"Church"

This past weekend Jeff and I took 9 of the high school student from our church to CSM, LA.


Over the course of the weekend, the students were challenged in many ways (as were we). They did incredible work, with incredible hearts, and were a blessing to me, as well as so many others.

As I worked alongside these students, I thought a lot about the "Church". I will openly admit that I am very critical, even cynical of the "organized Church" these days. The 60 minute church service, that fits nicely into it's very perfect order of worship. The 5 point sermon, the 6 worship songs, the nice prayer, the friendly hello to my neighbor, the closing song, and the single-file lines out of building. I wonder, is this what we are called to as a community of believers, to sit in the pews for 60 minutes every Sunday morning?

I wonder if this is what the early church was like. Did they care as much as we do about these pieces of worship? I think about the apostles, about their travels, about Paul's letters. I think about the stories of meals shared. I wonder about the conversation of the people around those tables. What was talked about? What stories were shared? What ministry was planned? What prayer was said?

This weekend, as I sat with and walked with these students, as they asked hard questions, as they struggled, as we struggled together, I could feel the presence of God. This weekend, with this group of students, this was Church.

Sermons were preached by the unexpected, a man in recovery who gave us a tour, a homeless woman we shared breakfast with, men we served meals alongside at the Midnight Mission. These people preached sermons about God's incrediable power, love, and grace that these students (and I) will never forget. This was Church.

I am tired of "church". I want to be part of a Church that goes, a church that is a community, a church that strggles together, a church that rejoices together, a church that serves others, that takes care of it's body, a church that loves. I want to be in worship, I want to be in worship that is Spirit-led, worship that isn't perfect, that broken strings on a guitar isn't a crisis but rather an opportunity for something else. I want to meet over meals and cups of coffee. To sit in a way where we see each other's faces and not the backs of heads.

Perahps it's unrealistic, perhaps it's only a dream, but now it's my prayer.