Why do we go to church?

Why do people go to church?

Why do people get up early, put on our Sunday best, drive across town to come to a common building to ... what?

Why are we here?

Bustling in I watch people from all walks, with all walks and strides flow in to one stream like creeks brought together into one river.

Here at a postmodern down town church I see different faces but all somehow the same. Same type of "hip" dress code; same side cheek kiss; same polite over excided greeting; same coffee in hand. Heck, they serve the coffee here.

Across town I know there's a more traditional church where everyone is uniquely dress in the same suit for men and dress for women; hugs and hellos abound. Handshakes and surface updates about the weeks work, the kids, the nice things. All this as we continue to walk towards those big open double doors guarded by two smiling individuals dressed appropriately, armed with a name tag and a "good morning"; maybe a program in hand. The music has started. The lights are low, or not depending on the neighborhood. There's a man up ahead waiving us forward to two seats in the middle of a row of strangers, and I wonder "why are they here?"

Why do these people have to be on this row with these two empty seats? Who are these people any way and what strange serious of unfortunate events has lead them to this building, to this row, on this Sunday? Why are they here? For that matter, why am I here? Why do we go to church?

I know the theological answer. The Bible says not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together. In other words, don't isolate yourself from the rest of the community of those who believe in Jesus. I also know the worship based answer. There is truly something amazing about a group of people together in one room, joined by the harmony of the music joined in song to sing praises to God. As well, I understand the teaching aspect (it is healthy to hear the Bible taught) and the social aspect (it is good to fellowship with friends) but why am I here?

I wonder what is the real reason this middle-aged man in the red shirt is here; or the young man in the gray sweater, or the pregnant lady, or the older couple? What got them up this morning, got them dressed, got them in their car, and into this room to sit here by me?

Was it his mama? As a child, did his mama roust him from bed every Sunday morning with more varicosity than a school day? Did she throw him in the shower, wrestle his clothes on and fight his boyish hair into place with unrelenting determination? Did she literally drag him out of the car and into the nursery with such consistency that the experience is now burned into the core of his being? Would he feel distant from God or in some violation of his mother's memory if he just skipped today?

Why is she here? Is it her friends? is this an opportunity to show off a new coat, a new hat, a new dress, or just way another chance to engage face to face with others equally trying to impress her as she is trying to impress her as she is trying to impress... Is her heart won by her savior her lover or her friend? Is Jesus any of those to her?

Did that couple come today to meet Jesus or to meet a client? Would they be here if the Jone's were not? Is this church or a social club? Does their presence here nourish their soul or their emotions? Does this attendance add to or take away from their attendance to the clubroom or the board room or the locker room or the mom's room?

And what about me? I'm going to see my friends today and I like that. I want to see them and I want them to want to see me. My hair is how I want it to be. My clothes are just so, and on purpose. I'm also going to see a co-worker today. We'll exchange some small talk. He'll side hug my wife. But will we enjoy a meal; a story; a moment; a heart? Not today. And yes, I'll honor my mother's wishes as well. I bathed myself, wrestled on my own clothes. I gave up on the hair years ago. But if she asks me later this week, "how was church" I'll actually have an answer.

So I must ask myself, did I come here today to appease my conscious or appease my God-hunger? Am I here to see a friend’s face or Jesus' face? Would I rather impress my co-worker or my co-laborer in the salvation of the world? Is it me or Jesus that brought us here today?

One last question, does it matter? At the end of the message I was both convicted and encouraged, so does it matter how or why I got there? If I start for the wrong reasons but end in the right place then is it ok that my mother haunting me is what got me out of bed? I think if my heart stopped turning to God then the reason may have won out over the results. I think the same must be true for the rest of those on the row with me. Maybe God is using that persistent mother, that flighty-friend, that quiet co-worker to get us here so that He can meet with us. Maybe, just maybe, God is creative enough or man-hungry enough for us that He rousts us from bed, throws us in the shower, wrestles our clothes on us, fights our hair into place just so that we'll come and focus on Him for a while.