Like, I really really really love the church. I love the gathering together of people who come from all walks in life to worship the one true God. I love that Jesus came to save the world and His dying on the cross was only the beginning. He left the rest for us, His body, to do. I love the common struggle and the common joy of dying to self and walking in freedom. I love the moving together as one unit to make Jesus known by showing love and meeting people right where they are. I love the rich history we have of men and women who pressed in and dared to take the Almighty God at His word. I love this! I love knowing that I am not alone in this journey but rather I can stand shoulder to shoulder (or in my case shoulder to elbow) with fellow sons of God!
I guess what I am feeling is disappointed and let down. I feel as if I have peeked behind the curtain and saw too much. I wish I could go back to the way it was before I asked questions. Ignorance was bliss, yet lacking. If only I had not dared to ask why or how. Why are we struggling to keep or get a building? Why oh why did I ask How is having a Christian fitness center really going to make a difference in people's lives? Asking those questions have led to more and more questions and in no way do I think I have it all figured out. I guess all along I expected a little more from the Body of Christ. A lot less of man and a lot more of Jesus. We are HIS body after all.
What should the church look like? I am not really sure.
What I do know is that God can work in and through all kinds of systems and groups of people. I am ok with this, sort of. I mean I would much rather be operating at full capacity, wouldn't you? I just really want to see the church (as in you and me) start asking questions and start taking our eyes off of ourselves and tradition and start looking at Jesus. Stop focusing on building a church (as in an organization) and start doing what He commissioned us to do. Stop taking the easy way out because you are worn out. You want to pay someone a salary- fine just ask yourself why? Why does this person need to be paid to do stuff we all should be doing? You want a building? Fine just ask yourself which is more important- spending money and time and energy on a building or spending money, time and energy on the streets with people? I just think we can all give a little more thought to what we are doing.
Couple questions I have swirling around my head tonight:
- What would happen if every paid pastor gave up their salary for one year and sent it overseas to drill wells for clean water?
- What if we sold our buildings and used the money to feed the hungry? Or as one church I know did- they gave up their larger space to turn a smaller space into a coffee shop in which all the proceeds go right back into the community locally and globally?
- Or better yet, what if all the church buildings opened their doors to the homeless to have a place to sleep and eat? What if we turned our buildings into a center designed to get our willing homeless neighbors back on their feet?
- What if we dared to spend the majority of the money we collect on the people who really are in need?
- What if we all became a foster parent to a child in need?
- What if we stopped telling people that Jesus wants them to be rich and happy and start telling them that He really wants us to give it all away?
- What if we purposely moved into a neighborhood or apartment community for the purpose of making Christ known?
- What if we stop looking to our government to take care of the poor and we start to do it?
- What if we stop telling people what is wrong with their lives and start loving them and making it easier for them to know Jesus.
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