Euan Dodds urges us to think carefully before we move house
Would you ever consider moving house in order to be closer to your church?
On a recent holiday, my wife, Helen, and I watched a TV show which helps people to find their dream homes. The ‘stars’ that evening were a retired couple hoping to live near a canal where they could berth their boat. They found an attractive semi-detached in England but were also offered a considerably larger, and far cheaper, home in sun-kissed Provence, complete with a balcony and swimming pool. Much to the surprise of the presenter, they opted for the house in England, since it would be closer to their grandchildren.
We were pleased that they chose people over place, loved ones over location. But is the same true of us when we come to move? Do we actively consider what impact a move will have upon our church attendance and our involvement with our church family?
What about church?
Think of the following examples.
• A school-leaver has offers from universities in two different cities; in one there is a lively campus fellowship, in the other precious few churches anywhere near the university – where should they go?
• A student has to spend a year abroad as part of their degree; do they head off to a famous city in a beautiful but deeply secular part of Europe, or do they apply somewhere less attractive but where strong churches might be found?
• A young couple live in an apartment and discover they are expecting a baby; do they remain in the their little flat near the church, or move to a more spacious house some distance away?
• An older couple heavily involved in their small, local fellowship reach retirement and long to buy a remote cottage by the sea to while away the time; is that the most God-honouring way to spend their remaining years of health and vigour?
Of course, there are situations in which we have little control over our housing; if we are asylum seekers, or in the armed forces or a niche profession, for example. Generally, though, when we move for reasons of study, work, relationships or retirement we can have some say where we are to live. In these instances I want to challenge you that our priority must be our proximity to a Bible-believing, Christ-centred and loving Christian fellowship – for three reasons.
For the sake of our own godliness
We all need regular encouragement; those of us in Christian service especially so! Corporate worship is a primary means of grace and we do well to remove any obstacles to attendance.
If we struggle to wake up on a Sunday morning, or if we have to drive 50 minutes through traffic (and then arrived stressed) we may struggle to get the best from our Sundays together. Likewise, we may find it more difficult to attend midweek prayer meetings or ministries and find it easier simply to drift away from regular participation in the life of a fellowship.
For the sake of our gospel witness
I expect we all know of churches that gather a congregation into a particular area on a Sunday. This is itself a witness, but what impact will this have on the local residents and workers during the intervening six days?
Would an area not be better served if the Christians who worshipped there on a Sunday shopped there on a Monday, attended the neighbourhood watch there on a Tuesday, ran a homework club in the local school on a Thursday and socialised there on a Friday? It is hard enough to bring people to a church across the road from their flat, let alone to one a 30-minute bus ride away!
For the sake of our good works
We are part of a body, each with different gifts. Unfortunately the individualism in society often spills over into the church such that we think we must do everything – evangelism, hospital visitation – alone. We have been called into community and will ourselves be better placed to serve our immediate community if we are part of it and the people there are friends or acquaintances and not strangers.
In our recent experience very, very few people have responded to an invitation to church from cold-calling. However, a number have come along because someone they know brings them. The same is true of those asking for help. It is rare for someone to knock on our door (though this does happen), but when local people have an existing link to the church, they are far more likely to turn to us in their hour of need.
‘Seek first’
Of course, in the days of car-ownership and public transport it is perfectly possible to live some distance from your church and still thrive as a believer. Likewise, there are some situations, such as pioneer mission, which by nature require people to live far from any church.
As believers, though, we are commanded to ‘seek first’ the Kingdom in all that we do, including deciding upon where are to live. This is our priority before considering our own comfort, or a particular school catchment area, or pleasant surroundings.
