I was watching Dateline the other night. It was about a church in (I think) New England where a congregant was killed in the church office, shot. The prime suspect was another congregant. The details aren't really the point though.
There was someone interviewed that talked about how the suspect loved her church and the other members so much. They said she loved the pastor and was fiercely protective of his reputation. (It was a threat she perceived that allegedly drove her to murder this other woman) It occurred to me after this section of programming that they didn't say she loved Jesus, or God. Yes, I know it was just a TV show, I know it may have been fancy editing on NBCs behalf. But it got me thinking...
Sometimes people feel more comfortable classifying their church attendance as their God. They list all the things that are great about their church and the people in it, or when someone asks if they are christians, or believe in God they say, "Well I go to church"
We are definitely called to love the church, but shouldn't an irrational love of Christ be at the core of that? Maybe not at first, maybe not for a good long time. But church attendance isn't the point. Jesus is the point. Growing in your relationship with Christ is the point.
Love the church, love the people in it. But don't forget to love Jesus unabashedly.
2 comments:
You have wrapped up a two week conversation between my sister and I in one simple post.
How do you do that?
You are so right.
What pops into my mind is the verse about salvation being born of faith, not of works.
I think it's important to have leaders who are aware of this being a problem for some people. Men and women who deflect the praise onto God.
A healthy leader is a big step in the right direction to healthy followers.
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