and how we think of it matters.

Many of us are inclined to think of reading the Bible, prayer, attending church and other such activities as "spiritual disciplines." That is not necessarily inappropriate as it does require a bit of discipline to read the Bible, pray, attend church, etc. And St. Paul does write about the need for training. He uses athletic metaphors. So these activities can be rightfully understood as discipline.

However, "spiritual disciplines" is not a phrase that our tradition uses first. We believe a better phrase, and one that John Wesley used, is "means of grace." John Wesley considered reading the Bible, prayer, attending church, etc., as activities that God uses to nurture us. He thought of them as ways that God's empowering grace comes to us. In short, he thought of them more along the lines of a meal than of exercise.

It makes a difference.
Using "church" as shorthand for all of our devotional activities,
if we think of church as discipline, then church is what we have to make ourselves do. If we think of church as food, then it becomes something we want to do.

If we think of church as discipline, then we may think of it as a good but not necessary. If we think of church as food, then we would never think of it as optional.

Most importantly, if we think of church as discipline, then our focus is on what we are doing to strengthen ourselves. If we think of church as food, then our focus is on receiving that which keeps us alive.

Our tradition has preferred understanding these devotional activities as "means of grace," and I am grateful. That seems more in harmony with what is actually happening. Our Lord is nourishing us when we participate in worship, prayer, Bible reading, and receiving of the Lord's Supper. It isn't so much that we are making ourselves stronger; it is rather the Lord who is doing the strengthening.

So, when we gather on Sunday to worship, and pray, and read the Bible, and receive the Lord's Supper, what we are doing is nothing less than keeping the Spirit of God alive in us.

Church is a meal! Let's come hungry.

Pastor Mark