And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18

Have you ever thought about the definition of the word “church”? Today the term is usually used in reference to a building. We are often telling people what is going on at the church, directions to the church, going to church, returning from church, etc. And though Jesus, in the scripture passage above, is using Peter’s name metaphorically as a foundation, the church to which Christ is referring is, no doubt, more than a building.

So, what is a church? Hoping for some illumination on the subject, I picked up my well worn copy of the Webster dictionary (I would site the publishing date, but that page disappeared somewhere between college and seminary) and was surprised to find not one, not two, but five different definitions for the word in question!

Now the question becomes one of multiple choice. Is a church: a building for Christian worship; the whole body of Christians; a religious denomination; a religious congregation; or, an act of public divine worship? And the answer is “Yes”

A church is so much more than a building or a group of people that worship together. I don’t want to appear to be dodging the question, but my own personal opinion is that like so many things of God, church defies an easy explanation or definition. I’ve seen the church at work, I’ve experienced the love and support of the church (especially these last few months) I love it, I can point to it, I live next to it, my life revolves around it, but church is sort of like describing a beautiful sunrise; I can tell you some of the details, but I’ll never be able to give you a description that does it justice.

So, I leave it up to you. What is your church? Is it everything you want it to be? If it isn’t, what can we do together to make it “more churchy”? What can we do together to make it what you feel it should be? Just like that sunrise, the more people that describe it, the more beautiful it becomes. If we don’t say anything, someone may just miss a beautiful sunrise. Share your ideas and descriptions with one another and with me. Together we can add to CHURCH.

Yours In Christ,

Pastor Jim

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