Christianity versus 'Churchianity'

[Sudsy]

Someone once said 'Churchianity' draws people to an institution. Christianity draws people to Christ.'

Here is a pejorative definintion of 'Churchianity' -

Any practices of Christianity that are viewed as placing a larger emphasis on the habits of church life or the institutional traditions of the church than on theology and spiritual teachings; The quality of being too church-focused.

Another quote on 'Churchianity' -

The sad reality is that by substituting churchianity for Christianity, we have failed in our fundamental Christian tasks — to evangelize the lost and to transform the lives of the saints.

And one more -

'Churchianity' is having an excessive or narrowly sectarian attachment to the practices and interests of a particular church.

Would it be fair to say that local churches who are not reaching the lost and growing with new converts, that are mainly from unchurched backgrounds, are churches that are likely more into 'Churchianity' than they are into Christianity ? If we are more about what makes our Christian group distinct from another Christian group, are we into 'Churchianity' rather than Christianity ?

Your views on when a local church is majoring on 'Churchianity' rather than Christianity ?

[Josh]

Would it be fair to say that local churches who are not reaching the lost and growing with new converts, that are mainly from unchurched backgrounds, are churches that are likely more into 'Churchianity' than they are into Christianity ?

No. It could be the soil is stony soil.

Around here, there is a lot of Chuchianity attracting new converts: rock concert style worship, lots of children’s programs, and of course plenty of encouragement to donate generously to keep all these programs up and keep building more and bigger church buildings.

If we are more about what makes our Christian group distinct from another Christian group, are we into 'Churchianity' rather than Christianity ?

That is not my focus but it’s true that my church doesn’t conduct rock concerts for worship, nor really ever talk from the pulpit about giving at all. Members simply donate when they wish to, and some do so secretly.

When someone off the street comes in it is more likely they’ll leave with cash than donate cash to the offering slot by the men’s nursery.

Your views on when a local church is majoring on 'Churchianity' rather than Christianity ?

We all need to follow Christ faithfully and portray a good witness. To be frank, some of the people doing this the best are Amish people. They are warm and friendly to their neighbours and get to know them, bring them meals if they hear they are sick or had a baby, and then pay them cash to drive them places or store ice cream in their freezer. They invite them to their weddings.

Lots of people are inspired by the Amish or even want to be them, despite them being a notoriously difficult church to join.

[Ken]

When someone off the street comes in it is more likely they’ll leave with cash than donate cash to the offering slot by the men’s nursery.

You have a men's nursery?

[Soloist]

When someone off the street comes in it is more likely they’ll leave with cash than donate cash to the offering slot by the men’s nursery.

You have a men's nursery?

I’ve always been jealous of the cry rooms. What if I wanted to go cry in a rocking chair?

[Josh]

When someone off the street comes in it is more likely they’ll leave with cash than donate cash to the offering slot by the men’s nursery.

You have a men's nursery?

Yes, but we're a bit jealous of the women's nursery, as it has a bathroom inside of it and much better sound insulation. If my toddler gets really loud, I have to first try the Sunday school classrooms farthest back, and then my "mobile office" (the car).

Until preschool or kindergarten age, babies and toddlers stay with parents during Sunday school and the main service. Men and women sit on separate sides so mom and dad share the baby/toddler-wrangling duties.

Children continue to sit with mom or dad during the main service until they are around 5th grade or so, and then they go and sit with everyone else their age in the same benches (on the men's or women's side); going up there is a bit of a rite of passage.

[Sudsy]

I suppose if we were to regard anything today that is not found in the NT as a local fellowship, church practise to be 'Churchianity', then we would have to include nurseries, men and women sitting apart, how offerings were collected and many other church practises as well as the 'rock concert' style of worship, pleas for giving, Sunday School and many other practises not found in the NT.

To me, 'Churchianity' is more of an internal focus on the distinctions of one's local denomination or local church that sets them apart from other denominations or local churches. It can come across as either a 'holier-than-thou' distinction or, as it was in the Corinthian church, a 'being set free' distinction. When the emphasis is on how distinct our group is from other Christian groups in our practises rather than an external emphasis on reaching the lost, then I think we are more a 'Churchianity' focused group than a Christianity focused group.

[NedFlanders]

The name “churchianity” is a good example of a word that doesn’t exist in scripture. And furthermore it is a negative connotation with the beginning or root of the word being “church,” - which according to scripture is the body of Christ or the body of believers. Many scripture, including the Lord’s Prayer is said in plural including more than self. I would say Christianity doesn’t exist without its root - Christ. But the product of Christianity always produces the church or Christ isn’t there - where two or three are gathered…

[Josh]

It's possible to be a Christian without a church, just like it's possible to be a human whilst missing parts of your body. But the sincere believer longs for the fellowship of other believers, and the church is where much of the Holy Spirit's ministry on the earth actually happens.

[NedFlanders]

It's possible to be a Christian without a church, just like it's possible to be a human whilst missing parts of your body. But the sincere believer longs for the fellowship of other believers, and the church is where much of the Holy Spirit's ministry on the earth actually happens.

Without A church - yes - possible. But not without The church as it is a part of being a Christian.

[Josh]

It's possible to be a Christian without a church, just like it's possible to be a human whilst missing parts of your body. But the sincere believer longs for the fellowship of other believers, and the church is where much of the Holy Spirit's ministry on the earth actually happens.

Without A church - yes - possible. But not without The church as it is a part of being a Christian.

It’s possible - lots of people get born again, read their Bible, have a private prayer life and seem to have a testimony. But they never connect to or become part of a congregation.

I don’t believe the church exists apart from actual, real assemblies of believers worshipping together.