Church.
I go to one.
Church, that is.
I hear that going to church is becoming increasingly rare. That’s according to the latest survey by Pew Research. They say the number of people going to church is dwindling. Ok, they say it is dropping like a stone, actually. The biggest drop off appears to be millennials, including millennials with young children.
I think that’s too bad. I feel it is too bad mostly for reasons of faith and belief. But there are practical reasons as well.
So for all the “nones” out there, even if you feel that church isn’t for you, I’d ask you to reconsider.
Let me give you three practical things you (and your children) can learn from going to church. Or, for that matter, the mosque or synagogue.
First, at church you learn how to sit still for an hour. This is an extremely practical skill. It gets you ready for all those dreadful meetings and conference calls you will have to endure at work. And for your children it is an absolute God send (pun intended). I teach a lot of kids and let me tell you, we’re losing the art of “sitting still.”
Sure, your kids are going to tell you that they are bored. Hey, depending on what church you go to you might even be bored. But haven’t you heard? Being bored is a good thing. In fact, all the latest studies show that people’s besting thinking and creativity comes through boredom.
Go to church. Sit still. And yes, get bored. You’re best thinking depends on it.
Second, at church you learn the concept of giving and philanthropy.
In my faith we practice tithing or giving ten percent of our income. This always leads to the question, “Is it ten percent of “gross” or ten percent of “net”? I don’t know the answer to that. I do know that many boomers like me who were brought up in church saw Mom and Dad drop their envelop in the plate and were instructed at a very early age to do the same.
The idea of generosity, particularly for the poor and disenfranchised, is common across many faiths. But church teaches you how to make this a habit, how to weave it into your lifestyle at an early age.
One of the many challenges charitable organizations face today is the decline of the institutional donor. The new generation of donors are “situational” donors. That’s ok, but not great. It is hard to imagine great organizations like Red Cross or American Cancer Society being built by situational donors. Church teaches you that you should give back and support causes even when there’s no earthquake in Haiti or drought in the Sudan. That you should give all the time. Regularly. Dependably. So that organizations that are doing good work can actually do good work.
Finally, church makes you think about big things. At least it should. Mine does.
When I say big things, I mean really big things. Understanding good. And bad. Purpose. Meaning. Destiny. Love. Sacrifice. Truth. Mortality.
Heady stuff. Big stuff. The most important stuff in life, really.
But if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would admit these aren’t the things we spend most of our time thinking about. We spend most of our time thinking about whether we left the iron on. Or something like that. And we think about stuff a lot. At work we recently did a national study on what people think about most. At number one was “friends and family.” That’s encouraging. But at number two – by a wide margin – was “money.” People think twice as much about money and finances as they do about life’s meaning and purpose.
I think that is too bad. Understandable, but too bad.
Church helps correct that. Every Sunday here come all those really big things again. Origin. Purpose. Meaning. Morality. Destiny. Good and Evil. Truth. Mortality.
It isn’t that church is the only place where a person can learn how to sit still, practice philanthropy and search for meaning. But its track record is pretty good on all three fronts. And you might even stumble over some of that faith and belief stuff.
So think about it.
My mom used to say that she was blessed going to church each week’s end (nourishment), but she also thought she gave back to the community at large, by attending. She felt church worship was an active, inclusive practice whose blessings flowed outward and elevated thought. I recall her saying that it was important (for her) that churches were supported so that sanctuary remains available for those in need. She thought those aspects alone were reason enough. My mom loved church and felt it was much more than a building or a service; to her it was a foundational principle to be lived daily. But, she loved being a member of a church and loved going there every Sunday.
Thank you Jerry.
Your mom was very wise. I love the blending of those two concepts: “sanctuary” and “nourishment.” So apt and appropriate for what I believe church is for. At least it is that for me. And perhaps some churches have strayed from that. Thanks for sharing this. Hope you and family are well.