God and Church
Church is a spiritual community who follows the life and work of Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Church is a gathering of believers who walk in the spiritual journey, by lifting and supporting each other. The purpose of the gatherings are for edification through the teachings of Jesus Christ, and for empowerment through the work of the Holy Spirit. Church life requires of person’s spiritual fruits that are resulted from the process of faith.
However, church in this century, is a building where religious members come together for religious traditions. God is spirit. God’s people can gather anywhere any time. God’s people need no worship places in particular because true worship takes a place in the life of the oppressed, not in the church buildings. The Bible tells us:
“the pure and undefined religion [faith] in the sight of our God and Father is to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1. 27.
The sanctuary of the spiritual believers are found in the skid rows, in the march for social justice and Eco-justice, in the community center, in the town hall meetings, and more. Church exists to equip and serve for the common good. Instead, churches have become members only peer community.
Who comes to the church?
According to the professor, George Valliant, at Harvard Medical School, in his book, Aging Well, most people join the church membership to avoid the hell in case it really exists. They come to the church out of the fear after life. They also come to experience the heavenly community on earth. They, soon, learn that religious life doesn’t guarantee the heaven either on earth, or after life.
Who are not in the church?
Church doors are mostly closed against substance abusers, smokers, and alcoholics, in addition to LGBTQ. They long for the love of God, but the church keep them away. If the church exercised the power of the Trinity, they all would be in the church and celebrate the love of grace God. Church claims of the gatekeeper to the heaven, and its gate is too high for the marginalized.
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