The "Church Within"?

Those of us who follow Jesus usually carry around "a church within" whether we consciously know it or think about church in this way. Why do I say this?

The paradigms and rhythms of what I'm calling "the church within" is our own interpretation of how things should be, happen and go in a fellowship. Oh I'm fully aware the Bible's Greek and context of "church" is "assembly of called-out ones", the true believers in Jesus and not merely those who give lip service to faith -and not any particular brand nor institution or gathering we may refer to as "church".

Navigation of changes- especially unplanned, unexpected shifts in our natural comfort zones are often, perhaps even regularly difficult to deal with. I speak and write about such all the time.

If this is true with relationships in family, workplace, sports teams and a toilet that didn't leak but now does how is it we'd not expect it to be so in a local or larger church where we've become accustomed to doing things a certain way... and now seeing our "normal" heading out to sea?

In "The Holy Longing" Ronald Rolheiser makes what I believe is a great case for Mary seeking to hold on to Jesus after His resurrection -and He says she must not. What follows is his ascension and of course Pentecost.

How often we plant ourselves and seek a continuum of comfortable or at least known and accepted experiences and in the process miss the Holy Spirit Whom (remember Jesus' phrase" "living water"!) continues to move.

Rather than moving on, growing, facing the death of old ways of doing things, and yes, loss and embracing the grieving of the losses but not. living. there is a task many in the body of Christ seem to continually fight.

Remember the context of Jesus teaching on new and old wine, new and old cloth? We have often said "The old is better" when in fact -some- of it was but not all!

Ever pitch your tent near a stagnant bit of water? Ever done so near a flowing stream or fresh spring-fed pond? Night and day, that!

I suggest to you our concept, within our own mind, will and emotions of what a REAL church IS and MUST BE is often, even regularly different than God's Own view of what a practical congregation should be and look like. Local fellowships on earth change for good or ill in many ways over time because people come, go, live, die, change.

Keeping our eyes and hearts centered on Father/Son/Spirit in prayer, daily study of His Word (Bible) repenting our own un-loving attitudes and behaviors, seeking and -giving- forgiveness when we are offended are not always easy, simple and fun to navigate even though Jesus' tells us to take HIS yoke on ourselves for it is easy and His burden is light.

Demanding things continually "stay the same" is useless due to human change and for that matter, true spiritual growth as a disciple of Jesus Christ as Lord of one's life. There are points in our individual walk that our own pharisaical clinging to OUR interpretation of our own "church within" has to go. What happens after that? What should happen continually for a disciple of Jesus- faith, hope, love, more of all of these as well as deeper connection with the Lord and His people, not mere rancor or rage and the default of unwillingness to hear and follow the Spirit of God when He is calling us to do so.

Again, I'm not saying all and every change is prompted by Him- but neither is the spiritual cement we sometimes mix for ourselves, pour and get stuck in never to reconcile with changes. Humility, experience and wisdom can teach us God's plan which is not always ours any more than it is others' ideas of church. Our calling is to follow Him and continue to serve and bless people in and beyond the local church.

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn