Where Does the Church Live?

First of all the word "Church" is horribly tainted and misunderstood. The idea of congregations or "Churches" (which is the wrong use again) have become very territorial even within the same fellowship. Where you go to Church (wrong use yet again) is a little too overblown. I don't mean questions of faith or the gospel, I mean where you park your car on Sunday.

I look at the writings of Paul and I don't see this territorial attitude. In fact, Paul was the king of traveling and visiting congregations. He kept up with people by name and longed to see them.

So why do various church leaders at various levels get heartburn when members visit other congregation or activities with other Christians. What real ownership is it right for them to feel? They don't own you, they aren't in charge of you. Am I wrong to think that the worship center (notice I didn't say Church or Church Building) is a means of convenience usually associated with where you live? The Church is the body of saved believers and thus transcends geographical boundaries and certainly is much larger than where you worship.

You're thinking that this has to be the most obvious and pathetic topic. You're thinking you already know this. I challenge you to look around a bit.

There is such a huge benefit to Christians collaborating and sharing their lives together. Worshiping together is one of the greatest bonding experiences there is though not the main purpose. To do that you have to meet up with people and worship somewhere. I think it's great for individuals to seek out other Christians, friends, activities on their own. This means they'll wind up at a congregation somewhere and worship and one of them might not be at their usual congregation. Why is that bad?

If being gone on a Sunday or Wednesday night at your home congregation so you can visit friends at another congregation or spiritual activity is wrong...then I guess my allegiance is to the brick building and my human leader. But it's not. It's 1st to Christ, then to my fellow Christian brothers and sisters (see commandments regarding God and your neighbor)...and maybe I'll choose to work with a leader in the church if it benefits my overall Christian walk. I don't follow a human, I follow Christ and no one owns me but Him.

Now don't get me wrong, human leaders in the Church (not the building) plan things, oversee certain things as they should. They have my full support...until they put a cage around the membership and get mad when they leave the nest for one night. Christians in the new testament had a global attitude and were part of something much bigger than a street address. Let's not discourage the Church from living each day as close to one another as possible. That might mean a little travel from your usual parking spot on Sunday or Wednesday.

That might mean the guy "in charge" of your age group might get a little heartburn. I pray they'll finally see themselves as a facilitator of the gospel and good works, not a dictator. We need to see the church as God sees it. As One.