I guess there will always be continual debate as to church style. Conservatives and liberals, in the name of our viewpoint is most accurate, gee and haw over how the church should be and what it should believe. Meanwhile the communities continue to drive by us unaware of our existence.
After a few years on the stages and in the trenches, I toss in my opinion as to what helps us be the church Jesus is building. We must leave our padded pews and our diner lunches for the messy world of the broken-hearted....and touch them.
This is as clear and discernible distinction. Many claim to "go by the Bible". Far fewer dare traipse out into the corners of delinquency and danger to bandage the shattered hearts and minds of the neighborhood. Enemies of Jesus sit upon their pious conviction that this congregation is the best one and that one is the worst one while their best kingdom motion is to sit, sip, and contribute when the plates pass by.
Comments and opinions are abundant. Going by the Bible is forte. Yet, to actually wade into the world of a homeless person, put them into one's car (stink and all), and drive them for a meal is.....well it hasn't happened for some in the church for 40 or 50 years. There just wasn't anyone in need. But give us that sermon on the Good Samaritan and we have heard the Bible preached one more time!
Jesus isn't establishing a whitey-tidy church. All congregations and all believers will find the real world of God's kingdom open when our comparative evaluation of religion diminishes and exercise of feeding, clothing, and housing the poor escalates.
Wanna see a church come alive? Invite the poor. Sit with the poor. Love the poor. There one will find the Spirit of Christ....right where he has always been.
1 comment:
The past several months, a group of us have been serving breakfast and having a church 'service' on Sunday mornings at the local Emergency Housing shelter. We've helped a few move out to permanent housing. It's been humbling, eye-opening and satisfying all at the same time. I feel like I'm "doing church" correctly more than I ever have in my life.
Jay
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