The evidence is unassailable. People , in growing numbers, are becoming unchurched. Despite substantive research by social scientists, seminary professors, and anxiety ridden clergy, no clear set of causal factors for this phenomenon has been conclusively identified. However, one thing is certain. People, in this age of rampant consumerism, seem to be searching for the “ perfect” church. That gathering place on Sunday mornings that exudes hospitality and generosity of spirit. That sacred space that features flawless musical performances, state of the art audio-visual technology, and programs for every age category. Not to mention, brilliant sermons that inspire, and comfort but rarely challenge. Unfortunately, there is no perfect church. Churches are human institutions. All the foibles, idiosyncrasies, personal and collective baggage that are part of the human community rise to the surface in those institutions we call churches. We need as new mind set. What if we understood church as a place where people in need of grace came to worship a perfect God. There is no perfect church. But there is a perfect God, revealed in Jesus Christ, and brought into each of our lives and into each of our churches by the power and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now that is genuinely Good News. Blessings, Pastor Tom 1 Corinthians 3: 9-11 You happen to be God’s field in which we are working. Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Comments are closed.
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October 2022
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