I'm a big believer in the "Church without walls" concept or theory, which ever word you're most comfortable with. These 3 words are pregnant with meaning, but I'll try my best to explain.
1+1=2. What is a church? A church is me, a church is you. We are the church. I'll like to categorically say here, that a church is not a building. The word translated "church" in the English Bible is EKKLESIA. Its the Greek word 'Kaleo', which means to call and the prefix 'ek', which means out. So you see, the word means "the called out ones". That is, you and I.
As a result of this gross misinterpretation of the church, the mind set of people today, believers and unbelievers alike, have been tuned to seeing it as a building. We all know that a building has 4 major walls designed to hold it. Walls here are synonymous with boundaries, limitations etc. I must stress on the fact that it is not God's plan for believers to be limited within it. The Holy Spirit needs no office! Our relationship and walk with God shouldn't be limited to church meetings (not that its not vital). Its a daily thing which should be nurtured just as we nurture our human relationships. One of the devices of the devil today is to trick believers into believing that it all starts and ends on a Sunday, its much more than that. I'll like you to know that its possible to be in church 7 days of the week and still not be making an impact. The truth is that you can be busy playing church, that you forget what really matters, your relationship with God. You may be a chorister, an intercessor, a sanctuary cleaner, whatever it is you do in the house of God, that your Spiritual life suffers for it.
Look people, its high time we stop playing church. If you must know, the church has left the building. its a wonder why churches lose members. We are yet to break free of tradition. Thinking that the church is a building has really affected things. We ARE the Church. The Church is NOT a building. We have left the building and are hitting the streets to live our lives in complete abandon to the will of God, for his Glory and for the expansion of his Kingdom. I've met a lot of people who say that they will never step into a church. Thats fine. If they won't come to the church, then we the church should go to them. There are so many ways. Lets think outside the box. Rehabilitation centers, food courts, concerts etc. God has given us the means at our disposal. We can do these things.
The bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:17 that Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. (KJV) In the New Testament we see the church fellow-shipping together in homes and upper rooms and just places outside and in. We see the leaders going to the synagogue to evangelize the people there. "How do they worship the building? They feed it, sacrifice to it, decorate it, make it nice and comfy for themselves, work on it,, finance it, name it, identify themselves with it, take pride in it, and last of all, brainwash everyone into looking at a building and saying "THERE's a church". Rory Moore. Take note of the 'for themselves'. The house of God is not a trophy and shouldn't be looked upon as such.
Now, am I saying that we should leave our prospective churches? An emphatic NO. I'm just encouraging us not to lose focus of what's really important. Mark 16:15 Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (KJV). That my friends, is the Great Commission. Its not enough to wear our fancy clothes and sit down in church, we should go out there, taking the church out. And you may ask, 'I'm not a pastor, how do I do it?' You do not have to be a pastor to evangelize, to do exploits. You can simply be you. You don't need any title in front of your name to work for God. He doesn't need any of that, simply come, just as you are. We can be apostles in the market place, that is, world changers and agents of transformation in whatever area God has called you into and wherever you find yourself, be it in the banking, entertainment, sport and various other industries.
In conclusion, God isn't satisfied with us just attending church services. He wants us to spread our tentacles all over the world, this move is termed "Church without walls". Its a very broad topic. I hope I have been able to explain a little.
God bless you!
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