by Pam Tinsley

Eric, a new acquaintance, recently shared his story. He grew up participating in Christmas pageants, going to church every Sunday, singing in the choir, and regularly attending Bible study. He said that for the longest time he was in church, but that the church wasn’t in him.

Although he had a lot of knowledge about Jesus, he realized that he didn’t know Jesus. He felt that he had an association with Jesus, but that he didn’t have a relationship with him. The practices he embraced to get to know Jesus are similar to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s The Way of Love. He shared that his first step was to meet Jesus and to be open to Jesus’ invitation. He then listened to Jesus, meaning he paid attention to what Jesus was saying – in scripture and prayer, through others, and by listening to things he would rather not hear. And lastly, he approached Jesus; he turned to Jesus. His new experience of the risen Christ transformed him and his relationship with the people in his life.

The distinction between being in church versus having the church in us is essential! When we have the church in us, we carry the church – Jesus – into the world wherever we are.   

Shortly after my conversation with Eric, I saw a CartoonChurch.com post on FaceBook: Where the Church Is. In the sketch the church is everywhere except in a church building! The church can be everywhere – and should be everywhere – because the church is in us!

So, I ask, is the church in you? And where will you take the church today?