Church

The church tradition I grew up in tended to name their churches after their city or street. While church names matter, what we believe about the church matters even more. Myth 1: The church is merely a human organization. Though most of us are humans, the church is not merely a human organization. There is something supernatural about the church because Jesus is the head of the church. Myth 2: The church is a supermarket for spiritual groceries. In a world of supermarkets, we like options and the freedom to choose. We often treat the church as if it were just one of many supermarkets that provide us with spiritual groceries. This has led to a Christian culture that regards church shopping and hopping as normal. Eventually, this leads to church dropping because there is no relational glue. Myth 3: The church is optional. Our culture breeds us to be…

Fifteen weeks ago we began our journey through 1 Corinthians. We explored together God's prescription for his new community, the church. The picture wasn't always pretty. But that's typical of any story that involves people. We humans have a wonderful ability to mess things up. But the church, even the Corinthian church, is so much more than its messiness. It's the bride of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit. It was and is the hands and feet of Jesus. When people tell me they were hurt by the church, I often stop them and say: You were hurt by a church but not the church. The difference matters. All churches in their human expressions are flawed because people are flawed. But in many of them something wonderful happens when, despite their imperfections, God shows himself in their service, sacrifice, and compassion.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us ... There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect…

Let's be honest: The biggest obstacle between God and people trying to find him has often been Christians. It’s unfortunate, but it’s rare that a drunkard, drug addict, or prostitute would think of going to church because he or she just needed to feel loved and accepted.These people may turn to bars, fellow addicts, drug dealers, or pimps to find refuge and acceptance, but they would not think of going to a church. Perhaps it's because many Christians are better known for what they are against than what they are for. Our message this weekend reminds us that the distinctive mark of the reign of God in a person's life is how they love and do good to people they agree with and disagree with, to people who treat them well and to those who mistreat them.Hatred does not win the day. Liking someone is not the answer. Love makes the difference.