A good answer to what church should be...

This is from a pastor friend Joseph who writes a daily email to his congregation... This is really well said in my opinion.


Daily reading taken from the Church of England lectionary: Bible (and Apocryphal) readings can be found at: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/

Ephesians 1:15-23 (The Message)
15-19That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!
20-23All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

Thoughts
Whoa!

That is a freaky piece of writing this morning!

I know the Church in general has not been perfect. Sadly, it has done many things that have given Jesus a bad reputation by association.

One reason why my own dad still uses the expression: Jesus Christ. As an expletive. A curse.

I find that strange, because I really love Jesus. Hearing His name used as a curse is just weird to me.

But to be fair to my dad, I understand fully why he is not impressed by the Church or by his image of who Jesus might be.

It is like it has been masked by people using the name of Jesus and the title of Church who have kept my dad from seeing what is real. I think if he saw the Church in action, he might change his opinion.
Hmmmm. The Church is central to what God is up to on the planet. According to today’s reading.

Central.

Now if we all remember what CHURCH means it helps us get a clearer picture. CHURCH literally means, “people of God.” Not program. Not a building with a steeple and cross on top. Not organ music. Not hip indie music. Not potluck dinners and bake sales. Not pedantic bible study groups. Not another sermon about evil versus good. Not one more prayer time disconnected from reality.

Real church is energized human beings who have said time to wake up to who I am called to be. Fully alive. Fully in love. In love with God. In love with me. In love with other humans around me.

Real church does not talk about justice, it does justice.

Real church does not meet to pray and then fail to become the very answer to the prayers.

Real church does not hear Bible words and avoid the costly implications of those words.

Real church smells, tastes, sounds, feels, and looks like Jesus.

That kind of church is indeed central to what God is up to on the planet.

I hope, I really hope I personally do not get in the way of what God wants to do in the Church.

That is my prayer this day.

by Joseph, that dreamer