What is the Church?

I’ve been pondering a lot lately: What is the Church?

If I did a poll, I’d probably get answers like: “A place you go to worship.” or “Something Christians do on Sundays.” The first definition in the dictionary tells me it is a “public building for Christian worship.”

I got to thinking about “What is the church?” because I was thinking about the unequal distribution of resources in our world. I was thinking about how God provided us with plenty of water, food and materials for shelter, clothing, etc. The reason there is poverty in our world is because we let it happen. We have too much while others have too little. We are stuffed with greed and lust for power while others are innocent victims trapped in the cycle of poverty. We let it happen.

I’ve been thinking about my responsibility to the rest of the world…and about the fact that if all Christians actually helped internationally and at home instead of blaming or fighting or ignoring then we could make such a huge difference in people’s lives. I’ve been thinking: what are the responsibilities of Christians in our world? Are we to just share the gospel (or worse yet…just keep it inside our own buildings….) or are we to act on the gospel? Are we to live out the gospel as Jesus did during his life on earth?

What is the church?

But I also realized that “What is the church” doesn’t even really make sense as a question. I mean, it does if you look at how our society views “church”….

A better question is: Who is the church?

Who is the church? The church is not Americans. It’s not rich people. It’s not the people who go to worship on Sundays. It’s not heterosexual people. It’s not people who can speak in tongues. The church…the body of Christ….is made up of all those who have made a place for Holy Spirit in their heart by acknowledging Jesus as savior. We are nothing without Him. And who did he minister to? Rich and poor alike. Sinners and outcasts along with the faithful. Children. Jesus’ church was anyone who was willing to listen….believe…repent….spread the good news.

What is the church? Where is the church? Who is the church?