Extra: Go or Be

This is an extra. Sometimes discussions with those I love prompt in me a need to write something a little off my normal trend. This one of those times.

Where are people getting the idea that you don't have to go to church? This myth is floating around and many are catching it like the flu, and spreading it to others. Well sometimes we just need to go with the flow on things. So, I am going to agree: No one has to "go to" church, but you do have to BE the church. Our thinking is so worldly like Nicodemus thinking had to go back into his mother's womb. He was thinking of a place to go, but Jesus was thinking about BEING born again. (John 3) It is like the woman at the well questioning Jesus about the place of worship, Gerazim or Jerusalem. She was thinking of a place to go and Jesus was thinking of a state of BEING a worshipper. (John 4) Are we so worldly in our thinking that we do not understand the nature of the church he built (Matt.16:18) and purchased with his own blood? (Acts 20:28)  There is nothing in Scripture that makes church a place to go. There is everything in Scripture that makes the church something to BE.

Church is ecclesia-the called out ones. We have to BE called out. Out of what? Out of darkness into light (Col.1:13). This is the kingdom of the Son He loves where redemption and forgiveness of sins are found. Keep reading. He then turns to the nature of Jesus Himself. Creator. Sustainer. Head of the body, the church. This is what Christ BE. (Sorry for the grammar.) But, we BE in relationship to Him. We are the ones created, the ones being sustained, and the body directed by the head. We--not me-together with others we are the body. 1 Cor..12 makes clear the body cannot be one part. It is many parts working together. We must BE together to work together. Read all of 1 Cor.12. Don't say you don't need the other parts of the body. That is like a hand not needing a foot. We are ONE. At least that is what Jesus prayed we would BE. (John 17)  How can a family BE a family without BEING with the family? How can a business BE a business without employees showing up to BE with the business? How can we do any of the things we are told to BE--singers, encouragers, builders, teachers, brothers and sisters without BEING with others? We don't just BE the church on Sundays inside a building, but we are the church there. The church loses its sense of BEING when the members stop gathering. But, it is not about "GOING." It is about BEING.

"And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42) "And those who believed were together.." (Acts 2:44) Were they "going" or BEING? Come on people. This is Church 101.