Could it be ME?

Lately I have noticed an influx of articles written on what is wrong with the church or what is causing people to leave the church, but in those articles I have noticed that something is missing.  What I have noticed is a lack of responsibility on the part of not only the authors but from church goers in general.  I think the question we need to start asking is not “what is wrong with the church” or “how can we make the church better”, but really “What can I do to make the church a better place?”

Don’t get me wrong I too have a responsibility when it comes to the church, because I am a member of the body of Christ and as we find in Romans 12:4-5 you and I have a specific purpose and place in that body. 

“For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use, So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another (mutually dependent on one another).”
Romans 12:4-5 (Amplified Bible)

I love the way that this is explained in the Amplified Bible, especially the final parenthetical statement “mutually dependent on one another”.  I want you to think about what that means for a moment. To me that means we are meant to lean on, support, pray for, care for, love on, encourage, and even get after one another.  In other words I cannot fulfill my purpose in the church without you and vice versa.  Crazy right!! I had a professor compare the church to a well-oiled machine and if one of the cogs or wheels or gears is off or missing or broken the whole machine is toast.

Another verse that I think we (as the church) really need to focus on is found in Matthew 7:3-5:

“Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is beam of timber in your own eye? You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.”
(Amplified Bible)

You can spend all day telling me what you think is wrong with the church and I could do the same, but what would we have accomplished? Honestly the only thing we have accomplished is putting a bad taste for our own church body in our mouths. I can guarantee you will not go to the next service with the same outlook as the week before and I can promise you that your attitude with not be the best either.  What if instead we had taken time to talk about what’s going on in my life and yours? What if we discovered, together, the planks in our eyes and were able to take them to the Father and begin a process of restoration and transformation in ourselves.  Then we can look at our fellow “body” members and help them do the same.  Let’s be honest you cannot just tell someone that they are doing it wrong without them feeling picked on or criticized for who they are (a whole different topic by the way). Because if we are not right within ourselves we will approach them in a way that is not only hurtful, but unloving and that would not be like Christ.  One of my favorite Jesus moments in the bible is when the Pharisees are preparing to stone the woman caught in the act of adultery and ask him to throw the first stone. Now it was obviously a trap. If Jesus threw the stone they would find a way to ridicule him and if He didn't throw the stone he would not be complicit with the law. However, instead he began to write in the sand. Now we have no idea what he wrote, but we all have our speculations. Then after they continued to ask him questions he stood and said “Let him who is without sin throw the first stone” (John 8:7).

I know you are probably wondering why on earth this is one of my favorite Jesus moments, but for me it is a reminder that I cannot consider my sin less than another’s. Whether that is someone in the church or someone who does not know the love of God, I’m no more righteous or holy than my brother or sister and I too make mistakes. But through the blood and grace of Jesus Christ I am picked up off the ground and told (over and over again) to Go and sin no more for I am not condemned. 

I guess what I am trying to say is before you point a finger at the church or even another person consider yourself.  You aren't perfect and you are in fact the church along with everyone else in the beautiful kingdom of God (including your leaders-they are human too!). So instead of placing the blame on someone else or a building open your eyes, ears, and heart to the Spirit and listen to what God has to say to you about you.  The best part about keeping your ears and heart open to the voice of God is that he is not there to condemn you, but to love, forgive, and help you grow. His words are words of grace and mercy not hell fire. 

Do this and let the change in your church begin with you, because you are the church.