Written by Simon Lord.
Why do people bother with church? Is it to elevate themselves above
the rest of the world - to look down on those who don’t? And anyway,
isn’t church just religious? Do people even know themselves why
they go, or in a religious way, perhaps they just feel that they should.
I was sceptical about the whole thing. I was also beginning to wonder
what my wife was getting up to on a Sunday morning. She had recently
joined a church, and I didn’t understand why. It was towards the
end of 2006 that my wife Emma began looking for answers to the questions
she had regarding faith. Through the Internet she found a list of local
churches that were giving people the opportunity to explore their questions.
The Alpha course is one such way that provides for this - and so too
is the Y-course, which Emma attended for one evening a week, up until
Christmas.
It was Remembrance Sunday when I first joined Emma and our two daughters
on a trip to church. Having served in the army I was used to taking
part in the Remembrance parades, which would be followed by a church
service. To my recollection it had been a strictly traditional affair,
although the occasion had been of personal significance. I had met people
who had fought in both World Wars, and I had toured the battlefields
and graveyards of the First World War. But even so, I was still in no
hurry to attend church again. After the Pastor introduced himself, I
chatted to a few other people. Now I could understand why Emma had described
the welcome as a friendly one. When the service began, I realised that
it was not going to be the experience that I was expecting. Having a
keen interest in music, I was immediately impressed by the band, initially
by the fact that there was one at all. Perhaps I had prepared myself
for the organ music and hymn sheets of old military services? In comparison,
this particular Sunday morning was refreshingly upbeat. But music aside,
it was the sermon that I had really come to witness. I was curious about
the message. Unfortunately my youngest daughter needed changing at the
very point the sermon began, and I managed to rush in later to catch
the tail end of a service I’d missed. There were a few more songs
and some coffee and it was all over.
It had been my first experience of church for a long time, and it
had been a positive one. My preconceptions had been challenged. I had
enjoyed the modern music, but not understood the songs. The fact that
they were about God had made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t believe
in Him anyway. And I even thought that as far the enjoyment of the morning
was concerned - the inclusion of God only let it down. As I watched
the people worship, I remember thinking, what are you doing - He’s
not even real. But I returned over the next few weeks, mainly so that
we could all go as a family. Plus, the people were friendly and the
coffee was free! Wherever my misgivings of church led me, it was clear
that my wife was on a deeper journey; and God wasn’t spoiling
it for her. Emma became a Christian not long after she committed herself
to searching. I wasn’t completely sure what this meant, but I
knew that for her it was real. There was a visible change in her - a
new strength. It helped her in not having to fight the familiar battles
in the same old way. Obviously I was happy for my wife, but I didn’t
think that there could be a similar journey for me. Why would I? Like
I said - I didn’t believe in God anyway.
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