In a recent posting at his Truthful Conversations Blog, Mike Glenn responds to the popular YouTube video “Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus.” (If you haven’t seen it already, click on the link and watch it; you need to know about it.)
Mike closes with these thoughts: “It’s not enough for each one of us to have a relationship with Jesus and run off to live by ourselves. Each of us is called by Christ to be responsible to and for each other. The church is the bride of Christ. The church is the body of Christ. Enough said.
“The church is like a wagon train. We bump and rattle along, and everyone is sure they can go faster by themselves. Then, the bad guys show up on the horizon and you sure are glad to have the other wagons circle up. That’s church. You show up week after week, and you wonder if anything is happening and then…BAM…life kicks you. Your brothers and sisters show up. Someone comes by to pray with you. Someone sends a meal. Another friend calls while another one watches the kids…and there is something about the love of the church that brings us the love of Christ in ways nobody else can. Nobody makes it alone. Not on this journey we call life…it’s just too hard. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.
“Yeah, I know the church is messed up. Why should that surprise us? The church is made up of messed up people. Think about it. The church is the only place in the world that opens its doors and begs for the broken, wounded, lost and confused; but if the church ceases to be a place where broken people are welcome, we cease to be the church at all. Come to think of it, we should be surprised the church gets as close as it does.
“For some reason, Jesus sees something in the church. He loves the church. If you love Jesus, you’ll love the church, too. Just ask Simon Peter.” (Click here to read the full article and/or see the video.)