Several years ago I had the privilege to be a part of a group of people who were learning to be the church. We started what we called an intentional community where we were seeking to share our faith and life with others.
Our gatherings were simple. Once a week we came together, ate a meal, laughed, shared stories of thankfulness, and the ways in which we were seeing God at work around us. We also had a time where both the adults and kids discussed the Scriptures together. It was not a Bible study.
Friends, neighbors, and local college students were involved. We were sharing faith and life and it was beautiful. But then our focus shifted a bit. We went from being an Intentional Community to having “services.” The expectations changed and many became uncomfortable with our gatherings. We were trying to BUILD a church versus BEING the church.
As a result of the Coronavirus, many churches are working hard to try and figure out what it means to build the church when people can’t COME to a service. As a result of technology, we are streaming services as we sit in our living rooms. We say “come watch and invite your friends to do the same”. God is using online services to do great things, He is BUILDING the Church, but how do we BE the church.
LifeStation Communities are on my heart again, simply because I feel like the CHURCH, followers of Jesus, should be looking to partner with other followers of Jesus in the places they live, work, learn, and play. The Church service one attends really should not matter. We should be working together to love and care for our neighborhoods and workplaces.
What if, in the midst of all this change, WE the Church would leverage our resources to equip one another to BE the church in the places the Church already exists. What if we would work together to simply be the church wherever our lives are stationed? What if our focus shifted from BUILDING a CHURCH to BEING the Church?
Food for thought. Call for action. Thank you for sharing your heart.