A honest interview with the church (Introduction)

(Sacred Spaces 481)

Introduction – Is the church really the bride?

Interviewer:  I am a regular guy.  To know my name is not necessary.  (Because I believe I speak on behalf of many.)  I have some concerns about the church.  I am searching for some answers.  So I decided to interview “the church”.  I have asked the church these following 10 questions:

  • What is with the singing in church?
  • Why is it important to meet each Sunday?
  • What is with the “predictability” of the order of a service?
  • What is with the “reading” of things off the screen?
  • What is with the whole “church membership” thing?
  • Do I really need to participate in the life of the church?
  • Is the church still relevant today?
  • Is Jesus not just a product to the church like a soft drink is a product to a soft drink company?
  • Why are there so many churches? Shouldn’t there just be one church?
  • Why are Christians so judgemental? I don’t want to go to church – it’s full of hypocrites!

Over the next 10 weeks, this interview will be published via Darrel’s blog “sharing” the answer I received to each question.

If you think about it, every Sunday at roughly 9am, all over the world (whatever time zone) there are thousands of churches that meet in various settings.  These people sing to a screen and listen to a man or woman in front bringing them a “message from God”.  From an outsider’s perspective; it looks rather odd.

This interview is about unpacking that a little bit.  Also I’ve heard Christians refer to the church as the “bride of Christ.”  But I’ve watched how Christians have behaved and I have heard the words they’ve used tearing down other people – their actions don’t depict that of a beautiful bride… but rather that of a miserable whore…

So I represent those who have been hurt by the church.  I represent those who don’t understand the church or those who think it’s all rather outdated.  I hope this interview sheds some new light for you.

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Church:  I have been part of quite a few churches.  I have observed many others.  I have served in various contexts: rich and poorer communities / smaller and larger congregations / local and abroad.  I have wrestled with the joys and frustrations of the “bride of Christ.”  But my years and my experience are possibly still limited in some ways.  And I hope that will be okay?  I will be OPEN and HONEST as I can and try an answer The Interviewer with unbiased answers and with a broad investigation of the church I have come to know over the years.

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Enjoy the interview.

interview with the church

(Alternative title: “Bride versus whore”)