We could have a room full of people, pose the question, "what is church" and have just as many responses as people. The problem is that many of the responses would be subjective and would have more to do with a persons upbringing, experience, preferences, and traditions than what the word of God teaches. Many have the view of church being a stuffy, irrelevant, "have to" when in reality it should be the highlight of the week. The joy of corporate worship, the command of our Father and the encouragement we gain from fellowship should far outweigh the inconvenience of church.
That being said most of us already know that the church is not a building it is people. Sadly with each generation we are seeing a trend that church simply doesn't matter, after all what is God going to do if I don't go to church?
There was a pastor in the upper east part of the country who took on a dyeing church with enthusiasm and energy, he gave it his all week after week. Seeing little to no change, he ramped up efforts and to his dismay the church continued to dwindle. He had one last thought, a final shot at building the church. He ran an ad in the paper with the death notice of the church. He made arrangements for the funeral at the church with a casket in front covered in flowers and the date was set. Curiosity consumed the community and they came to see what this funeral was all about. Starting 30 minutes before service the sanctuary filled up, bringing tears to the pastors eyes as he desired to accomplish this with all the work before and now seeing all the people brought mixed emotions. By service time there was standing room only and those in the back on tip toes to get a glimpse of the casket. The service began and the pastor delivered a wonderful eulogy, but the people couldn't wait to see the casket. The pastor invited people to give their final respects as they would line up and file by the casket. He moved the flowers aside and opened the lid, moving aside so the people could funnel by. As each person walked by, soberness filled their faces. As each person shuffled by, responding in shame, they set eyes on the dying church...... a mirror that the pastor had placed inside the casket reflecting the church that had died.
Why is it people like to say they belong to a church when they seldom place priority on entering the front doors?
We see the condition of our great country and see the attacks on churches and pastors daily, but in many cases we literally don't lift a finger to change the tide of change. We know that things will grow increasingly worse, but no where in scripture does it speak to giving in, laying back and watching the destruction. You and I are called to fight the battle, serve Christ and instead of licking your wounds at home, to celebrate with the brethren that we are found worthy to pick up the sword for our Lord. The gathering, corporately, is for worshiping God, but in that we get so much out of it. Praying for one another, serving one another, encouraging one another and so much more.
So here is my challenge. Forget what you thought you knew about the church and open your Bibles to Acts chapter 2:36-47. The first century church was bold, vibrant, unified and focused on what mattered most. Join me as we explore getting back to doing church correctly.
Till next time.
P.M.
