to be or to do....

The question is whether we are to "be the church" or "do church." The answer is quite simple and very obvious. We are called to be the church. We are to be a living, moving, active organism that focuses on bringing God glory and sharing the message of love, hope, freedom, and salvation that God has offered all of mankind through Jesus Christ. It's not a particular program at a particular time on a particular day of the week. It is the essence of being like Christ every moment of everyday. The problem is that while many Christians would agree with these statements, by their actions they completely contradict them.

In the local, American church, we've gotten pretty darn good at doing church. We know how to fill up a calendar with Bibile studies, conferences, concerts, dinner-on-the-grounds, youth camp, meetings, services, more meetings, and so on. Church has just become a place to meet for a few hours on the first day of the week. It's become about having the right style of music followed by the right kind of preaching followed by a week of waiting for the next appointed gathering time. Church is just what we do a majority of Sundays and occassionally during the week.

But seldomly we catch a glimpse of what being the church is all about. Sometimes, we find ourselves forgetting about gathering the holy huddle and actually going where Jesus went: to the people who needed Him. Somehow, the luster of Sunday morning is worn off, and we find ourselves right where Christ would want us as we talk to someone about life, church, faith, love and hope. That's where a few of us from First Baptist Quincy were last week. We were with the people in their environment being the church. We were hugging kids and handing them a sno-cone. We were talking with parents as their child had their face painted. We may not have been singing a hymn in a comfortable pew, but it felt more like church than ever before. Those of us who were there know that for a few hours last week, we became the church. We were alive, active, and intentional about sharing Christ.

So even after a great Sunday morning service yesterday, I must admit I felt more empty leaving the church campus yesterday than I did leaving the softball complex or courthouse square last week. Maybe I'm just getting tired of doing church and falling more in love with being the church. I sure hope so.