Ten Things I See When I See Church

It’s very easy to be cynical about church. Growing up, there have been plenty of opportunities for me to become disenchanted with the expression of church that I have seen.

Thankfully, the church is not about perfection. As the Body of Christ, its head – Jesus Himself – takes great care of it. He offers glimpses of what it is and will be in His Word and in experience. One of the things that keep me going with it are those glimpses of what it is. Here are ten things I see, in no particular order.

1. A Caring Community

I see a gathering of believers who put people before buildings. I see their compassion feeding the hungry, visiting the imprisoned, offering healing to the sick, helping people out of debt, clothing the naked and in these and others prove the love of God is not sentiment, but action.

2. A Multi-Background Community

Recognising the power of the gospel to reconcile to the utmost, I see expressions of this. People of various financial, social, ethnic and physical/mental backgrounds committed to relationship with each other, growing to learn and understand each other and love each other for who they are in Christ.

3. Spirit-filled People Proclaiming the Good News Boldly

It’s interesting how many of those who attend churches regularly could be able to tell the gospel. I see a Body of believers who have the gospel so embedded in their being sharing it with others comes as naturally as sleeping, breathing and eating. I see people more than aware of the mixed responses they face and are not deterred but rather motivated all the more to tell this remarkable story of Jesus and His Kingdom.

4. A Prophetic Witness To The World

I see a church keenly paying attention to the God who speaks to His creation. I see them opening mouths and following it up with action that reinforces their commitment to what God has said.

5. People Who Value Truth Over Convenience

There is far too much compromise in the world. Selling out key values under the pretence that it will bring unity and peace. This creeps into churches that can’t accept Jesus as the only way to God. This is evident in churches that undermine any value in the authority of Scripture. I see the church like a beacon shining the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ even when they become unpopular as a result. I see that truth in the stand they make on idolatry, corruption, relationships, purpose and value of life and the other areas that often get swept under the carpet of convenience.

6. Integrated Expression of Shalom

Often church is splintered. Lip service is paid to unity and mutual submission. Those who are meant to be peacemakers often portray anything but that. I see people of all generations applying the purpose of God reconciling all things to Himself in Jesus, by working towards being a Whole body joined together, inextricably attached, displaying to the world what this concept of shalom looks like. How it impacts our relationship with God, ourselves, others and the environment He created.

7. Gathering Of Those Who Speak Up For The Voiceless

The Holy huddle mentality that sees us keep ourselves to ourselves and not engage with social issues, neglects the real responsibility we have to seek righteousness for those who have no voice. Whether children, disabled, elderly, Widows, foreigners and others whose position makes them vulnerable in society. I see the church actively meeting the needs of these and speaking out for them for the sake of justice.

8. Authentic Vessels Of Joy

It’s bad enough working and living in a world of moaners and complainers who need to ‘escape’ the world through media, booze or package holidays in a bid to get away from all they grumble about. It’s worse when the church are equally as miserable. I see folks who truly know what it is to count it all joy when they go through various trials. I see people who live out the encouragement to rejoice in the Lord always. Their lives radiate that joy and it becomes infectious as people discover as the fruit of the Spirit it’s what we produce in good times or bad.

9. Creative Conduits Of Beauty In Fruitfulness

It’s desperately sad seeing churches following the same model in the thought that what worked in one must work for all. It’s desperately sad seeing churches tend towards uniformity under the misguided notion that it’s the best way to unity. I see local expressions of church listening keenly to what the Spirit says to them and dynamically and creatively work in response to that according to the people, gifts, calls and capacity God has given that local expression, which would rightly lead to a glorious wide spectrum of expressions of church complimenting each other and showing the marvellous diversity that makes God’s world so wonderful and church so beautiful.

10. Faithful Followers Of Jesus

At the heart of what I see in church are those who will continue growing in knowing Jesus as their number one priority. All of their lives individually and together would be wrapped up in that.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden