The term “Ecclesia” is the term for the church. The church is a body of baptized believers. Those who are redeemed and restored have a responsibility to come and attend church.
Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Acts 2:41-47 gives us the characteristics of the first church.
In scripture the church has been the fellowship of the saints for the edifying of the saints for the work of the ministry while worshipping and praising God.
Fast forward to the contemporary church. We now no longer seek to fellowship and commune with God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we now have an expectation of the church to serve us and not the other way around.
We want the church to be what we what the church to be. What happened to the days where we are content in serving and not to be served.
We now have expectations that in order for us to come to church we need the church to look, act and feel in the model that is comfortable for us. I pray that we go back to the day where the primary focus is the Lord and not anything else. If my focus is on Christ then the troubles I encounter in church are of no concern because I know and believe that Christ can fix HIS church.
We used to sing the hymn, “I will trust in the Lord! Until I die.” I am going to trust in the Lord!
#dokechronicles
Your post is very thought provoking. Might I add that church members must realize that they are a part of the solution to the expectations. If a member complains about an aspect of the church or the direction of which it is going then obviously they may have a solution or suggestion to lift the church towards greatness. Their solution or suggestion may be God’s way of fixing His church. Thanks for sharing!