For some reason yesterday it occurred to me why I dislike the terms "churched" and "unchurched." These phrases had never seemed like good ways to refer to people and I think I've finally figured out why. Before I get into it though, let me just say that I really do believe that the churches who usually employ this terminology do so with good intentions and hearts that long to see God's kingdom work done. That being said, here's why I really believe we need to drop these titles...
To say somebody is churched implies an ecclesiology that is far from Biblical, though I would not say it is counter-Biblical. What is unsaid, but implicit, in such a comment, is that the church happens to somebody. In other words, this sort of speach is in the same category as a phrase like "I'm going to church." It fails to recognize the church as a group of people, united by the Spirit, redeemed by Christ's blood, and obnoxiously in love with the Father. If we believe that this is what the church really is, then the hope would be that most people are churched, since they probably work or play softball with (etc...) a member of the church.
Honestly, I really just don't like titles, so I have not thought of a better title to give than churched/unchurched. The truth is, titles are not needed. We try to draw arbitrary lines between who is saved and who is unsaved, but they are never any good. Somebody dies and everybody who is "churched" whispers about whether or not they were saved, and then either smiles in satisfaction or hangs their head in sorrow, as if they know that individual's fate.
The goal that the gospel gives us is to make disciples, which means to continually push every single human being around you to grow in their faith. You do not know how much faith the person next to you has, nor their eternal destination. All you know is Christ crucified, whom you point them towards as much as you can, trusting that God's will is real as you go.
Peace,
Matt
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