Defining Church

I'd like to offer my own definition of church. Yesterday, I wrote that the words 'mega church' are contradictory, and I believe that strongly. Since it is always easier to oppose an idea than to advance one, I might let it lie and wait for another opportunity to shoot from the hip or blast away at some prominent practice with which I disagree, but what good does that do anyone? In time I would resemble more the wicked witches of east and west than Glenda, the good witch of the north. So, here goes my attempt to be positive and proactive as it relates to ecclesiastical debates of the day. I offer the following: A church is a prophetic community of faith. Perhaps you were waiting for something more dramatic, but, actually, I believe that statement is grounds for quite a stirring. Here's what I mean. "Prophetic" means transformational. A church is to be a change agent, positively transforming its community and the members of that community. If something were to happen to remove all vestiges of your church from one day to the next, who would notice? What difference would it make?  If the answer is none, yours was never really church. The second word in the definition is "community."  That means that church is built on a foundation of trust and we only trust those we know. In other words, strangers may attend an event together and even sit next to one another, but relationship is required to be church. And, finally, "faith." The church must live out, moment by moment, a radical relationship with Jesus Christ.  We are defined by him more than we are by each other or by place, or even by effect. Now, here's the kicker-- all three elements must be active to be church. A failure at any point negates the whole. Notice that this understanding places no importance to size and gives no weight to demographics. What it does is stress emphatically that a church is to be transformed from the inside out by an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.