Worshiping in a Strange Place

Last month I encouraged you to worship wherever you are this summer. I told the story of Paul, who when he reached the city of Philippi, went outside the city gate by the river on the sabbath where there was a place of prayer, a gathering for worship.

While on vacation recently we were near a river and I thought, how great would it be to just walk down to the river and find some other Jesus followers and worship together.

It’s only happened once in my life. Joy and I traveled to Korea a dozen years ago with a group of pastors and spouses, people with whom we lived in community for a year. On our way home we stayed in Hawaii four days. I know. It was tough. And it was Easter. On Sunday, early in the morning, we walked together to the beach and worshiped our God. (Anyone interested in an Easter sunrise service next year in Hawaii?)

It ought to be easier now than it was for Paul. Today, churches have web sites, Facebook pages, and phone book listings. It’s easy to locate a church. But there’s something seemingly simple about walking to the river or the beach, knowing brothers and sisters in Christ will be there. And even with all our technology, there’s something not so simple about finding your way to a church for the first time.

So while we were on vacation in another city, instead of walking down to the river, we went to worship at a church that a friend of mine serves. It turned out he wasn’t there. He was on vacation too!

Here’s the thing I rediscover almost every time I’m on vacation: I find it hard to go to a church for the first time. And I’m a pastor! I have to be intentional about it. It really is so much easier to just not go. I’m not saying it’s better to not go. It’s not. Just easier. It’s the path of least resistance. John Dewey (1859-1952), American philosopher, psychologist, and educator, said, “The path of least resistance and least trouble is a mental rut already made. It requires troublesome work to undertake the alternation of old beliefs.”

We did that troublesome work and we went. Truthfully, my friend is a great pastor. It’s a great church, growing and fruitful. The person who preached read and proclaimed our holy scriptures. We enjoyed hospitality and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ. Good stuff.

To be honest, though, it was a little hard to find them. We didn’t know anyone. The music was a little hard to sing with. And when we arrived, while they did a very good job of greeting us initially, they sort of held us hostage in the narthex. We were already a couple of minutes late because I didn’t realize how long it would take us to get there. I was trying to hurry into the sanctuary but they wouldn’t let us in! It felt like their attempt to connect with us as newcomers prevented us from getting into the sanctuary to join the worship service. I literally had to stop the person and say we just wanted to get in the sanctuary for worship.

My experience reminds me how tough it must be for people who are not part of a church to go the first time. The path of least resistance (not going) is a mental rut already made. It takes troublesome work to change that. That’s why it is so important that we all invite and bring others to church. That changes everything! It makes it so much easier, better, and fruitful. Most of us became a part of the church when someone we already knew brought us. We can do the same for others. Think for a moment: who can you invite and bring to church? Ask God to show you, if you dare!

Here’s another thing I rediscover almost every time I’m on vacation. There’s nothing better than your own church, the place you belong. It’s great to be back, Salem!