Complex Church, Uncomplicated Faith

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Raymond Finger

As much as I love the Church for what it represents as a redemption centre, it has also become an industry from which, literally thousands of people have walked away. In doing so, many have thrown the baby out with the bath water.

Throughout the centuries, in an attempt to bring form and order to its theology, it has also brought significant misunderstanding and confusion, which was never what God intended.

The Church at its best and richest is a community of people who are saved and growing in their faith in God, coming together to worship Him and enjoy the company of each other.

The structure, form and order of the Church has the potential to obscure God. The seeming ’importance’ of form and order can often loom larger than the importance of God.

Keep it simple. See the Church for what it is, but know that God is above and beyond the institution. People ask me from time to time, “don’t you get frustrated by the politics of the Army?” and I tell them, “I sure do.” But I also tell them that the Church and God are not one, because I see the Church as a weak reflection of ourselves.

My relationship with God is not dependant in any way on the Church. I love worship and I enjoy the company of those with whom I worship, but I love God more.

When the ‘rich young ruler’ asked Jesus, “what must I do to gain eternal life,” Jesus reply in its simplest form was this, ‘love God and love others.’

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbour as yourself.”    Luke 10:27

I don’t think it gets any better than that. I don’t think it needs to be any more complicated than that. I can live and serve in the framework of a complex Church with a very uncomplicated faith, trust and belief in God – so can you.

Commissioner Raymond Finger