integrate in the South. In fact there was a time that church was the only thing that could cross the color line and get away with it.

Some will say all that really matters is that I’m a good person. Not true. Being a good person is good but it doesn’t make you a Christian. Christians will be following Christ. Christians will be meeting together with other Christians. (Hebrews 10:22-25)

Some will say they used to attend church but became disillusioned because of politics, hurt feelings, or hypocritical attitudes. Yes, there are hypocrites in church but we aren’t to look to them for guidance. We look to Christ. Churches are imperfect because they are filled with imperfect people. Church is not meant to be a sanctuary for saints but a hospital for sinners.

Some will say they are looking for a new church to attend. That’s great because there are so many churches that there’s bound to be one you agree with doctrinally. But the sad fact is once people get out of the habit of attending church regularly it is very hard to get back in the groove. Most people search for a new church like the man looking for a job who watches TV all day and never sends out a resume.

Look, you can use any argument you want to convince yourself that you can be a Christian but not attend a church or at least a small group Bible study of some kind but it’s just idle chatter. Christians need fellowship with other Christians. (1 Corinthians 12:12) Early Christians met together everyday. That might be a little wishful thinking in this day and age. But to say, “I like to think of myself as a Christian” and not attend church regularly might lead one to respond with “better think again.” Thinking it does not make it so.

Be sure to visit this page every week to read the next edition of Walking in the Valley. You can write to the author at bdahlgren@wcgsouthbay.org.