I’m not “religious”

I was at a wedding reception when someone came up to me and said, “I’m not religious, but I really felt there was definitely something going on in the service today...”  It is a conversation I have a lot at gatherings after weddings, baptisms and funerals and it usually starts with, “I’m not religious, but…”  In reply I usually say something like, “That’s interesting, because I’m not religious either.” This usually gets a puzzled look and I explain that I have faith in God, but I don’t equate that with being “religious.”Words can have very different meanings for people.  To many people who don’t regularly attend church services (or the worship gatherings of other faiths) the whole thing of church buildings, Sunday services, church symbols/rituals, faith, etc is all wrapped up in the word “religion.” I think my aversion for using the word “religion” comes from the connotations it used to have for me.  I didn’t grow up in a churchgoing family and didn’t attend a church school.  I remember thinking that church and church services were more than a little bizarre, and were completely irrelevant in todays world.  As a young atheist studying engineering and having a love of science, religion belonged in the past; church was a club for people that wanted to believe that sort of thing and “religion” was not for me.  Then I had an “I’m not religious, but…” moment.  It wasn’t in a church service, but was when I read a book, “The Cross and the Switchblade”, which told the true story of a country pastor, David Wilkerson, who in 1958 felt called to go and work among the street gangs of New York city.  He went into places that the police refused to go and had a profound impact on the lives of the young gang members; helping them turn away from drugs and violence.  This wasn’t a story about religion as I’d understood it.  It was a story about a man of great faith, who should have been killed within minutes of setting foot in these areas, but something supernatural was at work through him to bring about massive change in the lives of the young people in those gangs.  I realised there was a God who was at work through those that would work with him, and that he was building this dynamic movement that was bringing real hope and change in the world.  I remember thinking that it would be great to be part of a movement like that, so I went to a local church to find out more.  It was just as bizarre as I’d thought; standing up and sitting down at difference times, singing hymns, interminable prayers, strange robes on the priest, etc.  So, I decided again that religion was not for me, however, I was still curious about my new discovery of God, and particularly in Jesus. 

After thirteen years of reading various Christian books and occasionally attending church (just to confirm that it wasn’t for me) I ended up sharing a beer with a new vicar in our area of Coventry and was invited on a course he was running to help people explore the Christian faith.  The course helped to resolve various misunderstandings I had about church and faith and gave me a clearer picture of what church, the dynamic movement, was truly about.Jesus was often in trouble, because he didn’t conform to some of the religious practices of his day, and a lot of his teaching focussed on correcting misunderstandings about God.  David Wilkerson followed in the long line of people, who have carried that same message; helping correct misunderstandings about God and building this dynamic movement bringing hope and change in the world.  There have been many times in history that “the church” and “religion” have got this message wrong (and we still sometimes do today) but, despite that, God is still at work through those that will work with him.  At a time in our world with growing political unrest, sharp divisions in society, international tensions and concerns over climate change and pollution, we all need to play our part in one or more of the many different dynamic movements (there are lots of them) that are working to bring hope and change.  Whether or not you consider yourself ‘religious’, if you have questions about the movement that Jesus started, then the new Pilgrim Course (details overleaf) might be a good place to start.  Rev Barry Jackson