The burdens and yoke of the local Church

Jesus said, "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:30 This probably speaks of discipleship, which should come after one believes in him for salvation--which I believe he invited to earlier: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. It's the ambitions of man that places an unnecessary burden on others to build that organization manifested in the local church.

The local church puts burdens on people that I think encourage people to stay away. The expectations, traditions and programs, can be an unnecessary burden. They require commitment to be maintained. But are they necessary? Those who don't attend regularly or don't help in the maintenance of these things may still expect them when they attend, so someone must maintain them. But do they really need to?

The church is the people. Bigger buildings and programs will have their attraction, but the burden to maintain them is usually put on a few. People may not come if you don't have the facilities and programs, but they won't come if you put the maintenance of the operation on them as well.

The purpose of the gathering is to build one another up and to stir one another up: Hebrews 10:26; Ephesians 4:11-16. If people don't want to come for this purpose, then why try to draw them in with those things that a few are burdened to maintain?

Jesus' yoke and burden are easy and light through the enabling that comes through abiding in the word of God and through a simplicity of believers assembling together to edify one another through the roles they have. But it doesn't seem to work quite this way, because of the expectation and traditions of the maintenance of property, programs, and the vocational staff. I don't think this will change, and so the burdens will continue, because of the usual expectations and traditions.