Inside my life/outside the walls
When I talk about “going to church” what do others hear? Do they hear talk of an exclusive club that has mystical traditions? Does the average American think of ‘going to church’ as people being dressed unusually well or hearing about an unreachable God? Do they immediately dismiss the idea of church because they feel that they don’t fit a certain image? What flashes through someone’s mind when they hear of ‘going to church’? I guess a lot of what they hear is indicative of our heart attitude when we talk about “the church”.
As for me, when I say “lets go to church” what I’m saying is “lets go to the place where we meet with other people interested in participating in corporate worship (singing, prayer, Bible study and fellowship)." However, the church is a more than a place, it’s much more than a tradition, and it’s more than the particular group of people that I worship with. The Church is a living, breathing unit that is comprised of individuals like you and me. Yes, we call our meeting place “the church” but at the same time we, as Christians, are “the church”.
Christ built the church, we are the church and we do what we do because He came. We “the church” exist to encourage, teach and disciple, to bring the Good News to those who live in darkness. This encouragement, teaching and discipling should happen both inside the walls and outside of the walls of the building that I call “the church”. As part of “the church” I will be an effective Christian witness in my community and neighborhood when I allow my faith to be evident inside my life, outside the walls of “the church”.
When I talk about “going to church” what do others hear? Do they hear talk of an exclusive club that has mystical traditions? Does the average American think of ‘going to church’ as people being dressed unusually well or hearing about an unreachable God? Do they immediately dismiss the idea of church because they feel that they don’t fit a certain image? What flashes through someone’s mind when they hear of ‘going to church’? I guess a lot of what they hear is indicative of our heart attitude when we talk about “the church”.
As for me, when I say “lets go to church” what I’m saying is “lets go to the place where we meet with other people interested in participating in corporate worship (singing, prayer, Bible study and fellowship)." However, the church is a more than a place, it’s much more than a tradition, and it’s more than the particular group of people that I worship with. The Church is a living, breathing unit that is comprised of individuals like you and me. Yes, we call our meeting place “the church” but at the same time we, as Christians, are “the church”.
Christ built the church, we are the church and we do what we do because He came. We “the church” exist to encourage, teach and disciple, to bring the Good News to those who live in darkness. This encouragement, teaching and discipling should happen both inside the walls and outside of the walls of the building that I call “the church”. As part of “the church” I will be an effective Christian witness in my community and neighborhood when I allow my faith to be evident inside my life, outside the walls of “the church”.
Comments