What If

Pentecost marked the arrival of the Holy Spirit whose purpose is to transform people

into fully engaged followers of Jesus. Pentecost is also the birth of the church.

I have been thinking a lot about the church recently, especially what the church is and

what it is supposed to be. The church is meant to be the loving, grace-filled, encouraging

representation of Jesus in the world. But too often, the church settles for being a

comfortable place to gather for a few minutes on Sunday morning to catch up with our

friends.

At times, the church strives to reach the lost, comfort the hurting, and bless our

neighbors. At other times, we turn our focus inward, more concerned about our property

than we are about people.

Several years ago, a pastor friend asked his church the following ‘What if’ questions. He

was hoping to spark a conversation that would lead people to become fully engaged

followers of Jesus.

What if "church" was a verb, not a noun; a way of life, not a place; something one is and

does, rather than participating in religious "arrangements" and scheduling?

What if "churching" was focused entirely on relationships, beginning with and centered

upon a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and others as He directs?

What if "church" did not depend upon denominations, or buildings, or budgets, or

memberships, or religious staffing, or liturgies, or any of the other incredibly numerous

things that are done in the name of "churchianity?" Rather, what if "church" was a

relational network of transforming agents of spiritual change in partnership with the

Holy Spirit and one another?

What if "churching" meant leading people to Jesus Christ who don't know Him, and

helping them to help others to experience the saving power they have received?

What if "churching" meant training and equipping those converted to Jesus Christ to

grow in their faith and, with the Spirit's power, to discover and exercise their personal

gifts and assignments from God?

What if "churching" meant Christians coming together only as much as absolutely

needed, rather than making meetings the entire ministry?

What if "churching" meant infiltrating the world with Kingdom agents of change who

brought a Jesus agenda into every sphere of influence, including religion?

What if “churching” was measured not by those gathered in but by those sent out; not

by funds collected, but by funds given away; not by the praise of men, but by the smile of

God; not by what we can do, but by what the Spirit can do through us?

What if "church" had no walls, or limits, or boundaries as defined by the systems of this

world, but whose vision encompassed the entire harvest for whom Jesus died?

What if with our "churching," radical discipleship with sacrifice and suffering became

the norm rather than the exception? To obey without cost is to disobey; to believe without

risk is unbelief.

I wonder what the world would look like if the church allowed the Holy Spirit to

transform us unto fully engaged followers of Jesus. I wonder how many lives could be

changed, how the Kingdom of God could grow, and how our community would be

transformed. Just something to think about.

I hope to see you on Sunday.

Pastor Marty