Hello reading friend, thank you for making a date with me once again.
Today I would like you and I to explore the true meaning of Church. While reading the book Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels I found myself pondering on how I fit into the bigger picture of Church. He writes so fondly about the church (the local church); about its beauty and power. The influence that the church has in community and he makes a great comparison to the Acts 2 kind of Church.
The Church
About the Acts 2 Church, he writes;
“A community of believers so totally devoted to God that their life together was charged with the Spirit’s power. That the believers loved each other so much with a radical kind of love. They took off their masks and shared their lives with one another. They laughed and cried and prayed and sang and served together in authentic christian fellowship…”
He goes on to write that those who had more shared freely with those who had less until socio-economic barriers melted away.
As I read on, I kept asking myself who and what the church is. Sounds rhetoric, I know but it actually is not. Most of us know Church is the place we go to worship, attend service or mass or whatever you prefer to call it;listen to the sermon and then go back home to your family.
In the same spirit, I kept wondering how we as a people can generally relate our big goals and visions to this church being modeled under Acts 2.
As I was still pondering over this, my partner’s friend responded to one of my WhatsApp status updates and I quote, “You and xx (his wife) need to start a church together.” Without thinking twice, I responded that him, my partner and our children were our (His wife and I) church.
It also reminded me of a conversation we once heard with a group of friends and someone remarked that if you carry out a random census you will find more women in church than men. Its no wonder that the comment came from him. Why so? We shall talk about this next month as we celebrate the Women’s month. For now let’s focus on the influence that is the church.
You and I
So, friend do you some times have the same question on what and who the church is and how you can fit into the bigger picture of Church?
My further study of what the Church is shows that it all lies in the love for our neighbor and serving others with the gifts God has given us. You and I are part of the Church; the people we live with, work with and relate with are our church. What this implies is that every person you meet every day when you wake up is your church. I know you already know this as much as I do so the bigger part is the acting it out.
Church is more than just the physical building we go to worship.
You can read more on what the church is here and also look out for other resources. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2014/08/28/what-is-the-bible-definition-of-church-what-is-the-biblical-view-of-church/
As we end the month of love, its my hope and prayer that you will purpose to find ways in which you can fit into the bigger picture of the real church which is to love your neighbor and serve other members of the church with the gifts you have been blessed with to make a difference. It could be your help at home, your spouse, your colleague at work, some random person on the street, anyone that you get to interact with as you go on with your business.
I struggle with doing the real work of being the real church, you would think that with all this knowledge being the church will be like a walk in the park for the nature lover, but no my friend it is not. Every day is an opportunity to try again because guess what, you are not doing it for you but some one else.
Believe me there is someone out there whose hope will be revived by your gift.
Remember, as you help others; God’s help also finds its way to you. You know that destiny help people keep talking about? It’s real. Do your part. Obey and let God do the rest.
Wishing you a wonderful new month of March, carry over the love to the new month and keep quiet. Winks.
Hope & Faith,
F.I.R.M