This post will hopefully encourage those of you who are exploring Christianity, but it is geared more to challenge those who have been regular church goers and who...well...need a little kick in the pants.

I so often hear church goers say something to this affect, “My church just does not meet my needs...the worship music is too loud or too boring, the pastor doesn’t preach in a style I like, there is no community, my friends no longer attend, I just don’t fit in, etc...” The complaints usually go on and on. I am often guilty of this myself when sometimes I leave church feeling like I didn’t get anything out of it and it didn’t meet my needs in the way I wanted it to.

Over the past few weeks, God kindly reminded me that I am the church. We...the people...are the church. The church is not the building, the worship music, the programs, the lights, the fancy bells and whistles...it is simply you and me.

We are the church and rather than ask “What did the church do for me?” maybe we need to ask “What did I do for the church?”

What did I do for the person sitting next to me or the new person I have not seen there before? Did I say hi, did I show them Christ’s love, was I acting as the church should act? Even more importantly, how do I act as the church when I leave the building I call “church”?

It seems all too many church goers are completely content to stand on the sidelines and criticize those who are in the game. Sure...it is easy to sit back and say the “church should do this or that” or the “church doesn’t do this or that” when you are just watching from the sidelines. Are you in the game making plays or are you standing on the sidelines? Not everyone will play the same position, but I urge you to get in the game. Yes, you may get bruised and beaten a little but it is so rewarding knowing victory is ours through Christ.

How are you using the gifts and talents God has given you?

Are you watching life from the sidelines or are you living life...seizing every moment and living the life God has called you to live?

What kind of church are you?

This is something I am humbly asking even of myself.

I need to be a better church.