Suburban Christianity

Rows upon rows of box-like houses dot the landscape of every city of this country. What once used to be a wild expanse of scenery that anyone could freely enjoy has been sculpted into right-angle thoroughfares which have determined egress and access points carefully placed to accentuate the “neighborhood.” These neighborhoods all look exactly alike and on weekends, when the occupants are at home, even the neighborhood fixtures (i.e. mowers, cars, bikes, kids) all look the same too. House colors, finish materials, landscape features, trees and shrubs, parking areas, satellite antenna placement, motor home parking and a whole host of other items have built-in deed restrictions in these “wholesome” communities. All these and features are designed to keep the characteristics of the community intact from rogue homeowners.

Church, no Christianity, in this modern world has gone suburban. The buildings and its activities must follow the same deed and design restrictions the community has. Forget the first-church model in these communities – no home churches allowed because it causes parking issues for the neighbors. No pillars or tongues of re permitted because the re district doesn’t allow open air burning without a permit. No breaking bread or drinking wine because of health code issues and blood alcohol level restrictions placed on driving. If you’re going to sing, caution must be used not to exceed the permitted sound levels that are in place to not adversely affect the neighbors. Should you determine to minister and assist those who are in need of medical care, that you need to make certain the appropriate licenses have been obtained and kept current by the medical staff. Of course there is the issue of making certain that all the workers you have who attend to the children have been properly trained to follow certain protocols for health and sanitation. And if they have and past issues with the legal community then you are pretty certain that you better not put them in any of those positions. Is it any wonder that in most communities the Church is considered the best law-abiding model they could have?

What would happen is the community leaders actually found out that the real church doesn’t adhere to any of the law; or that they truly are rebels trying to take over their community for a distant king? If the real church began to show up in their communities and healed the sick, cast out demons, delivered people from addictions, fed and clothed the poor and hungry, while singing and praising the Lord at the top of their lungs do you think that they would like to have so many of them in their neighborhoods? After all, in suburbia, all that activity is not permitted without the appropriate forms being filled out and submitted in triplicate. But don’t worry. I was just imagining for a moment the possibility of a law-less church and it went to my head. Carry on at a respectable level.