What if I told you church isn’t a place we go to on Sunday morning?
That it’s success shouldn’t be measured on if it was fun or boring?
What if I told you it wasn’t a building or an address or a set of walls?
That it’s not something we hop around to like shopping at malls?
What if I told you church isn’t a chair we sit in or a plate we pass?
That it’s value isn’t found in the sound or video or song we sang last?
What if I told you church is so much bigger than a certain time, place and people? That a healthy one isn’t defined by the size of its steeple?
What if church was less about what’s inside and more about what’s outside the four walls? After all, isn’t that where God calls?
Sadly it’s become more about getting tickets to Heaven, rather than serving God 24/7.
What if church was less about the meeting of people one day a week, and more about the moving of people every day of the week?
What if the church was a peacemaker, not just a peacekeeper?
And the goal wasn’t to be the best church IN the city –
But the best church FOR the city?
Did you know new churches are 6-8 times more effective
at reaching the lost? – now that’s not subjective.
And only 20% of Americans go to church on Sunday?
Like Jesus we go and not just hope they come one day.
Jesus came not to be served but serve and give His life away for others –
Yet the church exists for itself and stiff arms sisters and brothers.
What if church was more about giving than getting?
Less like a country club and how we’re benefiting?
Not just a busy buffet of program and catchy hash tags on Instagram –
What if the church cared less about its name, and more about His fame?
More about reaching the lost no matter the cost?
We need leaders who value acts of compassion over acts of promotion –
Leaders who love people, not just in words but in motion.
Leaders not above any task but willing to do whatever they ask.
Leaders of integrity, character, and above reproach –
Ones who are humble and only in Christ do they boast.
Leaders who seek God first and are led by the Spirit –
Not ones who selfishly seek their own merit.
In fact, I was once an addict, cheater, and liar –
but it was my Pastor who brought me out of the mire.
You see, he was my shepherd and I was his sheep –
Watching his life – my faith I did keep.
We need leaders who seek to decrease rather than increase –
Who seek to give God glory through their story.
Leaders who care more about sending people out than keeping people in.
Leaders who are more about completing and less about competing.
What if the church was a powerful movement with a world-changing mission? To Go, that’s the Great Commission.
To live in such a way to put Him on display.
What if the church was less like a stagnant, stationary pool empty of life, and more like a running stream of fresh water full of life?
You see God doesn’t want the empty rituals, routines, and tradition –
God wants our hearts and loving others our mission.
Jesus didn’t start a warm, fuzzy kumbayah holy huddle –
He started an on fire movement of people – not so subtle.
So what if the church was known for its unity?
And an unstoppable commitment to love the community?
What if when outsiders saw the church they saw Christ?
And they knew they were loved naughty or nice.
Like Christ the church stands in the gap –
To reconcile the world all across the map.
Like Christ the church must shed a tear –
For those lost, trapped, and filled with fear.
Like Christ the church must go in truth and grace –
Leading and loving no matter the face.
A city on a hill, may the church be a bright light in a dark place –
May it draw all people – no matter the class, color, or race.
As the bride of Christ, may she be blameless and pure –
A hospital for the sick, may it point to One with the cure.
As a refuge for the hungry, lost, and cold –
May it welcome people – both young, married, and old.
As a haven for sinners, hypocrites, and forgotten –
May lives surrender to His Son only begotten.
After all, it’s really the cross where church begins –
It’s His sacrifice – his life laid down for our sins.