The "Church"

K and I were having conversations recently about church and how hard it is to like certain aspects of it sometimes. However, I have to be honest, since I've only been a member of one church, and have visited a handful of others, I may not be the best person to decry or proclaim the validity of church. But I'm going to anyway. Because this is something I feel passionately about.

I read this blog recently about the church being Christ's bride. Yes, I was completely drawn to the words "baby mama" and "church" being used synonomously. It is a well-written article, though, and espouses some of the ideas that have been rolling around in my brain for the past few years about why I go to Riverwood, why I stay at Riverwood, why I love Riverwood. There are lots of people that I love there, sure, that's a given. Some of those people walked me through some really hard times. There are some people that I get along with. There are also people there that I have a really hard time with. It's all sort of like school, right? There are the cool kids, there are the ones you do projects with, and there are also ones that you really try to avoid. So what's the difference between how you feel about school and church?

Well, for starters, it's that the church is Christ's bride. It's all over Ephesians 5, which I've quoted in reference to marriage...

• "²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,"
• ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body.
• "...and the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church."

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...do we ever think about this wording, that Christ give himself up for the "church?" Paul doesn't say, "gave himself up for the world," but for the "church." Seriously? This collection of weirdos I see on Sunday morning? The simple answer is: Yes.

The church is the body. We are members of his body. My small amount of skills somehow makes a difference in the place I am worshipping. We each provide a use and it complements the skills and talents of others. You should see it on days where the women have an event: there are the organizers, the crafty/creative types, and the worker bees. It's wonderful how we sometimes get annoyed with each other, how we all help each other, and that makes an event that God works out where we can enjoy fellowship.

But what about Sunday mornings? What's the point of going there and sitting in pews, singing some songs and listening to the pastor? There is a large group of people that believe you can still have church if you are at home and reading the Bible and worshipping (I haven't read The Shack, but I hear that this is a good example). Well, read Paul's letters to the church at Corinthians. He advises the believers how to worship...

1. He starts off talking about his role, preaching the gospel in the first chapter: "17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."
2. He discusses their infancy in Christ in chapter 3: "1 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?"
3. He discusses how they take the Lord's Supper in chapter 11: "20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, 21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!"
4. Chapter 14: Spiritual gifts in the church, in talking about speaking in tongues: "12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church."

And there is more. There are verses on taking collections; how to expel brothers that are not living righteously; marriage; causing others not to stumble; and on and on and on. Paul is talking about THE CHURCH. He is talking about being part of a body, loving the body even as we have divisions; and growing, by faith, by being part of this body. We live out the gospel when we are together on Sunday mornings. It's not just about salvation, it's not just about living righteously, it's not just about theological concepts. It's about worshipping Jesus, together with a church body.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The church is the presence of God in the world.” Join a church and commit, people. Church is not there to do something for us. It's there for Christ. So don't treat the church like your baby mama. And stay there.