I thought about giving up going to church for Lent because I have this strange idea. So, some of you know that I have spent a good part of the last few years in seminary studying to be a pastor. However, there are circumstances that are inhibiting me from actually becoming an ordained person. Since then I have begun to wonder if I have a strange need for power within a religious institution. There are pastors who are wonderful people and there are pastors who are detrimental to the Gospel of Christ. The unfortunate part of this story is that I got the idea after I met a man on my Candidacy Committee who I believe has a perverse relationship with his role as a pastor. It's sad really, and even more sad that there is nothing I can do about it...or that I have been able to do about it.
The question really is: am I addicted to church? So I skipped Ash Wednesday service, did a little reflecting and decided that whether I go to church or not has no impact on the fact that I feel called to a leadership role in organized religion.
Jesus never went to church and he turned out alright...sort of. I'll just stay away from the Romans.