Readings:
Genesis 22: 1-18;
Acts 11: 1-18;
Psalm 148;
Revelation 21: 1-6;
John 13: 1-35

Collect:
Risen Christ,
your wounds declare your love for the world
and the wonder of your risen life:
give us compassion and courage to risk ourselves
for those we serve to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Reflection - The Church and The World

I travelled to Nigeria few weeks ago for the funeral of my Dad, I met a Bishop of the Church of Nigeria as I stepped on the plane; the bishop wearing his clerical outfit was in the business class, hence I greeted him and made my way down to my seat so that I don’t hold up other people behind me. Few hours into the flight, the bishop came to find me in my seat, and we stood up in the aisle having a chat, but less than a minute into the chat, the passenger close by suddenly started telling us off for standing in the aisle to talk. He berated us saying the aisle is not place for our discussion neither is it our church, and we should therefore not be talking there.

I was totally blown away by this unwarranted attack as we had been speaking for less than a minute, we were speaking in hush tone and being mindful of other people, I was even more surprised that he felt he needed to mention that the aisle was not our church in his unwarranted attack. The bishop told me not respond and went back to his seat.

Strangely few minutes after getting back to my seat, the man came to me to apologised for his outburst and he said that his anger was directed at the bishop because he was spending money taken from his congregation on business class ticket. I was now even more blown away as it confirmed what I suspected that his outburst had nothing to do with us chatting, rather he saw the bishop as a symbol of the church and everything that is wrong with the church (in his own view) and he felt the need to attack the bishop. Hence, I kept wondering for the rest of the flight – what do people think about the church? Especially those who are not Christians. 

When we use the word church today, many (in some regions most) people think, “That is the place Christians go on Sunday.” If we are fortunate, those people have a neutral impression of the church—they do not regard Christians as being good or bad. It is fortunate because there are no negative images to be faced before the gospel is shared with them. If we are very fortunate, those people have a good impression of the church—they regard Christians as a blessing to the community at large. Unfortunately, many people have a negative view of the church and Christians who attend churches—many Christians would be shocked to hear how negatively they are regarded by many average, non-religious people. The easiest thing for Christians to do is to react to what they regard as unjust criticism. Our basic reaction is some form of this: “How dare we be regarded as a negative influence in the community? How can anyone look at all we do as the church, and view Christians negatively?” Do you like everyone who is a Christian? Honestly? 

Do you differentiate between good and bad Christians? On what basis? Do you regard some church arguments as petty? Why? Do you abhor Christians that act one way in church and quite another outside the assembly? Can you sensibly follow all the different rules that exist from one church (congregation) to another? If such matters are problems for Christians in the church, why would we think such is not even more confusing for those who have been without spiritual influence for at least two generations? Do you realize how many teens and adults can say, “To find a person who regularly attended church in my family, you have to go beyond my grandparents.” Consider what non-religious people see on a too common basis. 

They see priests sexually molesting children. They see televangelists assuring people their souls will be saved if they will send money. They hear preachers say people can receive healing if they will give generously. They are assured the gospel is the avenue to wealth for the poor. They see divisions of congregations. They hear people who go to church creatively ask the non-religious to bail the church out of a financial crisis. They see Christians who regard church affairs as business opportunities.

As Christians, we need to exercise thoughtful care in presenting the gospel to people with no religious background (they surely need hope in Christ, but we need to be careful about the promises we make for God and the spiritual expectations we generate). We need to be certain we present Jesus Christ as God’s message, not our human religious views and desires. Christians need to exercise great care not to give non-religious people wrong impressions or incorrect expectations.

So what is the church? A building? A street address? A place? A civic organization? An economic opportunity? A people? or, is it merely a part of the unique Christian vocabulary? Without a lengthy discussion on the biblical concept of one church, can you see how confusing the situation is for a non-religious person who is not a Christian, has no desire to be a Christian, and comes from a non-religious background? 

The primary usage of church in scripture referred to a people who came to Jesus Christ to adopt the lifestyle and values he taught. The word church is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia. It was a common word with a common meaning that was used in everyday situations. It simply meant “the called out.” Thus, anytime people were “called out” of the general population to serve a special purpose or function they could be called church. 

I want to encourage everyone of us to be church wherever have been “called out to”, from our streets to the supermarket aisles, from our offices to the doctor’s surgery. Let us be that true church of Christ wherever we live out our lives daily.

Adedayo Adebiyi