"BE the church!"

Again, it is amazing to see how God has been preparing me for the past year, even when I didn't see or know it. I was blessed with the privilage to be a youth director of a small church for seven months and this is something I got to share with the church a year ago.

Not long ago, I came across this quote "Don't go to church, BE the church." I think we have gotten so caught up in our ways, that we do not even realize what and who the church is supposed to be. The church is not just a building with stained glass windows. I got curious and looked the word church in Webster's Dictionary and one of its definitions is "a body of believers." I like that,another way I like to refer to the church is God's greenhouse. It nourishes us and helps prepare us for who we need to be. Rirst things first, Jesus didn't die for a building Jesus died for me and you. But after I read this quote, I could not help but think "How am I supposed to be the church?"

First, it has to start with prayer. Praying for fire. The fire that John Wesley talks about people coming for miles to watch burn. And praying for passion. Passion to see my colleges classmates turn to God, and passion to see my church thrive for you.

Second, being the church starts with me being a missionary to the mission field. And that mission field starts at my school and continues with the homeless people I see on the street. And I pray that I can really be a missionary to the mission field by loving the unlovable. This world will know we are Christians by our love.

Third is realizing I have a ministry. My ministry is not just at church, but at my school. Where I don't want to be another face in the sea of faces. I want to be somebody, somebody for God. I really believe He has put me there for a reason, and I want to make sure I follow His command. I want people to be able to look at me and say "Hey I want what she has." And I realize if they don't then I'm in trouble because I am lacking something. God has been SO great to me. He has set my feet to dancing; he has set my heart on fire. He has given me a wonderful church family that I adore. And I wanted a job as a part-time youth director and he has given me that job. And I want all of the people in my mission field to know that God can do the same thing for them. He is so much bigger than any pain or addiction they will ever have. He is so much bigger than their parents' marriage or anything another guy or girl could ever offer.

One another thing I pray for is that I will live my faith unashamed. That I will speak and stand up when I need to. And I pray that when God puts divine appointments in my way, I will see them and not pass them by. Our greatest purpose in this world is to know God and make God known. The least I could ever do is say "Hey, do you know of a man named Jesus? Let me tell you what he has done for me. Better yet, Let me tell you what he did for you?" and being the church while we're in the world.