My life is spent in the strangest business in the world.  Church life is about the weirdest place to choose a career.  I know that there is the element of being called by God but it still has bizarre moments.  Do not think of this as a complaint.  It is far from being a complaint but it is just the truth.  Most business aims to find a single niche in its existence.  Advertising companies advertise.  A plumbing business fixes stuff.  Doctors go into business to treat people when sick or injured.  You get the idea.  Also remember that you don't go to a plumber with an earache.  Lawyers are probably not going to get you much help repairing your sink.  But everyone seems to have their unique idea on what church is to be about.  There is the beginning of our problems.

My shelves are lined with books on all aspects of church life.  I went to school for years to do the business of church.  You would think two degrees and almost a third would be enough to figure some of this out.  Let me just say that education is a help but nothing does as good as banging your head against the wall.  Most people in ministry will never tell you about the frustrations of being a church leader.  You seldom get to hear or read of the horror stories that go along with congregational life.  Trust me when I tell you that there are more than you could ever imagine.  This does not mean that the church is beyond redemption.  Nor does it mean my hope for a healthy church is forever lost.  Whatever issues affect a church will never be solved by denial.  We will always be better for healthy self examination.

My constant thesis is we will always be better as church when we are in line with God's vision.  Our number one obstacle is that we view church in selfish terms rather than biblical.  I don't mean selfish as the negative application.  **** A fast update here.  Just finished visiting with our departing student minister.  Means today's blog will show up as tomorrow.  My bad. ****  Where were we?  Churches would do well to take a long look at the biblical picture of who they are.  I read over some Old Testament background this evening in our gathering.  What becomes vivid is that God first intends for the church to be a gathering of His people.  His call is to be a holy people for His pleasure.  To miss this is to miss so much of God's purpose.

Church is first about people.  It is about people who respond to His call to salvation.  We are a prized possession to God.  This is true in both Old and New Testament.  There is more to the congregation than just being organized.  Being the church is all about people.  That is why the stories can range from triumphant to tragic.  It is why church can be the best of times or the worst of times.  God does desire greater things from us than recycling broken ideals.  May we discover all that He has in store for us. 

Bro. Trey