Being the church

It is now a reality of our culture:  "Church" is now just another part of our busy lives.  Sunday is now just another weekday.

Stores and restaurants are open on Sunday.

Kid's sporting events are in full swing on Sunday.

Sunday can be a work day for some.

For others, Sunday is the only day to sleep in or do chores around the house.

Church is no longer a priority in our lives.

Other people don't go to church because there are "just too many hypocrites there."  Others still don't go because all the church talks about is money.

Or, "church just makes me feel guilty," and I don't need that in my life.  Everyone seems so perfect - all those perfect people just make me feel worse about myself.

Finally, there are those who think that they know what the church should be like and their standards are so high that no church could possibly meet them.

They carry with them a detailed list of what their church is or isn't:  The worship music isn't "Spirit led" enough, or it's too loud, too soft, or too whatever. 

The sermons are too shallow or too intellectual.  The missions program isn't aggressive enough or it's all the church talks about.

They spend too much money on the building or not enough. 

When you put all of the above into the recipe and try to come out of the oven with something delicious - it can be challenging.

Let me remind us that the church is not a building - the church is people.  And "church" in its truest form is not about what "I am getting," but "What am I giving away."

We talk a lot about meeting people's needs in our church as leadership (and rightly so).  We desire to meet people's needs where they are at.

But at the same time, church will never truly be "church" for you and me if we are not reaching out to others and meeting their needs. 

We give ourselves to God by giving ourselves to others.

Erwin McManus once said, "The church does not exist for us.  We are the church, and we exist for the world." 

I guess what I am saying is this:  God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, which is the hope of the world.

And once we are "being the church," maybe, just maybe a lot of that stuff I mentioned above won't matter as much.

Just a thought for a Thursday.