The Love Embassy

This week has been one where the Lenten Lectionary readings have left me thinking about Church Life. Does it feed, inspire heal and console? Or does it judge, accuse, condemn and cast out? A few weeks back I blogged about Church cliques and how many newcomers are discouraged not so much by the message in the bible, but by the reception they receive from members of the congregation. Today, however, my focus is on leadership: how far is it okay for cultural relativism  to be the main reason things are done the way they are in church, rather than what is written in the bible? I begin my post with some encouraging words from one of this week’s readings, from 2 Corinthians 5:16-21:

 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who has no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

If we are Christ’s Ambassadors, and God is Love incarnate, then our churches are Love Embassies. Places where people grow in Love and Understanding, until their visa comes through for the greatest destination of all, Heaven.  In light of this what is with the judgment and worse, the fear of punitive measures if you don’t toe the party line in most churches here, and I speak as one who has had the pleasure of attending Anglican (my tradition), Catholic (my husband’s) and Pentecostal (followed many who are dear to me) churches. Like anywhere one adjusts; one of the lovely things about living in many parts of Africa is that being a believer isn’t as ‘fringe’ an activity as it is in the West. I quite like that people entreaty the Lord even in general conversation. It points at a faith that is alive, that doesn’t just exist for Sunday.

However, at odds with this are the rules and regulations that govern church life.  The policing can be severe: alongside the times of worship on one church’s noticeboard was the rather ominous “Women wearing lipstick cannot take Communion.” Why? Where is the sin in beautification? Yes, we all know Jezebel had a penchant for mascara, but does that make every female that swears by a double swipe of Maybelline and some tinted Lancôme lip-gloss in possession of a Jezebel Spirit and forbidden from participating in the Eucharist?

Condemnation seems to be the main currency in many of these churches: attached to this post is a genuine notices section taken from a leading church in Lagos. No, I won’t name and shame but reading the section on bridal dressing and tithes made me feel that we Christians have got our priorities so mixed up on what is really important and what it is to be an ambassador of Christ. Exactly what is meant by a dress covering ‘all of the body’?  What if the blushing bride still has a figure worthy of a Victoria’s Secret’s Angel, covered frock or not, do we send her away for being a little too smoking hot? My challenge to all of those who accuse people of immodest dressing is where is YOUR mind? It is the gaze rather than the gazed that is sexualised, and it brings to mind Jesus’ entreaty to focus on the plank of wood in our own eyes before we attend to the sawdust in our Christian brothers or sisters (Matthew 7:4-5).  Furthermore, a sense of shame is what will often drive people into having an inauthentic spiritual life, more focused on pleasing the cultural norms than connecting with the risen Lord.

Fear is so at odds with a life in Christ. By this I am not referring to the fear of the Lord, which echoes reverence and total acceptance of God’s authority. I am talking of the fear associated with shame and self-loathing and doubt that God might not love us as much as he does. I was flabbergasted to read tithing being correlated to unanswered prayer; with everything from delay in getting pregnant or getting a job promotion being down to a lack of commitment on the believers part. How can the size of your offering be compared to one’s level of piety?  Or regular giving be the reason that cancer and sickness have not visited your household? It’s sacrilegious to make such claims, but there they are, in black and white. We serve a God who wants to give all his children, rich and poor, good gifts. Sadly, in the case of this church, it seems the size of the church’s coffers were what was of most import, otherwise why the sentences that are at odds with the foundation of all our faith, so beautifully expounded by St Paul? Reconciliation with God comes from the Cross and the Cross alone. Blessings in their many forms, abundance, joy and laughter, all of them come from Jesus.  They are not contingent upon arbitrary rules made up by leaders in the church, most of which are rooted in social control than the freedom found in God’s love.

As a fellow Christo, I pray that things really begin to change. I cannot imagine a deep, rich and honest faith walk developing with so many rules that stifle honesty,  expression, discourse, creativity, a ‘com- as-you-are’ message  and most important of all love. Let’s all do our part to sort out the Love Embassies, whatever denomination we attend. After all, there are so many people out there in need of a Divine visa.