Here is the Church...

"Here is the Church, here is the steeple, open the doors and here's all the people". This has for the last two days been on my mind, this nursary rhym of sorts. We remember it as kids with the folding of our hads with our fingers turned inward and our index fingers pointed out for the steeple. Then as we spoke the words people we would turn our hands over and fingers up, wiggling them as the people. It made us chuckle and we thought we were cute, inmpressing all of our other friends with it. You remeber, right. Try it once.

As I left New York to come here my Church was beginning to move to a Discipleship model Church. Small groups lead by Elders, teaching us to be like Jesus. Small groups are the place for growth, for discussion and learning. Sunday is the celebration of our Faith and a time to worship our God together, not our catch all day to show our faith. We were trying to develop small community. To move as one body under Christ Jesus as the Bible tells us to do. To make Disciples of the world starting with each other.

I whole heartedly believe that this model is the way that the Lord Jesus has modeled for us and the way it should be done. One person pouring into others in deep discussion and from that one on one discipleship and teaching others so that they are equiped then to do the same. My Church has it correct, the Elders are right, we must use the example of the Lord and become a small community of believers, pouring into each other so that we can Follow Him. It is the perfect way from the Perfect Son.

There is an obstacle that I believe must be overcome in our Church, in the American Church before the real Discipleship can begin. Each Christian must begin to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Chrsit and allow ourselves to pour out to those around us without expectation of any return from man. We must only seek the Kingdom of Heaven. We must only be used by the Lord and seek Him and His approval, not mans.

I recall speaking "Christian" regarding being filled or not being filled. It became a catch phrase for being tired or not. If we worked hard for another we were empty, if we recieved we were full. Almost an excuse for our overall attitude. Heck you could use the term to get past an argument if you liked, "I am just not filled with the Spirit today" Could you imagine the lord saying this? "I am sorry Sir, I am just not filled today, none of the Disciples poured into me and all I did was give all week long, so I can't cure you right now. Maybe come back after my small group on Tuesday". Ridiculous!

He didn't because Christ Jesus was dependent on God Himself and that relationship to get Him through His days. He didn't depend on Peter or John. How many times did He scold Peter for messing things up. Our Lord, Discipled and poured and prayed and sufferd and got made fun of and challenged every day and yet He maintained His relationship with the Father and poured out to those around Him. We must do the same. Our Church must look the same. We must all be only dependent on God the Father and what Jesus did on the cross for us to maintain ourselves. Once we have done that then we can pour out to our hearts content, and the Spirit that dwells there will abundantly give us the means to do so. When this happens then we can move to a Discipleship Church.

Once there we will only see others needs. Once there we will only see how and where we are needed because a need exists not a need to be fullfilled by the need. Once we are there then we will all grow because or service becomes for Him alone and not us. We will gather in His name, not ours. We will reach out to others unconditionally for them and not us. We will be as Christ individually, and therefore be one body Corporately.

So back to the ryhm. I will change it a little. Here is the Church, here is the steeple, open the doors and here's all the Christian people. What are people going to see when they come to our Church. Will they know from other than the building that we are Christians? Will they be able to enter and see Christ? Better yet, will they see Christ when they see you outside of the Chruch? Only by our pure dependance in Christ Jesus will we ever become the Christians that Jesus asks us to be. Only when we move past seeking mans approval will we be the Church described in the Bible.