June 2010

Followers of Jesus Christ do not so much "go to church" or "do church" as we are the church. Do you realize that wherever disciples of Jesus are, the Church of Jesus Christ is there? The church is not a what but a who. It is not a building or a geographical location but it is the people of God.

To tell the truth, it is God who is on his mission and we are to join him on that mission. Do you remember the line from Henry Blackaby's classic book, "Experiencing God," (If you have not read it, I recommend it!) "Find out where God is working and join him in that work"? The goal of the church is not to be a place where people want to come, or where we invite people to come join us or be a part of our "group." The Church of Jesus is to engage people in culture and in the world in the same way that Jesus did as he was on God's mission.

So wherever we go this summer as followers of Jesus, the church is there, whether it is at home, at work, or camping, or on vacation, or at the ball field, in the dance studio, at a homeless shelter or at the airport. If we are there, the Church of Jesus is there. The Church of Jesus has been sent by God into the world to represent God's heart to the world. It is not something that is added to our schedule. It is not something we need to take extra time for or do beyond our daily normal life. It is a way of seeing ourselves as representatives of God, working for and with him in our daily life, in the boring as well as the exciting. We go where we go in Jesus name to bless people and share the life of God with them.

Have you been to the optometrist's office and when they flip lenses? They do that to find the exact prescription for our glasses or contacts so we can see clearly. With one lens flip they can take letters that are blurry or unseen and make them visible and crisp. We know the lens does not create or change the letters. They were there all along, just as clear. The lens just opens up our eyes to see what is there.

What we want is to see the world through the lens of God's mission. As followers of Jesus, everyone of us is called. We are called outside. We have been sent on the same mission on which Jesus was sent by the Father when he went outside heaven to earth. We go into the kingdom of darkness with his kingdom of light. God will rescue people. We just shine the flashlight.