Have you heard about the “virtual church”? It’s church experienced totally through the internet. People worship by logging onto a website and watching the worship service on their computer screen. They send in donations by credit card. They participate in communion with the wine and bread near their keyboard. The virtual church may be helpful for some people who can’t go outside or who have no church in their area, but it is not the best choice if people use it to avoid meeting with other Christians.
Today’s passage shows that when God calls a person to himself, he also calls that person into a community of faith, the church. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit drew people into belief in Christ and into fellowship with one another.
Many people today have lost sight of the pattern of community God intends for the church. Pointing to failures in individual Christians or particular churches or congregations, people often say they’ll take Jesus but not the church.
But God doesn’t call the church “the bride of Christ” for nothing (see Ephesians 5:25-32). In spite of its shortcomings, the church—its people and its institutions—belongs to Jesus and is full of beauty!
Let’s explore some of that beauty together this month.
“Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus.” We want to see the beauty of what you are doing in your community, Christ’s body, his bride, your church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — David Den Haan
Pastor Dave Den Haan has served at Fairway Christian Reformed Church in Jenison, Michigan, since 1999. Previously he served a church in Minnesota. Dave and his wife, Connie, have three children.
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