While I Mused The Fire Burned--"It's Still All About Jesus"

When we think of the "Bride of Christ," the Church, we still think of buildings and programs. Our consumer-driven society has deeply affected how the Body acts and how we perceive ourselves. In order to have an effective, successful "church," we think we have to have all the right "stuff." That means the building has to be customer-designed, with nice grounds, convenient parking and breathtaking bathrooms. Once we get to the building we have to have state-of-the-art programs which have been focus grouped and tweaked for just the right outcomes.

But is this really what God had in mind for His Church? Never once in the New Testament is the church described as a physical building. I've never read about one customized program in the New Testament. A large amount of what we do today is extrabiblical at best and unbiblical at worst.

When you read chapter after chapter of the New Testament there is the picture of a body made up of members. There's the picture of a family with brothers and sisters who have died to themselves and their selfish ways and who are living in Christ. In this picture of the church, people aren't just parking for an hour and participating in certain programs. Instead, Christ's Church is comprised of people who share the life of Jesus every day.

So how do people come to know Christ without all our paraphernalia? Well, Jesus said, "if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me." Indeed, it's still ALL ABOUT JESUS.