Ok, God, do we have to go to church or not? And, if so, how often?

DANGEROUS QUESTION # 6

What’s the rule about Church, God?

There isn’t any rule

You’d have to be joking, right? You know there’s a rule! It seems to change with every pastor, elder and church, but there’s always a rule. 

No there’s not, not with me there isn’t. You can do what you want about Church.

Ok, then, be the Mr nice-guy, but if it’s up to us, is there a punishment?

A punishment? 

You know exactly what I meant, but ok, I’ll spell it out. Is there a punishment if we don’t go to church, or don’t go enough?

No. There’ll never be any punishment from me in this world or the next based on whether or not you went to church, or how often. No punishment, nada!

When I was in my twenties I heard a pastor give a sermon on why we should go to church twice on Sundays.

Yes.

The way you just said yes, your tone, makes me wonder if you’re saying my reaction to his sermon was not everything it could have been?

That’s what I’m saying.

Ok, where did I get it wrong?

Describe your reaction at the time.

Well, I was angry with what I sensed was the stupidity of his message, that you’re more interested in a relationship than how many times we turn up at the door.

Of course I am, but you overlooked something of importance in his message.

What on earth could I have missed, it was such a dumb message!

Not as dumb as you thought. Yes, most of it was ill-thought, I’ll give you that, but there was a truth that shouldn’t be overlooked…

Really?? I didn’t see any truth.

No, you didn’t but it was there all the same -- he spoke of the benefits people get from going to church.

The facts are that some people really do benefit, people who have suffered broken relationships and other trauma often benefit from the social life, sometimes it’s their only social life, and they often get a lot from the one-on-one counselling offered by churches.

So, they should go twice on Sundays??

That’s not what I said. There’s no rule. There are plenty of people who do not benefit and plenty of people who really do. Each person knows in their gut how much church they need. Possibly a lot, possibly a little, and possibly none at all.

The problems come when people are no longer free to follow their gut, when others create rules about it and pretend to themselves they are my rules and then condemn and look down on those who don’t follow their made up rules.

There are no rules about which day your church should hold services, not with me, and neither are there any rules about whether you should go, and if so, how often.

But?

But if you benefit, then be my guest, go for your life.

You still haven’t answered my question about punishment. Is there a punishment if we don’t go? I know you’ve said it’s up to us, you’re not going to make us, there are no rules, but, God, come clean, is there a punishment if we don’t go to church?

No.

Ok, so, there’s nothing tricky like, you won’t punish us, but life will punish if we don’t go?

No. Some people will benefit, those who do should go as often as they want, some people won’t, they should feel free not to. And, just a tip, if a person doesn’t go and begins to feel they are missing out on things, then it would make sense to go again. No rules though, no compulsion.

Church is about relationship with people. There are plenty who have enough relationships, enough inspiration without church – they know and they shouldn’t have to justify that to others or be looked down on for their choices.

A person should decide which sort of person they are and go with that. And, if they find they change, and it’s time to start going again, or to stop going, well it makes sense for them to follow their gut. If you want a rule, that should do as one.

PS: DEAR READER — Two Tips to make it easier to have your own back and forth conversation with God.

TIP # 1: Write out your question to God and then, don’t wait for the answer to come, start writing trusting God to supply the answer as you write.

TIP # 2: Remember it’s a conversation, not a subservient prayer. Yes, sure, you’re talking with God, but it’s a conversation. So, just like you would in a conversation with any other friend, when you’re not convinced by what you hear you should most definitely challenge it.

If you think you’ve made up what you’ve written, you should write something like, God, I think I made that up’, then write what comes. Do that again and again until you feel in your gut, no matter how unlikely it seems, that what you’ve written is God. TEST THE SPIRITS AND ASK AND KEEP ON ASKING. Both are things that the apostles and Jesus made clear are very important.

The reason I publish these conversations with God is he seemed to say that anyone reading them would be able to see that if someone as mixed up as Mark Holloway could have a back and forth conversation with God ( like a friend ), then surely they could too.