3:270 – Your Front Door Is The Church’s Front Door

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Setting

What do you think of when you think of church? Most people thing of a building they go on Sunday and worship for an hour or so, then go back to their lives.

Times are changing. More and more people are unchurched or dechurched. They have had experiences with church or religion that turn them away from God. We’ve talked many times about the difference between God, Faith, Religion, and Church. It’s a shame to see.many people turned off a God because of a church experience.

Times are changing, or actually going back to the early days of Christianity before the formal churches. People followed Christ because of his teachings. Then they followed the Disciples because they were the church not the building.

How do you become the church? How is your front door the front door to church?

Scripture

• Romans 12:4-5 – For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
• Matthew 16;18 – And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
• 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 – Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Reflection

Not once does the Bible refer to a building as Church. The people are the church. Jesus selected Peter to be the rock of his new church. In Corinthians, we see we are God’s temple. In Romans, we see that the body of Christ has many parts, and we are part of that.

What does this mean? If we focus back on Christ and his teachings, it means that we are the church. If we are the church, then we need to stop thinking about how to get more butts in seats, eyes on the screen, or people walking through the building doors. When we are the church, people join because of how we show God’s love through Jesus. This means doing life with them. That life begins with opening our front door to them. From meals to hardships to celebrations, we begin to work as a church, as a family in Christ.

The question is, are you ready to open your front door and begin growing the family of Christ? I am ready and willing with the help of God.

Challenge

How are you growing the family? Have you tried something other than inviting them to attend church? Try having them over for dinner? Share a coffee with them. Sharing Christ and growing the family is a marathon not a sprint. Trust Jesus to give you endurance.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we have gotten so many things wrong. We’ve tried to confine you and your church to a building. We feel that we’ve lost when a lower number of people are walking through that door. Jesus, you clearly tell is that we are your church and you’ve chosen us to go out and make disciples of all nations. We ask you to help us be the front door of your church. Waken in us a spirit of openness and evangelism to share your love not through pontificating but through love, empathy, and compassion.

Lord, forgive us, heal us, and empower us to truly be the front door that so many people want. Let us build community in the way only you could. In your name, Amen.