Shoveling Snow At Church

Should we cancel church?

I worked as a janitor at a church for 18 years. One of my duties was snow removal, putting out icy melt and making sure folks could get in the building safely.

I cleared steps and made safe paths to the parking lot where a plow would come and clear the snow away for the cars.

Many times I would do this the night before church, or in the early dark morning, before church started. Sometimes, I would get help from several of the members if the snow came on a Friday. They would show up at the butt crack of dawn on Saturday and we would shovel the snow off the steps.

Every time it snowed or iced there was a debate in the church about whether to cancel or not.

You had the diehards who claimed that we should never close church. They treated it like a mortal sin and a lack of faith in God, to close the church.

Course, none of these people ever showed up to shovel the snow off the steps.

They would be the first to complain that the parking lot was slick, and there wasn’t enough icy melt. They wanted to hear the crunching Icy Melt under their feet, like it was 1940 rock salt. Modern Icy Melt works pretty good, in low amounts. You don’t need a lot.

They acted like God had a scorecard to see who would prove their faith by coming to church in the snow. You really believe, if you are willing to fall and break a hip for Jesus.

It’s part of the Churchianity mentality. A belief that going to church saves you and makes you right with God, despite what the Bible actually teaches about salvation by Grace and Christ alone.

I always felt that God was alright with cancelling church.

It was for peoples safety, and really didn’t hurt anything.

I can’t imagine everyone crying and praying for sister Bertha’s broken hip, because she braved the snow when we should have just cancelled.

But, I learned something after a conversation with the pastor.

“We can’t cancel church because we won’t get paid. People won’t pay tithes that day, and they won’t make it up the next week either.” He said. (This was the basic statement over many years and conversations.)

The first time I heard it my mind was blown.

I was trying to serve God, but here was this guy serving money.

I understand that money is needed, but I think love and faith will work it out. God will take care of it when we trust in Him and do what is right and loving.

I tried to justify it in my mind, because we do need money.

But God pointed out several things after that which showed me that it was really about the love of money.

Money, money, money.

It made me wonder how many things are done under the banner of faith, but it’s really just for the money.

Do I think church and religion is about money?

No.

God can use anything to reach and support His people. And the people who know God can find a way to draw closer to Him, no matter what.

But, there are lots of folks in church who do not care about loving God and others, more than they care about money and wealth.

You wouldn’t think that shoveling snow or canceling church would be that big of a deal.

But, God can often show truth in the little things of life.

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Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger.

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