Countdown – We are the Church

 

You hear this from me a lot, but it is not a Tom thing. It’s just a thing, and you were getting this from me before I was your pastor. What’s that?

We don’t go to church. We are the church

We are the church. We are called out of the world by God, set apart for God’s purposes, and sent back into the world to be his love and share his good news.

We go to worship in a building most people call a church, but realize this association didn’t happen until people started building places of worship outside of the homes where the early church met.

It’s great to have a building to gather in, but the people who follow Jesus, not the building, are the church.

You are the church.

We are the church.

There is only one church with Jesus as the head. We write different names on the building, have some varied traditions, and may baptize or serve the Lord’s Supper a little differently, but we—that’s everyone who professes Jesus is Lord—are the church.

Does this really make any difference?

Try this: Go coach a bunch of kids and repeatedly tell them that they are all losers and don’t stand a chance. See how they perform.

Next, coach a different team and tell them over and over that they are champions. See how they perform.

OK, if you actually would try the first one, don’t coach, teach, or try a leadership role. The whole concept of the beatings will continue until morale improves doesn’t ever work.

You will see the same results in older kids and even in the professional ranks. You, as the coach or teacher,  set expectations.

We, as the body of Christ, have expectations too. Consider the difference between:

I go to church and I am the church.

We are the body of Christ. That’s our identity. We are his church.

We are the church.

When we say, "I am the church," we put God’s name on who we are. Who do we belong to? We belong to the great I Am.

I am the church. You are the church. We are the church.

Be the church!