In Defense of "The Church"

The Church is taking a big hit these days. All you have to do is browse the shelves of a Christian bookstore. There you will find titles such as, Life after Church, Quitting Church, So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore, Pagan Christianity and They Like Jesus but Not the Church. All of these (and a number of other recently published books) explore and/or promote the growing mantra among current or former churchgoers, "we want God, not an institution."  

As a pastor of a church, you might not be surprised to hear that this type of thinking bothers me. And it bothers me not because I am a pastor, but it bothers me because I see it as a slam on the "institution" for which Jesus Christ gave His very life (see Acts 20:28). In his thought provoking and biblicaly based (and what I found to be quite refreshing) book, Kevin DeYoung states the following concerning the Church:

"My aim is to present to the body of Christ, and for anyone else who cares to listen, a picture of why we should be in the church. Indeed, being part of a church - and learning to love it - is good for your soul, biblically responsible, and pleasing to God . . . The church we love is as flawed and messed up as we are, but she is Christ's bride nonetheless. And I might as well have a basement without a house or a head without a body as despise the wife my Savior loves."  (Why We Love the Church - co-authored with Ted Kluck).

Amen, Kevin!  I love the church, too - warts and all!!! 

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj