I've been dreaming of a church. A church where the members are not each islands to themselves, but where each member is a part of each other's lives. Not just on Sunday, but always an integral part of life. Kind of like a body. One body. You don't just need your arm or your eye on Sunday. Why do we only need each other on Sunday? For that matter, pretty much all the churches I've been to around here don't even need each other on Sunday. We just show up, exchange a couple of greetings, file into our usual pews, scan the audience for visitors and make note of where they're sitting so we can avoid them afterwards, shake hands with five people around us after the second verse of the second song (thus fulfilling our duty of fellowship), enjoy the message--even take notes, feel a little conviction, then scurry quickly back to the safe insulation of our own private homes and wolf down whatever we're having for lunch . . . by ourselves.
I've been dreaming of a church that spends its money on the body and not the building. I've been dreaming of a church where walking through the doors means walking into open arms of brotherhood. I've been dreaming of a church where the people make me feel like I'm home instead of sitting back at a safe distance and saying, "Oh, look--a visitor. Good. I hope he likes our church and starts coming regularly, and our numbers grow, and we get bigger offerings." I've been dreaming of a church where the singing is led by the congregation, by its burning love for its Saviour and Head. I've been dreaming of a church where the members assemble out of a passionate desire to worship and learn of their Lord, where everyone is together because they WANT be there--not because they ought to be. I've been dreaming of a church that is free and knows it. I've been dreaming of a church where there truly is no Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, rich nor poor. I've been dreaming of a church where we're all one. One.
Christ, I know I'm part of your Body, but why do I feel so amputated? And where can I find the rest of Your body? Jesus, where's the Church?
I've been dreaming of a church that spends its money on the body and not the building. I've been dreaming of a church where walking through the doors means walking into open arms of brotherhood. I've been dreaming of a church where the people make me feel like I'm home instead of sitting back at a safe distance and saying, "Oh, look--a visitor. Good. I hope he likes our church and starts coming regularly, and our numbers grow, and we get bigger offerings." I've been dreaming of a church where the singing is led by the congregation, by its burning love for its Saviour and Head. I've been dreaming of a church where the members assemble out of a passionate desire to worship and learn of their Lord, where everyone is together because they WANT be there--not because they ought to be. I've been dreaming of a church that is free and knows it. I've been dreaming of a church where there truly is no Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, rich nor poor. I've been dreaming of a church where we're all one. One.
Christ, I know I'm part of your Body, but why do I feel so amputated? And where can I find the rest of Your body? Jesus, where's the Church?
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