A buddy of mine responded online to the above comment saying he could never consider himself a church, and didn't think anyone today would. He said MAYBE "a temple" but never "a church".
I thought this highlights the confusion about what church is and isn't, and shows the importance of a correct understanding. Below is my response, and a link to the conversation if you'd like to comment...
-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—No, YOU as an individual are not a church, I'm not saying you're a temple - different altogether. I'm saying the word Church in Scripture means something entirely different than how we use it - it's been corrupted. There is only one Church - the group of people called out (literally that's what the word means) to live for God. WE are the Church. Knowing the difference can change everything about your life! It's important because:
1) The Church is a people group who've sold out for an event instead of a lifestyle.
2) We don't know we are called collectively, not just individually - as the Body of Christ
3) You wouldn't say Native Americans is that place with casinos - you'd be wrong AND offensive. We are a people group, in - but not of - this world, sold a lie about going to church like we go to a movie or to school instead of living as a sovereign nation with an entirely different culture.
4) "Family" is not just the place you eat dinner. We don't just "do" family between 6 and 9pm. Yet this is how we've minimized our collective identity as the Bride of Christ - The Church.
5) As mentioned above, there is one body, one church. We've made it a business with market share, competition, career-centricity,etc. Church has become more about marketing than ministry and more about ROI than GOD. By thinking there's a bunch of churches (a product of mistaking it for a place or event), we've lost the very impact the church was originated to make by displaying our "togetherness".
So - YOU aren't a church, but we are ECCLESIA, the Church - the called out ones of God - and are to live a different lifestyle and culture by identifying in Christ together.
Feeling "called-out" yet?
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Get in on the discussion HERE: (http://www.facebook.com/mikeqdaniel/posts/10150235898585993?notif_t=feed_comment)
-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— ridiculously graced...
-mike.
Mike Daniel
Phone: 210-646-GRACE (4722)
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