it’s good when church sucks

one of my favorite things in the world is when church sucks.

and it does. a lot.

and that’s ok. in fact, it’s a good thing.

i fear that we have come to expect church to be performed too professionally rather than lived authentically.

look closely. access your inner pessimist. there is always something:

– the song slides are off and everyone awkwardly hums the verses waiting for the chorus to come back around

– someone is singing too loudly or off key or both

– a baby is crying or a toddler is throwing a full fledged fit and the parent doesn’t take them out of the auditorium

– someone who has to keep getting up and going to the bathroom decided today was a good day to sit near the front where we get to watch them go back and forth 5 times throughout the course of the service

– someone forgets their cue and there’s a long awkward pause where we all are waiting to see what happens next

again… there’s always something.

and i praise god that there is.

church sucks because people are messy and human. i can’t speak for you, but i feel so much more relaxed and able to be authentic when i am in a church that holds space for the messiness of our actual lives.

i  am proud to say i worship at a church that holds such a space. not perfectly… of course. that also is part of the mess.

so this upcoming sunday i would invite you to look for how you church sucks. and when you find it (notice i did not say if you find it) say a little thank you to god that you are in a place where you do not have to have it all together.

here’s the thing: if i get the privilege of participating in a church service that sucks then i am blessed because if the song slides are off and someone is off key and my dad spilled coffee all over the floor then i belong there too just as i am. i don’t have to put on a show and act like i have it more together than i really do. because I don’t!