January 23, 2019

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

One of the most unfortunate developments in American Christianity is the idea of a church as an organization. The church has become a place we go, worship has become an event we attend, and the person sitting next to us has become simply one more acquaintance in our lives. This is not the Biblical picture of the Church. The Church is meant to be something much more intimate and dynamic. When speaking about revolutionary Christians who are beginning to stand up against this trend, George Barna says; “It is the community to which they belong that sustains them and nurtures them through the good times and the bad. This adopted community anchors them both to reality and to the idealism to which they aspire.”

The church is not a place we go, but a family to which we belong. This bond is meant to be so interconnected and interdependent that scripture refers to us as the “Body of Christ.” It is our local community of brothers and sisters in Christ that upholds us and cares for us through all the seasons of life. We are meant to hold one another accountable, share life together, and spur one another on to greater life in Christ. So never simply “go” to church, but instead realize that you belong to the Body Christ which truly is the Church.

Heavenly Father, through the power of your Holy Spirit gather us into a fellowship of brothers and sisters, and give us a spirit of unity, encouragement, and love as we navigate this world together.

In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon