I feel as if the Church is a vast resource which the church institutions are missing, forgetting, or have forgotten about. Many churches continue worrying about declining attendance and being in a society in which moral decadence seems to be on the raise; yet the Church globally does not seem to have this problem as it continues to thrive in Asia, Africa, and South America, especially in places where Christians are being persecuted.
I feel as though many of us, most of us, in America find ourselves working hard, maybe two or three jobs, maybe raising children, maybe dealing with suffering of those around us, perhaps dealing the effect of addictions on our households; yet most us our struggles, most of our of weaknesses, which we could use to build up the Kingdom, we simply never bring them to the surface. Why do we feel most judged by those who should be the least bit judgmental? Why do people have an easier time confessing their troubles to their friends at the club or at work than at church?
We tell people God accepts them as they are; yet we try to change them and tell them they are no good after they are converted and do not change and comply quick enough. Sometimes we even hold others or ourselves to standards not even seen in scripture, we judge them on our spiritual conviction; because we think what God has convicted us of should be the convictions of everyone else. We need to understand that God is the judge, the Holy Spirit is the counselor, and Jesus is Lord and Savior - these are not our roles to fill. Our roles are to be bringers and heralds of the Kingdom, to put our actions and words to the expanse of God's Kingdom, and to be encourages to one another to follow and pursue a godly life, to follow Christ each on our own journey.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. - Colossians 3:6-8This journey will be different for the child, the adult, the elderly, the wife, husband, single, married, healthy, sick, wealthy, the poor, for the white, black, and all other types of people. We each have our weaknesses but we each also have our strengths and this is what makes the body of Christ so unique. The Body of Christ is not the "observers" from the pews and chairs and the leaders from the fronts of our churches and its pulpits, no; we are all called to be more, called to minister in some way, to use our gifts, and to be a light in this world. Sometimes being a light means exposing our dark side(s) so that people see we are real and not plastic people with fake faces and facadic lifestyles. I consider myself an open person; however, there are some things I do keep hidden, we all do, because we fear we will be judged, we will be ousted and become outcasts, and effectively excommunicated from our current church and life and person-hood if people knew the truth.
Maybe we are hiding addictions or anger or our dating life. Maybe we are hiding our thoughts when it comes to doctrines or convictions or the roles we believe gender plays in our everyday lives. Maybe we feel judged or misplaced or unknown. Maybe we feel lonely or alone or misunderstood. Maybe we feel ugly or fat or unattractive. Maybe we feel no one listens to us and we always take a back seat to those who are louder and more charismatic than ourselves.
There is a place for you and for me in the Church, in the Body of Christ, in the Community of Believers. Do not give up searching and finding it out. God does have use for you. He does have a purpose. He does have a niche for you and for me to serve. The church as an institution or building may fail and fall but the Church Universal has lasted through the ages and will continue to grow. Remember we have Brothers and Sisters from past, to present, and into the future, who speaks different languages, worship in different styles, who proclaim the gospel in different ways - but one thing always stays the same. Christ Supreme!
Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches." - Luke 13:18-19
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2~ Daniel
