My Church

~Sunday morning at McChurch~

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25“Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27“so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."
Acts 17: 23 - 27 NKJV

At the risk of being kicked out of every christian church in the civilized world, I pose this question to those who hold fast to their belief that true church is not about allowing Christ Jesus to grow their congregation, but in the trappings of old man made traditions.  That Christs "Church" is not about a pastor figurehead, but about Him alone who is head of His body of believers.  I wanted to title this piece "How not to do church," but I thought that was a tad bit over the top.  After all, everyone does church in their own way so I'm told.   However, the question of church came to light once again this week in response to a local pastor friend.  Upon reading a few comments from this pastor, it suddenly hit me that almost everything he was saying all centered around him.  My church, ME raising up leaders and ME guiding MY flock.  Honestly, can anyone see Christ Jesus in these comments?  Is not Jesus the head of the church {Colossions 1:18}?  Will not Christ Jesus raise up His church {Matthew 16: 18}?  The job of raising the church is not the duty of one faithful pastor, but of Jesus Himself.  The apostle Paul tells those gathered in Athens in Acts 17 that God indeed does not "Dwell in temples made with hands."  Nor is He "Worshipped with mens hands, as if He needed anything."  Think about that for a minute, what is it that we can offer to God?  The simple fact is that we NEED God, He does not need us.  That's not to say that He does not love His children, that's a given.  All I'm saying is that there is not one thing that we can give God.  He is the Alpha and the Omega, The First and the Last.  He is the great...I Am.  He who created the universe out of nothing.  What shall we, His creation, offer up to Him which He does not already have?

1The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
1 Peter 5: 1 - 4 NKJV

Now to the next part of this conversation, of how a pastor will proclaim a church to be "His" congregation.  Excuse me?  Have we not settled this issue that the church belongs too Christ Jesus who will one day return for her?  I know of no scripture which stakes the claim that any pastor will return from the dead to claim "his" church to himself, so it is that the church is Christs and Christs alone.  Be it from ego or pride, too many pastors have resorted to take it upon themselves that they themselves are responsible for the growth of their congregation.  There has been NO church which I have ever attended where a pastor personally invited me to attend.  No, when that time came, it was Christ who guided me to whatever congregation I was to be a part of.  It is God who will ultimately reveal to us where He wants us to be.  For me, my church is with a few good Christ centered men at a fast food joint on Sunday mornings.  For others, it may be hiking with friends.  Our worship and joy we find in Jesus has never been limited to within church walls.  God does not dwell in temples made with hands.  As Paul tells his young apprentice in 1 Peter, a shepherd of the flock must "Not be Lords of those entrusted to you."  In my opinion, when a pastor makes a claim of ownership over a congregation, he is lording himself over them.  Suddenly he becomes the center of attention while Jesus is pushed further away.  Instead of Jesus being the head of the congregation...it now belongs to one man alone.

~Scott~