The Church

Have you ever been to visit a church and it just felt akward? Almost like you don't belong? I mean yes, there was a nicely dressed person standing at the front door passing out what looked like a flyer and they smiled and yes there were even little cups of juice to drink and some fruit to snack on. But what about the other things going on. The the man at the front door followed you with his eyes and then whispered to someone as you left the entry way, and the groups of people standing talking who will occasionally look up just to see if it really is true that they haven't seen you before. Then you bump into a pastor who takes you and introduces you to so and so who's been going to this church for what must be forever and they carry on the typical akward conversation about how you are, and where you live. Asking you questions like "Do you have any kids?" "Oh well that's nice" is the response you get wheather you answered "yes" or "no".

This all leads up to my real question. When did the church become so inward focused? When did the church decide that it's ok to just invite my friends everynow and then? I want to know when the church became a place for believers to just "hang out". You can walk up and down the aisle of any given church and find people gossiping and going on about their weeks. It's almost like a highschool; you have all of your different groups, and they only interact with one another. You have your popular kids and your preppy kids, and the jocks, and the cheerleaders, and the dancers, and your punk kids...oh wait that can't be, do we as a church even allow punk kids through the door without giving them a wierd look? Jesus said "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew 9:13), and is it not time that the church began to call on sinners? Is it not time that we take a step back and look at ourselves and the church around us and just ask this question "Are we spreading the gospel" and I don't mean to those who already believe but I mean to those who have sinned in the most terrible ways. Are we as a church willing to not just take in, but openly ask to come someone who looks different, or acts different, or who has committed a sin that we find terrible? Are we willing to spread the word of Jesus Christ to everyone that we meet? Are we willing to go into that place that no one else wants to go to show God's light? Or, are we going to continue to go to church three times a week and talk with our friends, and learn a new Bible verse, and sing a new song. I pray that we all can answer yes, that we are ready to spread the message and love of Jesus Christ to everyone. I leave you with this final thought, if we believe that someone is so bad that they cannot come to church then how are they ever going to change? How are they ever going to see the light and the word and most of all the love of Jesus if we don't bring them into the church and show them?