Window Dressing

 24“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; Life Lessons 28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’
Acts 17: 24 - 28 KJV

How many times has a name led you to a better understanding of Jesus?  Sure, most of us know and understand His history and His works.  What do we really know of the man Jesus?  Does the very name of our church or organization reflect the Jesus we are proclaiming?  Well, to me, this is all window dressing, a gimmick to draw others into our conversation.  I recall attending a few of the Promise Keepers conferences in my time.  While most people may already be familiar with them, the very name Promise Keepers has one thinking of hope.  That's how I always felt anyway.  Like I said, this was simply some window dressing to draw me in.  In the end, Promise Keepers showed me little in the way of a relationship with Christ.  Don't get me wrong, the promise keeper movement achieved some good things.  Leading others into a relationship with Jesus just wasn't one of them.  I've often wondered if there is some christian public relations firm somewhere out there that assists new churches and organizations with catchy names that will draw people in.  Obviously, a church needs a congregeation to survive so it is neccessary to make it as attractive to others as possible.  However, this is where we miss the boat in our quest to draw others into our ministries and churches.  Where is our focus?  If our focus is not on Christ and our relationship with Him then I suggest we shut the doors and reconsider our motivation.  Indeed, I have seen more than a few flashy churches where the main focus was bringing people into a elaborate facility.  I grew up watching the sermons of Robert Schuller.  Each week, live from His crystal cathedral, Schuller would speak to millions on television.  Sadly, there was a time when I would think the church my family attended was inadequate because it wasn't like the crystal cathedral.  Once again, window dressing.  As Sarah Palin once remarked, lipstick on a pig doesn't change the pig.  Indeed, our ornate church buildings do not encourage relationship.  In fact, I would suggest that they do us more harm than good.  We spend too much time worrying about the outside of the building, and the interior begins to suffer. 

44Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread fromhouse to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2: 44 - 47 NKJV

I had commented to a freind of mine some time ago about the beauty of the model of the early church set before us in Acts 2.  His response was predictable to anyone who knows him, our society will not allow us to enter into such a church.  I tend to agree with him.  Where did we go wrong?  Where is it that we decided that it was far more important to showcase the church building than our own personal relationships with Jesus?  Window dressing.  Admit it, how good would you feel each sunday walking into the most expensive and ornate church around?  How long would that feeling last?  Believe me, I've been there.  Once the effect of the beautiful lobby and the chorus wears off, all we're lieft with is the same old pulpit pounder sermon.  Sadly, the message rarely changes with the building.  Why is it that Christ Jesus sought to humble Himself? {Philippians 2:8}  Don't kid yourself, Jesus could have raised up a million ornate temples by simpliy speaking the words.  Yet, He was never big on that, why?  I'm thinking that was not His motivation.  For Jesus came not for appearance, but for substance.  THIS is where the institutional church misses the mark.  It is not the appearance of the building that will change lives, it's what you speak into them.  The truth of Jesus is no good if it is not proclaimed.  Are we foolish enough to believe that God is bound by a building?  When we speak in terms of "Gods house," we do our heavenly Father a disservice.  For He is all in all and bound to everything that we see around us.  Indeed, even the materials we use to build that fancy new church. 

~Scott~