Church: It's a Living Thing

Sunday morning it was our privilege to participate in the semi-annual members meeting of our local Italian Church. The board called the meeting to order, and we proceeded to step through the business on the agenda. The sanctuary was tightly packed, and yet, only half of the registered congregation was present. Programs, volunteer staff positions, calendar items - the usual stuff of maintenance. But there was also fresh vision and plans for growth; affirming biblical truth and embracing the call to make disciples and reach the world around us with the Good News. During worship with our hearts expectant and waiting on the Lord, we were interrupted by a reminder of the clash with the old traditions of men: a religious procession was streaming by our church doors, which normally remain open during our services. The noise of religious devotees, an oom-pah brass band, and the buzz of the crowd gawking at the spectacle of this antique, mini statue replica of “Jesus with dusty dreadlocks” in a glitzy, poufy frock like some creepy child’s doll, drowned out the Spirit-led praise inside. We were obliged to close the doors in order to hear the Lord’s Word and to pray. Then we sang “You’re the God of This City” (in Italian) with fervor and a heightened sense of burden for the lost in our city. We left our congregation in that historic church building across town, and hopped on a bus, then a train, then another bus back to our neighborhood. And on the Lord’s Day, in that neighborhood, we planted a sapling in the ground. By a sapling, I mean: that afternoon we launched a new gospel community – a simple, small, basic, organic, no-frills home group in our living room. It is another expression of Christ’s Church: true, authentic, vital, and full of promise. The Church is not a museum - not a relic - not a spectacle. The Church is a peculiar people - heeding Christ’s call to Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples. “… The head, that is Christ – From Him the whole Body, joined and held together… builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16)