Chocolate and church

June 8, 2007

By Gary Rogers

Periodically on Sunday night following the service a little darling will come up to me and say, “Pastor Gary, I think we need a chocolate moment.” This is a code between a group of little girls (our staff members’ daughters) and me who share a common bond of a love for chocolate. We meet in my office and get in what we call the “chocolate zone.”

The chocolate zone is when everyone has their piece of chocolate and we put up our feet and throw back our heads and with the chocolate in our mouths we chew very slowly enjoying every moment. We laugh and talk for a while and spend some private time together.

It is so cute to watch the “old timers” describe to any “newcomers” what we are doing and how to do it. When I watch the girls in their excitement describe the process of the special time we share, I can’t help but see an example of Christianity.

What a joy to come to church and enter into the presence of Jesus. Yes, you can feel His presence in your private time; but there is something special about eating a piece of spiritual chocolate with friends. Our faith, like chocolate, is good in private. But to gather with friends and watch each other enjoy the same thing at the same time takes it to the next level.

The apostle Paul got happy just thinking about the church. He introduced his epistle to the Philippians — the same book in which he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (4:4) — by telling that church, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (1:3-5).

The sharing of special, eternally significant moments is what church should be about. I believe very much in church. Time together in church should be very special. The old timers should bubble with excitement as they introduce the newcomers to the blessings of being together in the presence of the King.

The chocolate moments are great when there are only two or three of us, but when everyone is there it is even better. And whenever a new one is added it makes the experience even more joyful. Sounds just like church to me.

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.