Love isn’t in the details

Crystal S. of the U.S.A. submitted this entry to the LittWorld writing contest:

I’ve seen a few billboards lately advertising the non-denominational churches that seem to attract the most visitors. Get to one late and you risk missing out on a parking spot and having to stand with your back to the wall because there are no more seats.

“Jesus—Not Religion” one billboard says. People don’t seem to want the “religious” details that keep them from dancing, drinking alcohol, etc, because they’re Baptist, Methodist, or Mormon. One of my high school teachers admitted that she’d finally read through her church’s tenets and was appalled—she’d been sinning terribly. But she always had a ready smile and glowed with the love she felt for each person in her presence, even pesky students with annoying questions. How could she be so “bad”?

Sure, the introduction of big screens and performances by outstanding Christian bands don’t hurt these new churches, but as I see the older churches waste away, I look at the messages for comparison:

It’s not that different, overall.
Same Bible.
Same God.
Jesus.

We hear the same stories, though each person may interpret them differently and apply them as needed, to heal, to help, to love, hopefully without rules or human judgment. What those crammed-full non-denominational churches do that is strip away the nuances between the types of Christians so that those who never felt like they belonged with any church at all can finally find a home.

People want to learn to love without the artificial borders that subdivide a religion. Draw them in with the basic ideas of kindness and love, and offer comfort and guidance that can’t be denied or picked apart. You get a safe haven for anyone who loves or wants to know more about Christianity. You get the message.

Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”