How are you Treating your Family?

How are you Treating your Family?  1 Timothy 3.15

Family, as in Church.

‘Did you get in a fight with your family on Thanksgiving?’  The interviewer asked folks on the street for Jimmy Kimmel Live last night on television.¹  Supposed to be funny, which in itself is kind of sad; but of course, it is also telling, because families often do have fights, don’t they?

In several places in Scripture, the body of Christ or the Church, is likened to a family.  Here in the middle of chapter three, Paul reminded Timothy, “I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth,”² or so that “you will know how to live in the family of God. That family is the church of the living God…³

We have looked at Paul’s suggestions for keeping order in the worship service, and instructions for elders and deacons, fully purposed in honoring God’s heart for the Church.

And now, I must ask you, Friends:  Church—what is it to you?  No, really … stop a moment, and think.  What is church to you??   Church can be a rather ambiguous word, as we use the word ‘church’ to describe several different things: 

>There is church, referring to a building;                                                              >church, meaning worship service—i.e., Did you go to church this morning?    >From the insiders’ perspective, there is ‘the church’- Body of Christ around the world, those who profess to follow Jesus;                                                                                      >and then from the outsiders’ perspective, there is ‘the church,’ which often refers to ‘organized religion’, and everything that is wrong with it, especially those who come together for various not-so-great reasons.  I suppose there may be a fifth category, or at least a sub-category of organized religion—                                                               >‘church’, as in the higher-ups in the Vatican, the diocese, ‘convention’ (if you’re Baptist), presbytery, (yes, if you’re Presbyterian), and so on.  So, ->church: building, worship service, body of Christ, organized religion, and religious governing bodies. 

In truth, the church/Christianity is often given a black mark by a select group of people—often a small group at that--who have had some bad experiences, but the damage is tremendous to the advancement of the Gospel, and to those who are missing the love of Christ and the purposes of God in their lives and for the world. 

Shhh … be quiet.  Can you hear it?  Can you hear the sound of God’s heart breaking?  Breaking, as he sees so many people who have ‘had it’ with the Church—both the institution and the people—so many who are leaving the Church, or won’t have anything to do with it in the first place.  But Friends, the remedy for what is ailing the church is not to abandon it, but to rise up and be what Christ has called us to be—salt and light in a dark world.⁴ 

But first, we need an awareness of the state of things.

Let’s just look at America, which can no longer be called a Christian nation, now can it?  The government continues to try to distance itself from the intent of our forefathers, even though our currency says, ‘In God we Trust.’  Our media portrays Christians as stupid and bigoted because of the rants of a few.  Most of academia--public institutions from elementary school through college--espouses an anti-God slant.

Common perceptions of the Church include:  that it is organized religion with a political agenda; it is judgmental and negative; it is arrogant, claiming all other religions are wrong, and it is homophobic.  To outsiders, Christians are the Church and the Church is Christians, and we are not seen favorably; we cannot look the other way!

How easily we lose sight of what Paul wrote: “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”⁵ 

I am driven to pray ~ “Lord, forgive us for not reflecting you well.  Show us how to ‘be’ the Church that attracts outsiders and draws worshippers back—that brings people home.  Show us how to live and love so as to draw people to you . . . for you are life.  You alone are love.  And we?  We are your family, left here to live and love in your name.  Help us to do a better job, starting today.  Amen.”

Oh, and by the way, how are you doing with the Holiday Challenge?  Have you offered an unexpected kindness freely to someone today?  Looked to lighten someone’s load?  Given of yourself in some way?

Christine DiGiacomo