What Is Church?

I was in a conversation with someone recently, and we were talking about some folks who have left our church for various reasons. Here are some of the thoughts and opinions we came up with.

What is church? Is it a building? Is it a place we go to? Is it a denomination? I think, according to Scripture, church is the body of Christ, a community of people ~ not a building or a place or something we do. It is family ~ it is a body. And although "the body of Christ" encompasses all Christians, moving from one church to another is not to be taken lightly ~ you wouldn't want part of an arm deciding it would rather hang around with the leg. And within that body I believe God wants us to care about and for each other, to be united ~ not alike, not of the same opinion, but united. And I think that when we allow gossip, division, disunity, discord, personal likes and dislikes to come between us, we are giving the enemy the victory. I sort of view my church family almost like a marriage. Unless God Himself says very clearly to me that He wants me to be a part of a different fellowship, I need to stay right where I am and work out whatever issues I might have, just as I would in a marriage. My happiness or comfort or music preference or even whether I agree with how the board or the pastor handled a given issue (no matter how important I felt that issue was to me) are not reasons to call it quits and start attending somewhere else. You don't just walk out on family. And some issues can seem huge. And people disappoint. But what is church? If it is a club or social gathering, move on when it doesn't meet your needs. If it is just a building or something to do, by all means move on. But if it is the body of Christ? If it is family? Do we care whether we are being used as pawns for the enemy's purposes? Are our own feelings and comfort levels more important to us than what God Himself wants to say to our hearts. If we pull up stakes and run every time life gets difficult, how stable is any relationship we are in? Our marriage? Our friendships? Our family?

And I do think there are times when God does want us to move on for various reasons, but He should be the one to tell us that. What if He wants us to move on because He is doing a great work at this church and He hasn't been able to get our attention and get us on board with His plan? I think it is rarely because He has given up on one congregation and is moving you to a better one.

Are there circumstances that come up in churches that can make it extremely difficult or even painful for you to continue to attend there? Certainly. And sometimes it really might be more than you can take. But I don't think changing fellowships should ever be taken lightly, or done without many, many hours of heartfelt prayer, listening for the voice and will of God. Will He punish you if you decide to move on contrary to His will? I don't think He is sitting somewhere with a switch or a belt waiting to "spank" you for your hard heart or disobedience. But I do think it grieves Him, disappoints Him, and hinders His best in your life.

I have learned through the circumstances of my life that there is NOTHING He can't redeem. But He does not violate our free will. And we sometimes make pretty big messes. But as long as our hearts are soft toward Him, and we are repentent and trusting in Him and seeking Him, He can redeem anything.

Just some of the thoughts running around in my head today. What are yours?

Warrior Princesses

The following is a quote I received in my e-mail this morning. It is a "thought of the day" that I subscribe to.

_______________________________

“Me, a princess?”
“You are the legal heir.”
“I never lead anyone.”
“We will help you to be a princess, to rule. If you refuse to accept the throne then the
kingdom will cease to exist as we know it.”
--The Princess Diaries

In God’s name we must fight them!
--Joan of Arc
Women are often portrayed in stories and tales as the “Damsel in Distress.” We are the ones for whom men rise up and slay dragons. We are the “weaker sex”; said to faint at the sight of blood, needing to be spared the gory details of battle whether on the field or in the market place. We are the ones waiting in our flowing gowns for the knight to come and carry us away on the back of his white horse. And yes. There are days when a knight in shining armor would be most welcome. We do long to be fought for; loved enough to be courageously protected. But there is a mighty fierceness set in the heart of women by God. It is true to who we are and what we are created to do.

Women are warriors too.

Redeemed women of God have tender, merciful hearts, backbones of steel and hands that have been trained for battle. There is something incredibly fierce in the heart of a woman that is to be contended with, not dismissed, not disdained, but recognized, honored, welcomed and trained. 

(Captivating, by John Eldredge)

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Isn't it nice to hear that the "weaker sex" can be "warriors" too ~ and it doesn't take anything away from being feminine! I mean, it is something we all probably knew already in some sense, but it is still nice to hear it. We already know how hard we fight for our families, for our kids, for what we believe ~ we fight with the schools, the bullies, and neighbors if necessary ~ we fight on our knees, or when necessary, we fight on our feet, sometimes with our words, sometimes with a look... I do like to be fought for, I must confess. I love to be protected and honored and loved by my husband. I love to be sheltered. I love when my husband worries about me, comforts me, takes care of me. But I also  know that I am a positive force in my family, that my prayers are powerful, that I have important things to say, that my influence is needed in the lives of our kids and grandkids. I love the idea of being a princess, which for some reason brings to my mind a picture of a little girl in a pink tutu dancing and twirling and singing in her little girl voice without a care in the world (which was never my experience, only my dream) ~ and I love the idea of being a warrior. Maybe I should have named my blog "Warrior Princess." Well, I can be a REWRITTEN Warrior Princess. Anyway, I love being a woman ~ Wow, that is not something I have always been able to say. Even now it sounds a little strange, but it fits, too.

I especially love that last part of the quote above: "Redeemed women of God have tender, merciful hearts, backbones of steel and hands that have been trained for battle. There is something incredibly fierce in the heart of a woman that is to be contended with, not dismissed, not disdained, but recognized, honored, welcomed and trained." Something incredibly fierce. And that's a GOOD thing! Not something to be ashamed of. I like it.