So here is a thought...
...the very people who claim to understand that we "are" the church (as opposed to "attending" or "going" to church), are the people who are dropping out of fellowship because "the church doesn't meet my spiritual needs."
If we are the church, how can "it" not be meeting "my" needs?
So going to a Sunday morning service no longer satisfies you as "church." You should be the first one to see that the reason it doesn't satisfy as a church is because IT ISN"T A CHURCH!
Sunday services aren't the church; they are a manifestation of the church, a gathering of the church, a ministry of the church, an event the church brings about, etc. They were never intended to substitute for the church. The fact that you find their inability to satisfy a reason to disengage from the lives of other Christ-bearers simply means that you have fallen into the same misunderstanding that you claim to be freeing yourself from by disengaging from THE church (other disciples of Jesus).
To paraphrase my favorite author, "try deconstructing yourself for a change!"
1 comment:
Great post!
I have always been tired of the "The Pastor does not feed me anymore." whiners..... Arrrgh!
I now just flat out say,” aren’t you old enough to feed yourself, and also begin to feed another?"
I go a bit farther than you in this though. As I do not see that the church is the "people", but the literal Body of Christ on earth now. I take what Paul says that this Body has many parts. You Steve are one part and I am another... I believe even the gall bladder can be the one hurting that can make all suffer if we do not watch out. I believe this Body is being made complete and Perfect to be then presented as the Bride of Christ as in Rev 21.
Yes, Jesus will return, yet until then WE are Placed In His Body (the Spiritual baptism), just as Adam was placed in the Garden. We are then immersed in Christ and He becomes our very Life... literally.
I find it funny that many who claim to take the bible literal, turn this into an institution... which is not a living thing and they miss the richness of literally BEING THE BODY OF CHRIST.
I believe only when we understand this rich blessings will we be able to move toward being One as Jesus prayed in John 17.
Again, great posts and great thoughts!
Blessings,
iggy
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