Several years ago, I joined a worship band for a Sunday night church service. Subconsciously, I think I expected the regular church congregation to be as accepting of the new service as the people who attended it. The idea was fresh; an exciting idea with a bright future. It attracted many “unchurched,” teens and young adults, and presented biblical truth to a hungry audience.
Well, as so many others I’m sure have experienced, things with the congregation weren’t as rosy as I originally hoped. And it threw me for a loop.
You see, I had already spent several years volunteering at this church in varying roles ranging from serving coffee to teaching Sunday school. At every turn, people stopped to encourage and affirm me for my involvement and service. I assumed the same reaction would follow for joining this new, and youth focused, worship service.
But what happened is some people in the congregation refused to support it, saying the service was too loud; it attracted the wrong type of people; it wasn’t ministry. Although those who believed in it persevered, once the main leaders departed, the service only continued for a short time after. Without the support of the congregation, the Sunday night service could not grow. In fact, it was snuffed out. It was a difficult and painful experience for me, because I saw the value of what could have been, and watched as it was beat down with legalism.
In his booklet, It’s Time to Embrace Grace, Chuck Swindoll uncomfortably pushes the point that Christians in North America are the hardest on our fellow Christians. We become controlling and place limiting expectations on each other—not allowing true freedom in Christ. This is not grace; this is bondage.
“Legalism requires that we all be alike, unified in convictions and uniform in appearance, strictly abiding by man-made rules and regulations. Grace, on the other hand, takes pleasure in diversity, encourages individuality, and leaves room for differences of opinions.” (15)
He warns that controlling and comparing other Christians in our churches or in groups of friends does not make you spiritual, and it will not draw people closer to Christ. Actually, it will drive them away from you, from church, and from anything to do with other Christians.
The solution? Allow grace to flow freely. God made us all differently and we should be celebrating that, not judging it. We are as free to fail as we are free to succeed. We’re all different and yet, we’re all one in Christ. Remember, we tend to only see things on the surface and are often quick to judge. Take a step back and realise a lot of what you see is not the full story. There is much more grey in this world than black or white.
Have you ever encountered legalism in your church, ministry, or school? What are the ways you found effective to deal with and move past it?
By Robyn Roste
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