Imagine if somebody who didn’t know any better tried to figure out who Jesus is by what his followers do and what seems important to us. Imagine if they sat in on a few church council meetings, attended a few worship services, joined a couple of committees. They might jump to the conclusion that Jesus came to start a church.
It’s not all we do, of course. But we Christians do tend to spend a lot of our time, energy, and money keeping the institution afloat. The way we do church together today is very expensive. And I’m not saying it’s wrong. Buildings give us a place to celebrate and mourn, to worship and learn. Buildings give us a space to share with our neighbors and a place to have potluck suppers.
It does seem that it takes a lot of effort to keep it all going. It’s no wonder confusion sometimes sets in and even we find ourselves thinking that “the church” is the most important thing. But Jesus did not come to start a church.
This message was adapted from the Bible study, “Act Boldly for Mission,” by Kelly Fryer available for free download under resources on womenoftheelca.org. Fryer is leading the Bible study at the Tenth Triennial Gathering next month in Minneapolis.