If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. - 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
God has called us to something more. For months now I've been talking and discussing with people the desire for something more; something more than Sunday morning worship. something more than serving and leaving; something more than scripture, some songs, and a prayer. something more than coldly and solemnly passing around a plate, taking your portion, and sitting alone in prayer. something greater. something bigger.
I think that we have put God in a box and I say we because I am guilty as well. I know that we have put God in a box, and that box is called the church building. Don't get me wrong. I understand the importance of the assembly, but we're completely missing the point.
Sometimes I sit in my bible classes and listen to the professor and I think to myself, I'm probably going to have to talk to God about this when I get to heaven. I fear that when God is questioning me about the chapstick I stole in the 6th grade or the boy I got a little to close to, he's also going to be questioning me about the hours I've wasted in classes or studies talking about the mistakes the scribes made when copying the bibles or which translations is the best translations. The time we waste talking about these petty things is time that was not spent providing for the least of these.
I want to worship the right way, not so that I can say that I'm right and place myself above others, or so that I can say that anyone else is wrong for that matter. I want to worship the right way, the way that God instructed us, and the way that Jesus has shown us, so that I can fully experience that which God has called us to.
When I think of the church, and I'm pretty sure if you asked anyone who was not a part of the church, the first commandment that comes to mind would not be Love God, Love others. We've been given a task and it's simple but we've found anything and everything in between to distract and divide us, and for that reason, I think Satan has us right where he wants us. We argue about things that really have nothing to do with loving God or loving others and are causing division which is very clearly something that's not supposed to happen. We should be coming together for a greater cause, but rather we are separating over causes that are quite a bit smaller.
I don't know how we got to where we are now; this corporate worship. I think we've made it more about ourselves than anyone else. We have established a time slot on Sunday morning, night, and Wednesday evening to "go to church" instead of living our lives every day showing that we are the church. We pass around some plates and take our portion and individually observe the sacrifice that was made for us rather than sharing in a meal with one another and breaking bread together. We pass around a basket and "pay our dues" rather than offer up our possessions for the work of the Lord, or claiming nothing as our own but having all things in common. We have perfected it to that which is easiest.
And the devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. - Acts 2
I want awe to come upon my soul. I want to have a group of people that I call family that I can go to as I have need. I want to have all things in common and have favor with all people. I want to talk about how the Holy Spirit is working in my life and not be labeled as radical or charismatic with a negative connotation attached to it.
I want to be a part of a movement that goes back to the basics, that takes worship literally, that puts God at the center, and serves others. I want better than corporate, routine, and insensitive. I want to let the lion out of the cage. I want to be the church, not go to church. I want to stop talking and start doing. I want to have vision not dreams.
I'm sure you read all of that and think "yeah. right. how are you going to do that?"
I don't know how it's going to happen but what I do know is that I can't do it alone. We have the mind of Christ. That's a powerful thing. Let me illustrate. The same power that rose Jesus Christ from the dead, is flowing through and dwelling within us... yeah but we can't do big things.
Last time I checked, we can move mountains. So I think it's very possible that we can be the church that God called us to be from the beginning. I know that we can change the face of Christianity and be Jesus again. All we have to do is have a little faith and God will do all the work.
