Excited about church

I have been thinking about the church a good deal recently. I can't help but be excited about what I believe is in store for the church. Perhaps I should define church before I go further. Far too frequently people associate church with a building, or a service on Sunday morning, or programs like children's ministry or youth ministry. Now I want to be clear, these things are not wrong it's just that they should not define church.

In the Biblical paradigm of church, none of these defining items are even mentioned. In the Bible, church is about people, followers of Jesus, doing life together. Church was not something to attend but something to be together with other followers of Christ. Look at the following description:

They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

I would like to make some observations about the nature of the first century church from these words.

1. Church relationships were far deeper than meeting once a week. Church broke out every day of the week - in homes and in the temple. It seems to me that church erupted at the workplace and in the streets on a DAILY basis
2. There was a deep sense of community that resulted in needs being known and met. They ate together, shared together, did life together in vulnerable, raw community. They prayed for each other because they deeply cared for each other.
3. Their shared walk not only enabled them care for each other, it allowed for a spirit of praise to arise as the goodness of God was evident to all. Joy and simplicity marked their interaction. In other words, they had a good time. (They might have even laughed together!!) There was not any kind of posturing or jockeying for position.

For the past several years, I have been privileged to experience some of the sense of community seen in this account. I am walking in close proximity with other believers, sharing joys, doubts, and the wonder of discovery. Life and laughter spills out as we celebrate God's goodness. We share sorrows and burdens as well, our hearts being knit to each other and to the Father as we experience the difficulty of life at times.

People ask me from time to time what new thing I see emerging in the church. One of my close fellow travellers on this journey made an insightful comment recently - "Is it possible that the new thing God wants to do is really an old thing?" I think she was on to something. I believe that there are glorious days ahead for the church as we re-discover the simplicity of God's original intent for church.

Everywhere I go people are longing for this kind of community. Community that practices discipleship as a lifestyle instead of a class or a program. People hunger to experience the presence of God as seen through the Body of His Son. This stirring for deep connection with other believers that spurs us to deeper relationship with God, this hunger for life is God breathed as we return to the simplicity of church.

As I ponder these things, I can't help but be excited!