Not being the church should not be an option.
All who follow the Way of Jesus are called to be authentic in their following by being themselves, being proud, and being the church.
It is always time to
- co-create with God;
- make real God’s realm on earth; and
- advocate for justice for all of God’s people.
So What?
Being the church is never an individual adventure; it is always a shared journey. It requires a genuine concern for all humans and a commitment to embody love for God in everyday acts of loving neighbor when neighbor is understood to include all 7 billion+ people who share the earth with us today and all of creation.
If those you journey with are not responding with love upon love to events of significance (and those impacted by such events) that happen down the block, across the country, or around the world, then perhaps this group has lost its way. For a group to be called church, it cannot be silent nor can it remain on the sidelines.
- How have you responded with love by being the church in light of one of the nation’s worst mass shootings at the popular Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando? How has your local “group” or congregation responded?
- What other recent events have challenged you to be and become the church in new ways?
Note: Thanks to the United Church of Christ for releasing the Still Speaking 2.0 Toolkit, which includes the image featured in this post.