Be the Church!

Church... how often do we only think of it as somewhere we go on Sunday... and maybe other days if we go to things like Bible Study or Prayer Meeting or whatever.  It's a Sunday thing usually...

Ecclesia (or more correctly 'ekklesia') - ever heard that word?)  You might say it's an Australian metal/hardcore band - and you'd be right!  You might even say its a British think tank examining the role of religion in public life - and you'd be right again!  (How brilliant you are!)  But... "ekklesia" is the gathering of the people of God - the church.  Yes, it is... really...  Those Latin scholars among you already knew that, but for the rest of us, it's a cool word describing a cool bunch of people.  The church... it's NOT the building we go to on Sunday; the church... it's the people who go to the church building... or not...  You see, as the picture so aptly proclaims: "God is not calling us to go to church, He is calling us to be His church".  And if we ARE the church, then we don't need to confine ourselves to the building in which we often meet, unfortunately also called the church.  Clear as mud, right!

God desires those who believe in Him to go and tell others, who don't believe in Him, about Him.  It's our job... it's our calling... it's our reason for being.  We, the Church (I'm using capital 'C' to distinguish the people of God from the church building - small 'c') have a responsibility - we are to share what we have experienced, with everyone who breathes.  It's true... not that we always (hardly ever?) do that, but it IS what God has asked us to do...

READ:  Matthew 28: 18-20

We call this The Great Commission - God telling His people to go and talk to others, tell others, and teach others.  We have been commissioned, by God, to do this... so why isn't the Christian Church bursting at its seams?  If we all are telling everyone who breathes, then why isn't everyone a believer?  Could it be that we who believe go to church - the building - but that's often it?  Could it be that we who believe don't share with others who don't believe?  Could it be that we who believe don't invite people to come to church - the building - to hear about God, so they get to believe too?  Hmm...

• How often do you go to church - the building?
• How often do you meet with the Church - the people?
• How many people have you invited to church last week? 
• How many will you be inviting this week?

God is indeed calling those who believe in Him to BE the Church - to hear His call, to respond to His teaching, and to tell others about Him.  Yup, it might mean doing something more than we are used to; it might mean going somewhere we are not used to; it might mean talking to, or being with, or helping out, someone we are not used to... or have never even imagined ourselves being around.  Yup, it might... or it might not... but either way, if we BE the church instead of just going to church, then someone might hear about God from us, and that someone might become a believer, who in turn might tell someone else... who might tell someone else... who... well, you get the drift!

BE THE CHURCH, k. 
DON'T JUST GO TO CHURCH, k.
BE THE CHURCH, k. (hey, it bears repeating!)

After all, God has called us to be just that!

PRAYER
God, I don't want to just go to church, but I want to truly BE the church.  Help me with that, 'cause it might not always be comfortable.  Thank you for choosing me to BE your church!
Amen.