Shifting My View of Church

I have heard the General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada refer to two different types of churches. The "come and gather" church, which for many of us is our typical understanding and experience of church. We come together at a local church building, at a certain time, where we typically see familiar faces from week to week. The other type of church is the "go and be among" church which travels (whatever the distance) to spend their "church-time" among other people while "being" the church. Now I will not be able to do justice to David Wells thoughts, but I can say it was rolled around in my heart and caused me to think repeatedly about the difference between the church building I attend and "being" the church.

What if we shifted our thinking from Sunday to Saturday in order to "be" the church among others, whether we attend a "come and gather" church or a "go and be among" church?

Take a look at Matt. 22:37-38, "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’" Then Matt. 28:19-20 says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

I wonder what my church experience would be like if the reason I got up on Sunday morning and attended a "come and gather" church was for the soul purpose to be a "go and be among" church with those I see through the week. What if my reason at church was to learn to live and be like Jesus, so I could go and offer the same to others? What if attending the church building was about striving forward to "be" the church to others?

I live in a culture and part of the world where "coming and gathering" at a certain time in a certain building for church is a very normal part of my weekly life. However, I have been challenged to shift my thinking that church doesn't start at 11:00 am on Sunday morning and end at 12:15 pm. The church is the body of Christ which comes together, so we can go and be among.

Many years ago I was challenged about whether I squeezed Sunday into the rest of my week or whether my week revolved around Sunday. I believe the church, the body of Christ, needs to intentionally "be" the church and God's representative 24/7. Let me ask you the same question I ask myself, "Are you representing the Lord well in what you say and do as you interact with others?

I hope and pray this challenges you to take a look at your week and begin the process of shifting the reason you attend church. What would your daily encounters look like if you shifted the reason you "come and gather", so you could "go and be among"?

Jo-Ann