Church, Churches and Churching

Most of my adult life, my friends have been church friends. However, I have not been attending my usual church, or any church at all for some time. Therefore, I don't see many of these people except for now and then and I do miss that.

Like every other Christian that I know, I do maintain my walk in Christ Jesus, but then I am outside of the body, and also missing fellowship, which is important and this is not good.

Obviously, I am having some church problems. I have strong needs to belong. I already do belong to the church, the "body" of Jesus Christ; and that means that I do belong to every Christian church, but I need to have the realization of belonging when I am there and "in church." That is the part of belonging that I am missing. That is the congregational part.

In pursuing this matter through prayer and meditation in the Word, I have realized that congregations are usually one of two types. There is the type of congregation that functions in UNITY or the type which functions in UNIFORMITY.

Those which function in UNITY function together to FULFILL God's purpose. Unity brings with it freedom to function in like-purpose with a diversity of God-given personalities and gifts. Churches which function in UNITY permit the Holy Spirit to move freely in service. "Where the Spirit, there is liberty." That is GRACE.

Then there are the churches which function in UNIFORMITY. Those which function in this way, funciton together to MAINTAIN God's purpose. (Which is already immutable without our help.) In these churches UNIFORMITY stifles diversity and God's Creative Flow. Service becomes a territorial matter. That is LEGALISM.

So, I need to belong in a congregation which functions in unity of purpose.

Certainly, I don't need to belong to a membership of people who are as perfect as I am.

That would be boring.

There's a quiet place
I like to be
Where the Lord imparts
His way to me
A place where I can
Safely lay
Out my thoughts
A place to pray
He gives assurance
That He sees
And works things out
Just for me
To help me over, through
or in
Any problem, trial, sorrow
Or sin
Thank You, Lord.