"It's Not Religion, It's a Relationship"

“It’s not religion, it’s a relationship.” I cannot count the number of times that I have heard this phrase. Recently, I attended an event where a young lady led the group in worship (by that, she meant music – another venue for a rant, but I will refrain for now) and remarked, “We don’t want to do “religiousy things here; we just want to do Jesus.” I get the sentiment behind this. For too long, many have substituted an association with a church or a religious organization for a vital union with Christ. I have met people for whom their church membership and affiliation is more important than the truth about Christ, the authority of Scripture, or the urgencies of repentance and faith. But to throw out the idea of religion because of how others have misused the concept is unwise.

I find it amusing that those who seek to distance themselves from an “organized religion” (what is the alternative, disorganized religion?) seem to fall into a pattern that looks a lot like, well, religion. In our area we have a church that advertised itself on billboards in the community as “the church for people who don’t like church.” Think about that for a minute. If I don’t like church, why would I want a church substitute? For example, I despise liver and onions (actually, I like caramelized onions; I think liver profanes them).  I’m not looking for something that I can enjoy that is similar to it. I’ve never gone to a restaurant and asked the server if they have something like liver for people like me who don’t like liver. My policy is to stay as far away from it as I can. I met the pastor of this church who was quick to point out that his quirky hair style, earrings and tattoos “scared off religious people.” Ironically, this “anti-church” met on Sunday morning. And to add to the irony, this individual referred to himself in decidedly religious people terms; he was the “pastor.” My intent is not to be critical of this church, but merely to point out that even those who distance themselves from what they call religion tend to do so in very religious ways. By the way, I would guess that many of the same ones who have the “relationship not religion” bumper sticker on their cars came to faith through some ministry, outreach, or small group that was sponsored or instituted by a church. Some of the people that I have heard speak this catch phrase are well-intentioned, faithful members of a church.  

Instead of demeaning religion why don’t we redeem it? Religion is simply the structure that we use to express our devotion, a “particular system of faith and worship.” Do people place church before Christ? Yes, some do. Are people attached to their denomination or church in the same way that some are mindlessly attached to a political party? Yes, some are.  So the answer is to fix it, not forsake it. If our “particular system of faith and worship” draws us to Christ, then I see no problem with that. The issue arises when the means takes the priority over the ends.