Changing the way we think about "the Church"

Few organizations have been the brunt of so much criticism as “the Church”. Often referring to some unseen group of people who basically rub some people the wrong way. Armchair critics let loose in their judgment of any and all people who are “the Church”. Stereotyping is par for the course, separating the good as “accidental,” the “Church” is left only with others' failures. When someone is deemed to be “good” or to have done something “good” we credit that one person for their actions, thereby mentally separating that person from “the Church”. But, if someone makes a mistake or does something wrong then we say that is “the Church”. People classify the “Church” as a small group of people who are judgmental, stuck in their ways, and refuse to show love to anyone but those who please them. Get this in your spirit, THAT IS NOT THE CHURCH! People like that may always attend the building we call “church” but that does not make them the “church”. Understand, mean spirited people who try to control others are everywhere you go. They are in the building we call church and outside it in the “secular” world. Just like all people, short of the miracle of grace, they will stay that way. Defining “the Church” by a few people who go to “church” buildings is not the real way to define Church. Jesus said those that love Me (meaning love Jesus) keep His commandments, the chief of those being “to love God and one another”. He also said, “by this will all people know you are my followers that you love each other”. Follow this logic with me..if Jesus is the founder of “the Church” then Jesus should be the person to determine how His organization is defined. If Jesus defined it by those who obeyed His commandments then logic dictates that “the Church” is all those who keep His commandment to love God and others. Makes sense right? Then why do we say that the Church is a bad thing when it is made up of people who are acting like Jesus? By this definition “the Church” is the most impressive group of people who have ever lived! The Church has fed more hungry people in the world than any other group in history. It has cared for more orphans and widows, comforted more broken hearts, paid more debts and loved more fervently in one day than all the world combined. Beyond all this, the Church has carried the great news of salvation all over the world! The Church is full of the fruits of the Spirit like love, joy and peace. The Church has been the driving force of great adventures as its people have braved new worlds to spread God's love. The Church is still doing all of this today, right now all over the world.
Yes, it is true that every Sunday in buildings we call the church, people gather who do not do any of these things. And it is true that others have used the name “the Church” to spread empires and mistreat people. But that does not make them “the church.” They stole the name because it is such a great one. “They” are just more people who need the love of Jesus to transform them. If someone takes a cheap watch and stamps Rolex on it, does that make it a Rolex? If I changed the emblem on a Yugo and told you it was a Rolls Royce, would it be? Most people agree that this makes sense, but will we change the way we think and therefore the words that come out of us? You should, and for your own spiritual health, you need to. This misguided image is damaging to others and to those who hold on to these misconceptions. It keeps people from experiencing the great beauty that is the Spirit of Truth living on this earth. When we define the Church by people who are not really part of it, we do not see all the good that is going on because of Jesus. We can not find a way to connect with these wonderful people and experience the hope that they share.
The Church is alive and well, full of Hope and Love and still the most beautiful bride on this earth. Add this to your mental dictionary and let it change the way you think. The Church; it is people who love Jesus and others!
“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” John 14: 21
And for the record, as much as you may find this hard to believe...the Church still meets in a number of those buildings. Just do not be surprised if others show up as well.