Re-membering Community Part I - Church Matters

I am in the process of implementing a sermon series called "Remembering Community" at my church. I have been in conversation with many people, mostly young adults, who are questioning the purpose of church in their lives. Not God. Church. I realize that the older generation (myself included) has not put across the best picture of what church is all about. In our portrayal of church, there has been a lack of true fellowship among the body and true effectiveness in the world - two things that I believe the current generation is seeking. They need to know why they should bother, otherwise - they're gone.

I strongly believe in the need for a local church, a community of believers within each specific section of the world. If we lose this, if this generation splinters off into mere cell groups, then we've lost what I believe is the Christ-established form of invasion - - - Invasion by Community.

Paul's life in Acts was geared toward establishing these communities, and his letters are geared to maintaining them, making sure that they don't splinter or fall away - blended into the world or lost in false doctrine. So much of the New Testament is focused on the local church that it has to be of utmost importance to kingdom building. Church matters.

So I know that I have to fight for it as well. Not just for the small, local body of believers that I pastor. That would be disingenuous, as if I were merely intent on preserving my livelihood. I'm not interested in personal kingdom building. I fight for it because it's the best way to bring the Gospel to the world.

I believe that's why God placed "Remembering Community" on my heart. The purpose is two-fold:

1. To remember why community is so important and understand that we can't let "church" fade away into new movements. I want to teach the need for the local body, the church. For Sunday morning services. For weekly Bible studies. For "fun times." Anything that builds up the community.

2. To literally "remember" Community - the church I pastor. To have a complete re-commitment to this particular local body as an extension of the kingdom at large. To re-member every member, not so that we can claim more numbers, but so that each person can understand what being a part of a church community really means. It's not just showing up on Sunday mornings. It's getting together throughout the week. It's getting into the world and being the ambassador for Christ that we are called to be.

If membership is going to exist in a church, then it should mean something. I believe that it does, because I believe that the Plan is invasion by community. Jesus built up a small body of disciples that ate together and struggled together. After he left they huddled together. Ultimately they advanced the kingdom together. Community matters.

The next few posts will be the aspects of this. For example, my next post is "Keep It Clean" - why it so important to keep the vessel (individuals and churches) free from the stain of the world. If there is no distinction, then there is no clear call to the world.