BEING THE CHURCH

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Last weekend one of my local Pastors asked:

R U N 2 THE CHURCH? 

Interpretation…

Are you into the CHURCH?

It is a good question.  Especially from my point of view.

I work in a space where the enemy has chosen isolation as his primary tactic.  And it is working and working well. I mean when a local coroner posts a video lamenting that he currently doesn’t have enough room to examine bodies due to the rising number of overdoses, then the enemy is doing some real damage. 

And that damage doesn’t stop with the individuals who succumb to overdose, no that damage has a deep rippling effect causing pain to families, friends, co-workers, and the COMMUNITY.

It is why for the better part of the last 14-18 months I have been working hard to ENCOURAGE the CHURCH to BE the CHURCH; for the CHURCH to re-assume its role as the center of COMMUNITY! 

And as many have said before me, the church has little to do with bricks, the mortar, and addresses. 

Rather it is US BEING the Church; unified in love and service!

everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. – John 13:35 (NIV)

So, when the question “are you into the church” is raised, the question could be rephrased as, “are you into BEING the CHURCH?”

Van Buren once remarked…

“The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”

I like that she used the word museum for that helps us to move away from defining the CHURCH by its beams and pillars and move more toward the idea that the CHURCH cares for one another; that the hurting find community and comfort.

I have used this little quote from Nouwen on multiple occasions but I think it bears repeating when talking about the church.  

Just insert CHURCH for MINISTRY. 

“Ministry means the ongoing attempt to put one's own search for God, with all the moments of pain and joy, despair and hope, at the disposal of those who want to join this search but do not know how.”― Henri J.M. Nouwen

Last week while I was in Middletown, I had a prominent leader from Public Health come up to me following a planning session.  We are attempting to bring all the community and benevolence resources of Middletown together to help those that are hurting.  The “CHURCH” has been invited to help with that. 

However, after we had adjourned this leader felt compelled to seek me out and ask me “why does the church suck so bad at this?” 

By THIS she was referring to helping the addicted.

Sadly, while I wouldn’t not have been quite so harsh, I had to somewhat agree with her.  And that is not to say that many churches and "CHURCHES" are not doing amazing things to help the addicted, lost and isolated. They are!

But much MORE needs to be done.

Tozer once bluntly said…

“One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always.”

So “CHURCH” are we ALIVE?

Are you?

We need to ask ourselves. 

Are we what GOD has called us to be?

The people who embrace and love others?

The people who see injustices and seek to right them?

The people who are willing to be vulnerable in our own challenges to help another through theirs?

The people who bond together with one another and for one another?

The people who…

Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (?)

Colossians 3:16 (ERV)

My friends, WE ARE the CHURCH!

Today let’s focus not so much on our churches address but rather on those that WE the CHURCH can ADDRESS!

Have a blessed DAY!

I love you all…

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE