Random Thoughts About Church
Hi, everybody. Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. It's been a crazy August, with the kids going back to school, Pitch Wars, and my first foray into querying Susannah' Gifts. Today, I'd like to share a few thoughts about faith and church.
Is our relationship with Jesus personal or through the Church? I think the answer is "yes". It's like building a house. The builder personally select each piece that goes into the house, like the wood, the wiring, doors, windows, and appliances. Likewise, the Master Carpenter selects each individual to become a part of the His Church.
A door cannot stand alone, nor can a wall have a hole in it without a window. The lights must function properly, not however or whenever they want. The washer and dryer, while they have their unique functions, must still rely on electricity, water, hoses, air ducts, and a room to be housed in.
Then, you have the "clergy": superintendents, carpenters, masons, electricians, HVAC techs, landscapers, laborers, and decorators. They are the ones who bring the house together. The "laity" is equipped to do basic repairs, and to participate in the life of the house, but if they run into major issues, they can always call upon the "clergy" to help bring the house back to what the builder intended.
A house or an apartment is to the local church, as a neighborhood, housing complex, or an entire community is to the universal church.
And so it is with the Church: local communities of believers united into the greater Body of Church (ideally). Yes, we do have a personal relationship with Jesus, but it is best realized and fulfilled within the framework of Church life, for the relationship is not private or individual. The Bible does not allow for that. Sure, Our Lord and other key figures went off by themselves, but they went off to draw closer to the Heavenly Father.
Now, you may wonder what it is that I do. Not as much as I should, I confess. A strong introversion, coupled with Asperger's, pulls me away from participating in anything with lots of people (and Small Life groups qualifies as "lots of people"). This is why I write, folks. I use my writing skills to the best of my ability to point readers towards faith. That ability is okay, at the moment; certainly a lot better than it was when I started, and there's plenty of room for improvement. May the Holy Spirit help me to refine and to improve my gifts. It's more important to me to reach out to the readers--even if it's just one person--than to score a big movie deal or a New York Times bestseller. That's a pipe dream. If I have helped somebody with a faith issue, or have led them to faith in Christ Jesus, then I will consider that a successful career.
P.S. Be sure to protect your eyes if you are able to view the solar eclipse, tomorrow.