The American church today. Can we really see Christ's heart in it's reflection? The church is stated as being "The bride of Christ"...the importance of the church, therefore, is obviously implied as acting as the cornerstone of Christ's love. But, in analyzing the American church today, I believe it falls short of representing Christ's heart...not exactly capitalizing on the depths of his love. Today, we have more churches located throughout the United States than ever before, but we have a matching increase in crime, drugs, orphans, gangs...etc. We don't have to do too much analyzing to realize that the church is not making much of an impact within these areas of society.
The majority of churches that I have witnessed have "church" within the walls of their own buildings...love not exactly reaching much past the doorsteps, let alone to the brokenhearted, orphans, or widows. okay...i get it! We want our lil planned out, safe, comfortable n convenient lives, right? Let's keep church to Sundays...our faith to the pews...and our relationship a religion? Isn't that how it works? Then we don't have to get our hands messy. We don't have to enter into the fight of this world. We can keep a clean look and act like we're interested in social justice by sporting a t-shirt or spending a week on a church outreach to a disadvantaged country. We can talk amongst ourselves bout that crazy love of Christ...grow a lil bit, but only to the extent where it doesn't put a jolt in our lifestyle. This is the church of today. This is what i see, at least, and i betchu that it is the same view of most people that look in on our lil feel-good social gatherings with a scowl. And a no doubt why they do!!! Come on! A bunch of hypocritical business if you ask me...i'ma just keep it real on this beat right here. We're missin it, church. We're missin that crazy love of acting as representatives of the Bride of Christ. And America is feelin it. The war is waging outside our built up walls and we are satisfied to sit it all out on the sidelines. I could be wrong, but i don't think this is what God had in mind when he called us forth as his bride...when he promised us all the gifts of his Spirit...and more miracles than even Jesus, himself, performed. Our faith should be ever-changing...dynamic...abounding in acts of love to those outside those white walls.
Let's start to get a lil messy. Let's open our eyes to the war waging around us and take up our swords. How are we reaching out to the orphans and widows...how exactly are we being challenged...where are we feeling uncomfortable? If we aren't...something is very wrong. If we are satisfied...we are in trouble. Small groups spurring one another on in the faith is great...but for what? So that our now strong faith sits within our own hearts? Not to be shared with another within our own communities? I was watching the news the other night and it was stating that the number one reason that girls get caught up in forced prostitution and human trafficking is due to homelessness...aka...they are orphaned. What are we doing about it? Or are we waiting for the government to do something? The criminal justice system that is so known for perfection to act on this growing epidemic? nah...this is a church issue...this is an open door for us to reveal God's love!!!! Where we at?? With as many church members that there are today, we could be adopting these kids...we could be displaying one of the biggest examples of Christ's love to the rest of the world with our actions...but nah...we don't move. It'll cram our style. Our regularly programmed tv shows might get interrupted. And we keep going with a group think type of dilemma..."somebody else will handle it". In my opinion, we are trippin in the satisfaction of our comfortable lives n missing Christ's heart for the church today. Let's start to enter the messiness of what this faith should be.
