For many different reasons, I have been spending time reflecting on the Church as of late. When I say “the Church,” I don’t mean just 12Stone, but the big “C” church – the bride of Christ that gathers in large buildings, in small chapels, in local homes. I like to spend time reflecting on the Church, because my specific life calling has to do with working/serving in the local church. I still remember clearly the moment when God first spoke into me His call on my life. It was a moment when every ambition I had – to pursue success or money or power – those ambitions just became small as I took on the call to be a minister in the local church. It is no small thing to me, because I believe the Church is the single most important entity on earth.
I have come to believe that the local church is the hope of the world.
As we go through-out life, we see people put their hope in a lot of different things. Some people put their hope into their achievements. Giving days months or years at a time towards making a name for themselves, attempting to prove themselves to family or friends. Others put hope into relationships, thinking that if you know enough people, or have enough dates, you might be able to ignore the loneliness that creeps up within. All around us there are people placing their hope in temporal things.
But we, the gathering of Christ followers, we the Church, are the hope of this world. We are the only hope this world has. In a dark and dying world, the Church is a bright light, a source of hope, where people can find forgiveness & freedom, reconciliation & redemption.
We are a refuge to this world. I am a follower of Christ, as part of His Church. I am a link to hope for the people around me. I stand at the doorway, a doorkeeper in the house of God, trying to quickly usher people into His presence, and into redemptive relationships. That is our role, for any of us who are Christ followers. You see we who belong to Jesus, we gather together and experience this hope that is found in Christ, this same hope that our world is desperate for. We stand in a place where we can be used by God to offer a refuge, safety to others, in a world that is offering imitation hope (at best).
So Church (that is every one of you who consider yourself a follower of Christ), take this hope seriously. If it is true that we the Church are the hope of the world, then we should take every chance we get and talk boldly about what He has done for us, and about His Church.
Praying we see His Church continue to grow this summer.
Glad and blessed to do “Church” with you.