Iโve been re-thinking my whole church scene.ย I enjoy church for what itย provides. I like to see friends, I like to hear a good message, and I enjoy Christian music and hymns. But for me church has not been a God-encounter.ย In fact, outside of church and any of its activities and programs I am finding people in my life who inspire me and encourage me to dig deeper, and I like to think that I am doing some of that same kind of thing for others.ย The whole concept of not being concerned about where exactly I attend church and how often I physically show up inside of a building is new to me, but I am coming to believe that each one of us is a walking, talking 24/7 church.
Response:
You seem to be discovering the difference between theย church and a church. Itโs a distinction that can make some uncomfortable, for it suggests that theย church is bigger than they can imagine, and beyond their ability to measure and quantify. We can easily confuse the fact that our relationship with other humans, particularly in a group that is organized for the purpose of being a healthy and vibrant part of theย body of Christ on earth, is the defining element of our Christianity. The church is the spiritual body of Christ on earth. Theย church, theย body of Christ, is universal, it defies legally incorporated boundaries and doctrinal definitions. The church is wherever God wants it to be, part of it is known and visible to us but most of it is not. We can and do know other Christians, but the vast majority of folks who are part ofย theย universal body of Christ are unknown to us.
We are placed inย theย body of Christ by virtue of our acceptance of Godโs gracious offer of his love and his grace. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we begin an eternal, personal and intimate relationship with God, and we become a part of theย church.ย As part of theย church we determine how and when we might gather together, in community, with others who are also a part of theย church. Sometimes we do that in a building with four walls, sometimes we do that in other ways. When one is part of theย church there are many ways to doย church.
We may be members of theย church without being members of aย church, even though a church may insist that we cannot do so.ย Aย church may tell us that if we are simply members of theย church, we are missing something and might even be โleft behindโ!ย But the ongoing belief of theย church of Jesus Christ over the centuries has been that our relationship with aย church is of far less importance than our relationship with theย church.
Jesus did not speak of theย church as a place to go but rather as a living relationship to and with him and with those who share that relationship โ our brothers and sisters in theย universal body of Christ. Theย church is something we are, far more than aย place we go. Having a perfect attendance record at aย church is not the goal of our Christian journey.
If and when our relationship with a specific group of people that gathers together in aย particular building in aย specific geographical location ends, our relationship with God continues.ย We are still part of theย church.ย It can be a spiritual tightrope act to avoid attaching your primary spiritual identity with aย geographically located church. It can also be a spiritual tightrope act to be an active part of theย church without being a part of aย church.
There are people who once joined aย church after God placed them in theย church but their relationship with aย church (or several individual churches for that matter) turned out to be a nightmare. Some are worried that their relationship with God is not what it should be because they are not in aย church, but they honestly cannot bring themselves, at least at this time, to be part of another geographically located brick-and-mortar church. They should realize that they are in theย church, and their relationship with God is secure and safe.
Some say that we need to be part of aย church so that we can fellowship with others. But our fellowship is primarily with Jesus, the head of theย church โ and we may fellowship with others without being in aย church (1 John 1:3).ย Others warn that we canโt survive spiritually without the โcovering of the bodyโ โ which is a religious innovation meaning that we will be spiritual chopped liver if we donโt show up on Sunday morning to watch a praise and worship concert, or alternatively, be dragged kicking and screaming over hot coals of hell.
There are many ways for us to be a part of theย church in its physical manifestations in our world, culture and society. There are many ways for us to be involved, to give, to participate and to share with others the relationship that we have been given by Godโs grace. One way is to be a part of aย healthy, Christ-centered, well-balanced church. If aย church is healthy, they will not make inordinate and unbiblical demands of us, such as 10 percent tithing, perfect attendance, oppressive demands and intrusions into our life outside of aย church.
There is a place for aย church, and there definitely is a place for theย church.ย Theย church is eternal, but there will be a time when there is no need for aย church, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb will be theย temple of the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22).ย Sometimesachurch works together in concert with theย church, and sometimes aย church doesnโt. Theย church and theย church alone can supply the spiritual intimacy that God gives to his children.ย Aย church can help and assist and complement what theย church provides โsometimes aย church does and sometimes a church does not.ย There is nothing spiritually wrong, inferior or substandard with a child of God being in theย church without maintaining membership in a church.
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