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October 22, 2005
Love of the Church.....
Thy Grace Is Sufficient has a great quote from Nouwen on the Church.
Our faith in God who sent his Son to become God-with-us and who, with his Son, sent his Spirit to become God-within-us cannot be real without our faith in the Church. The Church is that unlikely body of people through whom God chooses to reveal God's love for us. Just as it seems unlikely to us that God chose to become human in a young girl living in a small, not very respected town in the Middle East nearly two thousand years ago, it seems unlikely that God chose to continue his work of salvation in a community of people constantly torn apart by arguments, prejudices, authority conflicts, and power games. Still, believing in Jesus and believing in the Church are two sides of one faith. It is unlikely but divine!
Sometimes bloggers, and certain theological circles get the reputation of not always liking, or loving the Church. But I think that most live in that tension of not only loving the Church, but trying their best to also be a critic/reformer of the church, in hopes of bringing a sense of hope, and transformation to the Church Community.
This quote from Nouwen is a good reminder of the importance of the Church...the place that we we not only experience our lowest lows, but also our highest highs.
Posted by rhett at October 22, 2005 02:01 PM
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Comments
Absolutly. I venture to say that it isn't the moments of unspeakable unity in corporate worship, casoroles from Deacons when you have surgery, hearing of missionary's stories, listening to children sing, watching moms and dads play with their kids and put them before work, seeing really hurting people find a place to sit and cry, reading the bible together or living life together and finding friendships that will last for eternity that we mean when we say 'CHURCH HAS TO CHANGE'.
We mean to say, whatever gets in the way of the good stuff...whatever gets in the way of the full glory of God...that has to change. The unintellegent, bickering, back stabbing, stagnet disillusioned hopeless resolve of 'this is the way it is and always has been' thinking that feels counter to Jesus' message. This is the 'church' we mean to change.
Posted by: Kristie Vosper at October 24, 2005 10:15 AM
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