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This past week, I was having lunch with a believing friend of mine. Overall, our time together was a time of encouragement. He said something however, that at the time, I didn't quite know how to respond to.
As I was sipping on my coffee, he looked at me rather directly and said, "The church is doing absolutely nothing in the community or the world."
My immediate response was to simply agree with him. I have mulled over and wrestled with his statement every day since. Depending on the audience this reaches, many of you have had similar thoughts. "The church needs to do something!"
As I have continued to reflect, I found myself thinking of the lady from our church who administers the local food bank. Then I thought of the guy who helps homeless teens find a place to live. And there is the lady who spends her life caring for new moms.
This morning, our pastor told us about a group of ladies in our church who made approximately 700 articles of clothing for aids victims in Africa. You might not value the work done by Compassion, but they do their best to help children escape poverty, and a few people from our church work there. I also know Christians who try to help hurricane victims.
No matter what her people do, somehow, the accusation still seems to stand. The church doesn't do anything to help anyone. Why does it stand? And why don't I have a decent response when I face those indictments?
"you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5 ESV)
Peter tells us in his first letter, that we, as believers are to be a holy priesthood.
Yet in most minds, if the pastor or leadership are not the ones who are doing something, then it doesn't reflect on the church. How come?
I don't expect the world to recognize that our individual actions are the very actions of the church. It is disappointing when believers do the same, and I disappoint myself when, in the moment, I am personally unable to verbalize how beautiful the bride of Christ can be.
I want you to know, that what you do matters, even if nobody recognizes it. I also hope that you recognize, that the leadership in your church doesn't have to try and do the things that you are passionate about. That's why they have you. (Assuming that you are in fact part of the holy priesthood, and not on the other team)
Are you the church?
