I really enjoy listening to new pastors that I have never heard before. I was just listening to a message from a southern pastor and he said, “You are the church.” On the surface it doesn’t exactly sound all that profound. In fact I’ve probably even preached that same thing a few times myself.
But, here is the interesting part. He was sharing how it is that we as Christians are always trying to get people to come to church so they can get saved, or healed, or set free from addiction, or for some other need they may have. He said, “You are the church.” The point is that we are the church, we don’t need to bring them to church for them to encounter God or to be healed. We have been anointed by God to preach the good news. We have been given the power to lay hands on the sick and see them recover in Jesus name.
That doesn’t mean we should stop going to church. On the contrary, we have been instructed to not forsake the assembly. (Hebrews 10:25) But, we can’t limit God’s abilities to just those 4 walls. We are the church and it’s time for us to take the “church” to the world…instead of waiting for them to come to us. As the pastor said, “I’m Up In Here Now!” Next time you go to work, or to the mall, or walk around the neighborhood, or wherever you go…take that attitude with you. Just say to yourself I’m up in here now. And wherever you are, wherever you go, BE the church!
