A Fresh Perspective - July 20, 2007

New Testament scholar Fred Craddock tells about the time as a child when his family lost their farm and had to move into town. The first day of school the teacher had the students tell what they did on their summer vacation. One girl said she went to Florida. Another had visited Washington and all the historical sites. Still another went to Niagara Falls. And on and on it went. Fred was worried about what he would say. When they ran out of time the teacher said, "We'll continue tomorrow."

Fred didn't want to go back to school. When he told his father about his day, his father said, "Well, your teacher is asking for a lie, so give her one." So he did. The next day Fred talked about how they went to Washington and up to New York, and . . . Somewhere this side of Niagara Falls his teacher called him out of the room. "You didn't do all that." Fred said, "No ma'am"

"So why did you say all that?"

"I was embarrassed. All I did was work on the farm all summer until we were forced to move." With that she put an end to the proceeding.

Fred goes on to share how a group of women from a local church furnished clothes for all the kids in his family. Fred was nervous about going to church. He figured they would want to know what he did on his vacation. But they didn't ask. Fred says, "I was never embarrassed in church. I don't ever remember feeling any less, any more, any different from anybody else in church. And from the age of nine until now, I have had a little jubilee going on in my mind: There is no place in the world like church."

This is the church at its best. When the church honors others above themselves; shares with those in need; does not feel arrogant or superior, but embraces and loves all people; rejoices with those who rejoice and mourns with those who mourn; and overcomes evil with good (see Rom. 12:9-21), then the church is functioning as the body of Christ in the world.

Of course the church isn't always at its best, since none of us who belong to a church are always at our best. Someone said, "If you find the perfect church, don't join it because you'll ruin it." I have been involved with churches all my life and not all my experiences have been positive. But when the church functions as Christ intends and becomes an open, inclusive, caring, authentic "in Christ" community that struggles together with issues of faith and conveys the unconditional love of God to all people, then the church serves as a witness to the goodness, forgiveness, grace and compassion that marks God's new world.

Chuck Queen is Senior Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort (www.ibcfrankfort.com); he welcomes your comments at cqueen@fewpb.net. Look for "A Fresh Perspective" every Friday.