Realizing Harmony

Sunday, after church, I was talking with someone who I barely knew. His name is Jehaan. He’d been with Highway Community for quite a while longer than me, and in fact, is on staff at the church.

I believe Highway Community has been in existence for more than 10 years, but only a few years ago they expanded when they were approached by Community Bible Church (CBC) to join forces. CBC had a reasonably nice facility, but they were struggling financially as I understand it.

Prior to our move to FL, my wife and I had been members of CBC for quite some time. Me, since about 1990. She had been going there since before she was born.

CBC was the “new” name for Memorial Baptist Church. And Memorial Baptist Church was the “new” name for one of the longest-named churches I’ve heard of: First Memorial Baptist Church of Mountain View. (My record for longest church name still remains: First Filipino Southern Baptist Church of San Diego – or FFSBCSD for “short” – where one of my college roommates was a member. But I digress…)

So, despite being one of the “new people” at Highway Community, we’ve got quite a history with the church. And surprisingly, there are quite a few Seniors who have stayed – through all the name changes, and style changes, and even building changes. My Mother-in-law is one of those Seniors.

Back to my conversation with Jehaan…

We got to talking about the church’s history, more the history of the building and a bit about the history of the people who’d been worshiping there over the years. He was amazed that so many Seniors were still there, particularly with the fairly radical changes wrought by CBC and then pushed even further by Highway Community.

Later in the afternoon, I asked my Mother-in-law why she and all the other Seniors stayed. Her response?

“I guess we’re just stuck in our ways.”

That struck me as strange. I’ve heard that phrase before, but it’s usually used of people who are stuck in their ways in terms of style of teaching (casual vs formal, topical vs inductive), style of learning (Sunday School vs Home Bible Study), style of music (hymns vs praise choruses), etc.

When Parkway Baptist Church, in Orlando started to change to become C3, droves of people who were “stuck in their ways” left. Yet here in Mtn. View, when First Memorial Baptist Church of Mtn. View went through all the changes to wind up becoming Highway Community, there were quite a few people who stayed because they were “stuck in their ways.”

So, what “ways” are they “stuck in”?

I think the answer to that is instructive, and helpful. It’s a sign of maturity, I believe.

Here are what I can determine are the “ways” they’re “stuck in.”

They are “stuck in” fellowship. They enjoy each others company. And they are good at sharing burdens and joys.

They are “stuck in” serving. They serve where they can. Some are losing strength and stamina that’s required for some areas of service, but they still are interested in serving where possible.

They are “stuck in” loving God and loving others.

They are “stuck in” relationships.

They are “stuck in” learning more and more about what it means to be followers of Christ, and doing their best to live that out authentically and with integrity.

While they have their preferences for liturgy, musical style(s), etc., they recognize that those things are of MUCH lower priority. And so they “put up with” the relatively unimportant things that they disagree with, in order to continue on with the important things.

There is no such thing as the “perfect church” here on earth, because every church is made up of imperfect people. And each person will have different tastes and differences in how they can best be served and how they in turn can best serve others.

I’m not sure who said it first, but I think this saying applies:

Wherever you are, be there!

In this context, I think that means, if you’ve found a church that meets your needs and where you are able to serve, then stay there and serve. Don’t get distracted by small differences. Focus on the big picture, and get “stuck in the ways” that are truly important – to you and to God.