Most often when we think about the church, the first thing that comes to mind is a building—a place where people go.  We make a distinction between the church (the tangible building, a set of programs or activities, worship services, etc.) and the people who attend.  Think about the way we talk about church.  “Where do you go to church?” we ask.  “I went to church this past Sunday,” we say.  

Not only do we tend to think of the church as “a place where we go,” but the strong consumer current in our culture encourages us to view the church as a place to get our felt needs met.  We see the church as a “vendor of religious goods and services” that gives us the spiritual product we want (or if it doesn’t, we take our business elsewhere--to the church down the street).  The church can easily become something like a religious shopping mall, pouring its energy and resources into attracting customers and keeping them happy.  Or it can become a kind of pious country club that exists for the sake of its members.  We pay our dues, and in return we expect membership perks.

But this is not the picture of the church we see in the Bible.  The church does not exist for itself alone.  The church exists for the sake of joining the triune God in mission.  The church exists for others.  Nor can the church be reduced to a building or set of programs or organizational structures.  The church is the people—God’s missionary people.  We don’t just go to church, we are the church!

Our fall sermon series will focus on what it means to be the church in the everyday places we go and the people we meet. The word of God, spoken through the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:4-7), will give us fresh eyes to see all of life as a way of being engaged in God’s mission.  How might we seek what is good for our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and the Holland community as a whole?  What would it look like for us to be God’s channel of blessing in all the places we live, work and play?
 

Join us as we see how God will lead us beyond just “going to church” to actually being the church in an unmistakable way!  With intentionality and devotion, let’s be the aroma of Jesus and show the community of Holland (and beyond) the gracious heart of the God we love and serve!