Doubt

I watched this movie 3 times in 2 days. Awesome! Because it was originally written for the stage, it has a solid dialogue and the 3 principal actors Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams did much justice to it.

It was weird, the way my friends and I each digested the story. I processed it mainly through the experience I've had in my many years (7 of them full time) serving in 'church'.

I understood the wide-eyed innocence of the novice nun (Sr. James) who believes the best in people. She was the person I used to be. But when I looked at the older but wiser nun (Sr. Aloysius) who has had years of experience to figure out that people are not really who they say they are, I recognised the person I had become.

In the final part, where Sr. Aloysius says, "I have such doubts!" I had a flashback to the time I discovered that 'church' as we know it is only a man made institution. I realised that I had been trying to reconcile Christ's body and the 'church' to no avail because they can never truly be one.

You reform, revise and improvise but the changes do not last. The old nun had no doubts about the priest (Fr. Flynn). He was well and truly guilty. But she could no longer believe or defend an institution that blatantly condoned, covered and even rewarded her so-called 'Christ' representatives.

Do life!

I’ve been wondering why we hide out in church so much when Jesus neither preached or practiced that. Somehow, we have made our faith a cozy cave to escape to; and for others it's an exclusive club to belong to. We busy ourselves with programs and events that keep us hedged in and the 'unchurched' hedged out. We've created a subculture called Christianity, just like the Pharisees made out of Judaism. Church members IN, Non-church members OUT. Believers faithfully flock to Sunday services for their weekly fix of spiritual food and fellowship. But they are believers not in Christ, but in a religion that's been conveniently packaged for the conscientious religious consumer.

Jesus taught in synagogues sometimes– the official approved centers for teaching and learning the Word of God though he did not keep the sabbath as often as the religious Pharisees did. He usually sat out in the open where the common folk gathered, like at the mountain side, where little boys picnicked on lunches their mothers had packed for them. By the beach where fishermen washed and mended their nets, at the roadside where blind men begged. Out in the open, where lazy sheep grazed on green meadows and farmers sowed their seed on carefully tilled ground. He attended weddings, funerals and parties. He rubbed shoulders with ordinary people. He ate and drank with ‘sinners’ while the Pharisees fasted and observed their religious traditions with their own kind. He didn't speak as the Pharisees did with their clever and eloquent theology but told stories that all adults and children could understand. He was truly a man of the people. A simple carpenter who worked with his hands, loved God and genuinely cared for those around him.

And guess what? The people who believed his message were not the learned and intellectual minds. It was the prostitute, the not so honest tax-collectors, the blind, the crippled, the demon possessed, the pagan centurion, the poor fishermen etc. These could not find fault with him. They saw how genuine and real he was and how that starkly contrasted with the Pharisees. The religious community didn't like him but that's okay because he didn't like them either. He exposed their false morality and self-righteous ways at every opportunity. He didn't even try to work out his differences with them but promptly denounced them as children of the devil! You had to hand it to him. Jesus didn't do 'church'. He didn't do 'cell group'. He did LIFE!

So why are you still cooped up in there?

Get out and start living life!

The Pulpit

A pulpit (from Latin pulpitum "scaffold", "platform", "stage") is a small elevated platform where a member of the clergy stands in order to read the Gospel lesson and deliver a sermon (you can read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulpit if you wish)

In present day Churchianity however, I fear the pulpit has become a

1. Beacon of Biblical Ignorance
2. Platform for Political Propaganda
3. Lectern of Human Intellectualism
4. Seat of Insecurity (and the fragile Male Ego, if I may add)
5. Stage for Stand-up Comedians
6. Rostrum for Opinionated Orators
7. Podium to Promote Self-seeking Agendas (sometimes disguised to look like selfless social causes)

In 1 Corinthians 2:4-6, the apostle Paul wrote
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

I read somewhere that

Kerussein [to "preach"] does not mean the delivery of a learned and edifying hortatory discourse in well-chosen words and a pleasant voice. G. Friedrich, "Kerusso," Theological Dictionary of the New Testament 3:703 (1965)

and that, the "sermon" (which is what we frequently get from the pulpit) is a polished, "educated" display of learning and professionalism. But, actually the word "sermon" cannot be found in the New Testament. Its origin is in the world of Greek and Roman philosophy.

Go figure.

Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore!

Why I Don't Go To Church Anymore!
by Wayne Jacobsen

Dear Fellow-believer,

I do appreciate your concern for me and your willingness to raise issues that have caused you concern. I know the way I relate to the church is a bit unconventional and some even call it dangerous. Believe me, I understand that concern because I used to think that way myself and even taught others to as well.

If you are happy with the status quo of organized religion today, you may not like what you read here. My purpose is not to convince you to see this incredible church the same way I do, but to answer your questions as openly and honestly as I can. Even if we don't end up agreeing, hopefully you will understand that our differences need not estrange us as members of Christ's body.

Where do you go to church?

I have never liked this question, even when I was able to answer it with a specific organization. I know what it means culturally, but it is based on a false premise--that church is something you can go to as in a specific event, location or organized group. I think Jesus looks at the church quite differently. He didn't talk about it as a place to go to, but a way of living in relationship to him and to other followers of his.

Asking me where I go to church is like asking me where I go to Jacobsen. How do I answer that? I am a Jacobsen and where I go a Jacobsen is. 'Church' is that kind of word. It doesn't identify a location or an institution. It describes a people and how they relate to each other. If we lose sight of that, our understanding of the church will be distorted and we'll miss out on much of its joy.

Are you just trying to avoid the question?

I know it may only sound like quibbling over words, but words are important. When we only ascribe the term 'church' to weekend gatherings or institutions that have organized themselves as 'churches' we miss out on what it means to live as Christ's body. It will give us a false sense of security to think that by attending a meeting once a week we are participating in God's church. Conversely I hear people talk about 'leaving the church' when they stop attending a specific congregation.

But if the church is something we are, not someplace we go, how can we leave it unless we abandon Christ himself? And if I think only of a specific congregation as my part of the church, haven't I separated myself from a host of other brothers and sisters that do not attend the same one I do?

The idea that those who gather on Sunday mornings to watch a praise concert and listen to a teaching are part of the church and those who do not, are not, would be foreign to Jesus. The issue is not where we are at a given time during the weekend, but how we are living in him and with other believers all week long.

But don't we need regular fellowship?

I wouldn't say we need it. If we were in a place where we couldn't find other believers, Jesus certainly would be able to take care of us. Thus, I'd phrase that a bit differently: Will people who are growing to know the Living God also desire real and meaningful connections with other believers? Absolutely! The call to the kingdom is not a call to isolation. Every person I've ever met who is thriving in the life of Jesus has a desire to share authentic fellowship with other believers. They realize that whatever they know of God's life is just in part, and only the fullest revelation of him is in the church.

But sometimes that kind of fellowship is not easy to find. Periodically on this journey we may go through times when we can't seem to find any other believers who share our hunger. That's especially true for those who find that conforming to the expectations of the religious institutions around them diminishes their relationship with Jesus. They may find themselves excluded by believers with whom they've shared close friendship. But no one going through that looks on that time as a treat. It is incredibly painful and they will look for other hungry believers to share the journey with.

My favorite expression of body life is where a local group of people chooses to walk together for a bit of the journey by cultivating close friendships and learning how to listen to God together.

Shouldn't we be committed to a local fellowship?

That has been said so often today, that most of us assume it is in the Bible somewhere. I haven't found it yet. Many of us have been led to believe that we can't possibly survive without the 'covering of the body' and will either fall into error or backslide into sin. But doesn't that happen inside our local congregations as well?

I know many people who live outside those structures and find not only an ever-deepening relationship with God, but also connections with other believers that run far deeper than they found in the institution. I haven't lost any of my passion for Jesus or my affection for his church. If anything those have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years.

Scripture does encourage us to be devoted to one another not committed to an institution. Jesus indicated that whenever two or three people get together focused on him, they would experience the vitality of church life.

Is it helpful to regularly participate in a local expression of that reality? Of course. But we make a huge mistake when we assume that fellowship takes place just because we attend the same event together, even regularly, or because we belong to the same organization. Fellowship happens where people share the journey of knowing Jesus together. It consists of open, honest sharing, genuine concern about each other's spiritual well being and encouragement for people to follow Jesus however he leads them.

But don't our institutions keep us from error?

I'm sorry to burst your bubble here, but every major heresy that has been inflicted on God's people for the last 2,000 years has come from organized groups with 'leaders' who thought they knew God's mind better than anyone around them. Conversely, virtually every move of God among people hungering for him was rejected by the 'church' of that day and were excluded, excommunicated or executed for following God.

If that is where you hope to find security, I'm afraid it is sorely misplaced. Jesus didn't tell us that 'going to church' would keep us safe, but that trusting him would. He gave us an anointing of the Spirit so that we would know the difference between truth and error. That anointing is cultivated as we learn his ways in his Word and grow closer to his heart. It will help you recognize when expressions of church you share life with becomes destructive to his work in you.

So are traditional congregations wrong?

Absolutely not! I have found many of them with people who love God and are seeking to grow in his ways. I visit a couple of dozen different congregations a year that I find are far more centered on relationship than religion. Jesus is at the center of their life together, and those who act as leaders are true servants and not playing politics of leadership, so that all are encouraged to minister to one another.

I pray that even more of them are renewed in a passion for Jesus, a genuine concern for each other and a willingness to serve the world with God's love. But I think we'd have to admit that these are rare in our communities and many only last for a short span before they unwittingly look to institutional answers for the needs of the body instead of remaining dependent on Jesus. When that happens do not feel condemned if God leads you not to go along with them.

So should I stop going to church, too?

I'm afraid that question also misses the point. You see I don't believe you're going to church any more than I am. We're just part of it. Be your part, however Jesus calls you to and wherever he places you. Not all of us grow in the same environment.

If you gather with a group of believers at a specific time and place and that participation helps you grow closer to Jesus and allows you to follow his work in you, by all means don't think you have to leave. Keep in mind, however, that of itself is not the church. It is just one of many expressions of it in the place where you live.

Don't be tricked into thinking that just because you attend its meetings you are experiencing real body life. That only comes as God connects you with a handful of brothers and sisters with whom you can build close friendships and share the real ups and downs of this journey.

That can happen among traditional congregations, as it can also happen beyond them. In the last seven years I've meet hundreds if not thousands of people who have grown disillusioned with traditional congregations and are thriving spiritually as they share God's life with others, mostly in their homes.

Then meeting in homes is the answer?

Of course not. But let's be clear: as fun as it is to enjoy large group worship and even be instructed by gifted teachers, the real joy of body life can't be shared in huge groups. The church for its first 300 years found the home the perfect place to gather. They are much more suited to the dynamics of family which is how Jesus described his body.

But meeting in homes is no cure-all. I've been to some very sick home meetings and met in facilities with groups who shared an authentic body life together. But the time I spend in regular body life I want to spend face to face with a group of people. I know it isn't popular today where people find it is far easier to sit through a finely-tuned (or not so finely-tuned) service and go home without ever having to open up our life or care about another person's journey.

But ultimately what matters most to me is not where or how they meet, but whether or not people are focused on Jesus and really helping each other on the journey to becoming like him. Meetings are less the issue here than the quality of relationships. I am always looking for people like that wherever I am and always rejoice when I find it. In our new home in Oxnard, we've found a few folks and are hopeful to find even more.

Aren't you just reacting out of hurt?

I suppose that is possible and time will tell, I guess, but I honestly don't believe so. Anyone who is engaged in real body life will get hurt at times. But there are two kinds of hurt. There's the kind of pain that points to a problem that can be fixed with the right care—such as a badly sprained ankle. Then there's the kind of pain that can only be fixed by pulling away—as when you put your hand on a hot stove.

Perhaps all of us have experienced some measure of pain as we have tried to fit God's life into institutions. For a long time most of us hung in there hoping if we tweaked a few things it would get better. Though we could be successful in limited ways during moments of renewal, we also discovered that eventually the conformity an institution demands and the freedom people need to grow in Christ are at odds with one another. It has happened with virtually every group formed throughout the history of Christianity.

Are you looking for the perfect church?

No, and I don't anticipate finding one this side of eternity. Perfection is not my goal, but finding people with God's priorities. It's one thing for people to struggle toward an ideal they share together. It's another to realize that our ideals have little in common.

I make no secret of the fact that I am deeply troubled by the state of organized Christianity. Most of what we call 'church' today are nothing more than well-planned performances with little actual connection between believers. Believers are encouraged toward a growing dependency on the system or its leadership rather than on Jesus himself. We spend more energy conforming behavior to what the institution needs rather than helping people be transformed at the foot of the cross!

I'm tired of trying to fellowship with people who only view church as a two-hour a week dumping ground for guilt while they live the rest of the week with the same priorities as the world. I'm tired of those who depend on their own works of righteousness but who have no compassion for the people of the world. I'm tired of insecure people using the Body of Christ as an extension of their own ego and will manipulate it to satisfy their own needs. I'm tired of sermons more filled with the bondage of religion than the freedom of God's love and where relationships take a back seat to the demands of an efficient institution.

But don't our children need church activities?

I'd suggest that what they need most is to be integrated into God's life through relational fellowship with other believers. 92% of children who grow up in Sunday schools with all the puppets and high-powered entertainment, leave 'church' when they leave their parents' home? Instead of filling our children with ethics and rules we need to demonstrate how to live in God's life together.

Even sociologists tell us that the #1 factor in determining whether a child will thrive in society is if they have deep, personal friendships with nonrelative adults. No Sunday school can fill that role. I know of one community in Australia who after 20 years of sharing God's life together as families could say that they had not lost one child to the faith as they grew into adulthood. I know I cut across the grain here, but it is far more important that our children experience real fellowship among believers rather than the bells and whistles of a slick children's program.

What dynamics of body life do you look for?

I'm always looking for a people who are seeking to follow the Living Christ. He is at the center of their lives, their affections and their conversation. They look to be authentic and free others to hurt when they hurt, to question what they question and to follow his voice without others accusing them of being divisive or rebellious. I look for people who are not wasting their money on extravagant buildings or flashy programs; where people sitting next to each other are not strangers; and where they all participate as a priesthood to God instead of watch passively from a safe distance.

Aren't you giving people an excuse to sit home and do nothing?

I hope not, though I know it is a danger. I realize some people who leave traditional congregations end up abusing that freedom to satisfy their own desires and thus miss out on church life altogether. Neither am I a fan of 'church hoppers', who whip around to one place after another looking for the latest fad or the best opportunity to fulfill their own selfish desires.

But most of the people I meet and talk with are not outside the system because they have lost their passion for Jesus or his people, but only because the traditional congregations near them couldn't satisfy their hunger for relationship. They are seeking authentic expressions of body life and pay an incredible cost to seek it out. Believe me, we would all find it easier just to go with the flow, but once you've tasted of living fellowship between passionate believers, it is impossible to settle for anything less.

Isn't this view of church divisive?

Not of itself. People make it divisive when they demand that people conform to their revelation of truth. Most of us on the journey are accused of being divisive because freedom can be threatening to those who find their security in a religious system. But most of us aren't trying to recruit others to leave their congregations. We see the body of Christ big enough to encompass God's people however he calls them to gather.

One of the things often said about traditional church is that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in American culture. We only meet with people who look like we do and like things the way we do. I've found now that I have far more opportunity to get with people from a broader cross-section of his body. I don't demand others do it my way and I hope in time that those who see it differently will stop demanding we conform to theirs.

Where can I find that kind of fellowship?

There's no easy answer here. It might be right in front of you among the fellowship you're already in. It might be down the street in your neighborhood or across a cubicle at work. You can also get involved in compassionate outreaches to the needy and broken in your locality as a way to live out his life in you and meet others with a similar hunger.

Don't expect this kind of fellowship to fall easily into an organization. It is organic, and Jesus can lead you to it right where you are. Look for him to put a dozen or so folks around your life with whom you can share the journey. They may not even all go to the same congregation you do. They might be neighbors or coworkers who are following after God. Wouldn't that kind of interconnection among God's people yield some incredible fruit?

Don't expect it to be easy or run smoothly. It will take some specific choices on our part to be obedient to Jesus. It may take some training to shake off old habits and be free to let him build his community around you, but it is all worth it. I know it bothers some people that I don't take my regular place in a pew on Sunday morning, but I can tell you absolutely that my worst days outside organized religion are still better than my best days inside it. To me the difference is like listening to someone talk about golf or actually taking a set of clubs out to a course and playing golf. Being his church is like that. In our day we don't need more talk about the church, but people who are simply ready to live in its reality.

People all over the world are freshly discovering how to do that again. You can be one of them as you let him place you in his body as he desires.

A match NOT made in heaven

Abigail and Nabal.

A totally mismatched couple! How they ended up together in the first place is not told to us but there are different ways to tell a story and the bible chooses to begin where David makes his appearance.

David has been on the run for a while now and he makes a stop at the Desert of Maon. Fugitives, David and his men seek temporary shelter on Nabal's property. Nabal is an extremely wealthy man. David sends an appeal for food and other necessities but Nabal's response is typical of the arrogant man that he is. In his own words...

"Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?" - I Sam 25: 10 (NIV)

Interesting.

[Having shaken off the shackles of serving the institutional church, i find i am one of those without valid membership to any recognised fellowship. Which means i am dangerously independent having no accountability to those appointed its leaders. Since i have no spiritual covering, spiritual malfunction is imminent. Its nothing personal. That's how it works. If you don't subscribe to the system, it can't support you. Church membership does have its privileges.]

Back to the story. Nabal sends David's men packing but the servants quickly alert Nabal's wife to the possible consequences of his rash decision. Abigail wastes no time. She packs the necessary rations and saddles her donkey. She manages to intercept David's party on their way to massacre the entire household of Nabal.

She falls to the ground and begs David's forgiveness.

Her words betray a wisdom her husband does not possess.

[Allow me to paraphrase]
"Please don't pay any attention to my husband. Nabal means 'a fool' and the man has certainly lived up to his name. May God avenge you from all your enemies so you need never fight the battle to vindicate yourself. Your willingness to fight God's battles has earned you His eternal favour and granted your family lasting posterity. It doesn't matter that your life hangs in the balance because God is watching your back. Your enemies have already been served the death warrant. It's just a matter of time before you become king. But if you choose to take matters into your own hands now, you risk jeopardizing your excellent track record. While you will be fully justified in your actions, it will continue to weigh heavily on your conscience long after this trial has passed."


The woman's as smart as she's beautiful.

Abigail averts a tragedy and in the process saves David's reputation too.

David is full of praise for her and assures her that he will take her advice. Abigail then returns home to find a very drunken Nabal hosting a huge party. So she says nothing. The next morning, when he's sobered up, she tells him what she's done. His heart turns to stone and ten days later God strikes him dead.

David hears the news and asks Abigail to be his wife. She says yes (clever woman!) to David and marries him.


What is the moral of this story?
There are 3 conspicuous characters in this tale.

Nabal means 'fool', although I'm sure he didn't realise how well his name suited him. I Cor. 1:20 says, God counts the wisdom of this world as foolishness. Sadly, it has crept into the church (disguised as good governance) and much teaching has been influenced by renowned management gurus and leadership coaches. To the point it is hard to discern what is God’s and what is not.

Abigail (whose name means 'cause of joy') had learnt to rise above her adverse circumstances. Although she was married to Nabal, she was his wife only by name. Indeed, she was his 'better half' and refused to be a party to his unscrupulous dealings. She knew God and recognized that David was His true servant. She did not blindly defend her husband but acknowledged that David and his men had been unjustly treated. She used her influence to right the wrong to the end that David and his men received due honor.

My disillusionment with the religious institution is understandable but there are thousands who, while they serve the system do not identify with it. Their faith and conduct are exemplary and often their timely intercession has averted God's judgement on the 'Nabals' of the religious system giving them space to repent. I salute them.

I pray that Abigail has the courage to boldly confess Christ before those who would rather die defending the religion of legalism and works. Her confession will break its power to dominate and enslave her so that she is free to be joined to the One who is full of grace and truth.

For those who identify with David - once the king's favourite but now his sworn enemy; perhaps you too have been rejected by the system you served so well, but do not despair. Jesus too was regarded as an outcast by the religious order of his day. Be patient. God will exonerate you in time. He is faithful and will allow no sin to go unpunished. If you act according to the dictates of the flesh, it will hinder the working of the Holy Spirit who is cultivating Christ' character in you.

David represents the Christ. The failure of the system will make many widows but Christ will make honest women of them because Jesus is our true bridegroom! And just like Abigail, our new found freedom in Christ will release us to run with God's holy purpose. God's kingdom will be firmly established in justicec and righteousness and Christ will be the Head of His Church once more.

End of an era

The end of an era.

After having served the institutional church for 7 years 3 months, i have left it all - my position, my ministry, my fixed stipend, my wonderful students (and very possibly my credibility as a bible teacher!) to follow the ONE who loved me and gave His life for me.

i am so sick and tired of mediocre christianity. Weary of trying to please both God and the religious community. i learnt (the hard way) that you can't atttempt to do that without seriously damaging yourself emotionally and physically. It is my experience, that when you try to serve God under the yoke of an institution it can literally choke the life out of you!

If I try to make sense of the turmoil i have experienced as fulltime church worker, these past few years (and more intensely the past few months), this is what I discovered. Like Job, I have been wrestling to understand why the 'spirituality' that surrounds me is at odds with the God I personally encountered more than 20 years ago.

And what was worse is that i worked so hard to reconcile the two. Most unhelpful were distant relatives of Job's friends who constantly pitched their theories of God even though these proved inadequate and shallow. But who was i to disagree? In learning and experience they were more 'qualified' to expound on the theology of God and His ways.

But tell me, why is the God in my Bible more pure, more righteous, more just, more loving & compassionate than the god we serve in our religious insitutions? Why does this God i know forbid me to have any other gods beside Him. What kind of God takes everything you hold precious, leaving you empty handed? The jealous kind. The Old testament God who takes great pleasure in the aroma of roasting flesh on the sacrificial altar. He rips out even the seemingly harmless and innocent affections in your life.

Stripping you of every earthly security that has helped you sleep soundly at night. Stopping at nothing until He has the satisfaction of knowing that all of you belongs to Him - body and soul. Until the only thing keeping you sane and centered is the seed of His word that He sows carefully in the bloody soil of your heart. For nothing must stand in the way of your devotion to Him. Isn't that what it means to love God with all your heart, soul and strength?

Strange. How different from the god we worship on Sundays, don't you think?

I know something now that i did not know then. The ways of man are in complete opposition to the ways of God. Today the institution that calls itself 'church' is governed by man's rules not God's laws. But how can it be his Body that chooses to follow after 'visionaries' who preach a different gospel from the incarnated Christ?

Stop lying to yourself. Stop compromising the truth. Stop trying to reconcile the two. Its time to choose whom you will serve.

But what balm for my broken heart? My broken body? Only the words of Jesus bring healing.

Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11: 28-30

The woman in ICU

A woman chronically ill occupies a bed in the Intensive Care Unit. A host of expert doctors have been assigned to her case. But none have succeeded in waking her from her deep sleep. They’ve studied her medical history from every angle and pored over ancient texts for answers. They’ve experimented with various theories and filled universities with their learning. They’ve run a battery of tests till there were no surfaces left on her person to probe or puncture. Still she lays there dead to the world, baffling the wisest of worldly men.

The search for a cure has spawned extensive research and endless intellectual debates all over the world. Experts have been consulted, books have been authored and conferences conducted to discuss the peculiarities of her case. She's even unwittingly lent her name to organizations who’ve dedicated their cause to her living memory. She is loved and supported by people she will never meet or know.

She has survived every groundbreaking discovery in the field of medical science. No expense has been spared. No stone left unturned. But to no avail. A machine now breathes for her.

Her tired caregivers have now turned their efforts to making her more presentable to her kind well-wishers. They've disguised her sickly pallor with a rosy blush, painted her shrunken eyelids with rainbow hues and tinted her blue lips, a brilliant red. A liberal splash of floral scents masks the presence of bed sores while a specially tailored garment keeps atrophying limbs out of sight.

Those who step into her exclusive quarters are greeted with a view of a sensuous woman dressed in designer silk, reclining on smooth satin sheets and supported by soft fluffy pillows. Soothing music plays in the background so visitors are not alarmed to her real condition. An IV supplies nourishment to her veins while an invisible catheter discretely disposes her wastes. Her doctors are ever ready in case of an emergency. Their professionalism and excellent bedside manner has everyone believing she couldn't be in better hands.

But her doctors know a secret. Their patient is only useful to them as long as she sleeps on in oblivion. Can you imagine the consequences if she woke up? Her condition has provided hundreds of jobs and kept their established centers of 'wellness' solvent and debt-free for years. In fact, in the event she expires, they have planned a fancy funeral and a cemetery plot on prime property where the public can pay to picnic while fondly recalling the once famous woman she used to be.

13 "From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.

14 They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
'Peace, peace,' they say,
when there is no peace.

(Jeremiah 6: 13-14, New International Version)

How will we answer Jesus when he asks what we have done with His Body, His Bride, His Church?

Who gets noticed in your church?

I have observed that those who get noticed in my church are usually pastors & elders, leaders, theologians, foreign speakers, MU football fans, married (or dating) couples, the visibly gifted, intellectuals, successful white-collar professionals and quite recently singles below 40.

Others get noticed for the wrong reasons or don't seem to get noticed at all.

The way I have been feeling recently made me go back to the Bible to see what it says of how we should treat our brothers & sisters in the faith. In I Corinth 13, Paul talks about the community of believers as a human body...made up of many parts - each having a specific function that contributes to the health of the whole body.

The New Living Translation puts it this way....

One Body with Many Parts

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Could it be that many 'significant' people in our church are being given the respect and honour that rightly belongs to those we consider weaker and lesser ? If we are to take Paul's explanation seriously, then the people we ought to proudly honour and fiercely protect are the

Coffee servers

Ushers

Church workers

Janitors

Blue-collar employees

Unemployed

Single mothers

Singles

Divorced

Barren

Clerks and typists

Financially disadvantaged

Disabled

Dysfunctional

Minority group pastors

Elderly

Etc

When we do notice them, what do we do? Offer an obligatory (once-a-year) gesture of appreciation that fits neatly into an 'ang pow' packet? Treat them like a charity case? Perform random acts of kindness when we feel like it?

Honestly, how many of us take time to befriend them? Lavish our love and affection on them the way we do for the more high profile people of our church community? Defend them and protect them from the harsh realities of life? Ask them if they feel safe and loved in our fellowship? And worry if they don't?

Why? There are many reasons.

Because they deserve nothing less. Because it is just and fair. Because God commands it. Because without them the church will become self-indulgent, obese and riddled with disease. Because we are called to mirror the Christ who chose the stable, revealed himself to poor shepherds, dined with miserly tax-collectors, touched the lepers and died for sinners.

This Christmas, pick someone who is 'invisible' or rarely gets noticed. Pick someone who is 'undeserving'. Pick someone who faithfully serves without recognition. Pick a 'nobody' and then spoil them silly! I have a hunch that Jesus would like that....a lot.

He picked you, didn't He?