Be the Church

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 42-47)

I think about this portion of Scripture a lot. The picture of the early church we are given in Acts seems (to me) far removed from modern church culture. Communities that seek to live this way, like The Simple Way and the Benedictine community near Clear Creek Monastery, are few. And what about those of us who live in the city, the suburbs, or the remote countryside? How do we build authentic Christian community that looks more like the Acts 2 church? We can sign up to take meals to people in need, volunteer at the local food pantry once a month, feed the homeless, foster children from broken families, join small groups–but is any of it enough? Is any of it authentic?

My sister recently told me a story about a friend of hers, a single mom with a disabled child. I’ll call her Lori. One afternoon, while her daughter was napping, Lori was preparing to go out to the yard and attempt to erect a fence–by herself. A group of Mormon missionaries rang the doorbell, but Lori told them she didn’t have time that day to listen to their spiel. She had a fence to put up.

“Let us help you,” they said.

So the Mormons joined Lori in her yard, and together, they raised that fence.

This was more, Lori told my sister, than the people from the church she attended had ever done for her.

Ouch, right? That day, the missionaries who rang Lori’s doorbell showed her the church as it is intended to be.

There are times when I think about the church in terms of doctrine, liturgy, sacraments, music–the trappings of the church service. We’re between churches right now, in the process of visiting a few, and when I ponder what kind of church will best fit us, I tend to consider these external factors more than I consider the community–in part because it’s difficult to assess the authenticity and investment level of a church community in the space of a few visits. But community does matter. In fact, it’s probably the thing that matters most. Our love for one another is how we reflect Christ.

So how do we build authentic community? How can we be the church we were intended to be, the church we are called to be? And if the church we are part of isn’t even attempting to live out Acts 2, how can we lead the way? For one thing, we have to do more than just show up on Sunday morning.

Think of the Church as More Than a Place

First, we have to think of church as more than a place to spend Sunday morning (and Wednesday night). We have to think beyond buildings, beyond services. We have to think beyond doctrine (although doctrine is important). We have to begin to think people. And we have to move beyond the church building with those people. We also have to think of the church as more than the people in our church. Who makes up your church? The neighbor who takes care of your dog when you’re out of town? Your moms’ group? Are there other people who stand in for Christ in our lives, and vice versa?

Invest in Relationships

Being the church together is more than showing up for a service at the same time and in the same place once a week. How can you go deeper? Think beyond small groups. Who can you get to know? Who can you invite for coffee or dinner? Who can you bless with hospitality and a listening ear? Who might be encouraged by your story?

Look for Ways to Serve the People in Front of You

How can you serve the people who are already in your life? Can you pick up some groceries for your shut-in neighbor? Babysit for the single mom from your playgroup? Drop off dinner to the military family who just moved to town? Make time for a friend who needs encouragement? And who is serving you? When the whole house was sick during my husband’s deployment this past winter, it was a mom friend from my homeschool group who checked in on me and delivered a sackful of grocery items, along with flowers, a card, and balloons. She wasn’t from my church or my small group–but she was the church. When I’m seeing things this way, the church suddenly gets much bigger.

Share What You Have

Jesus modeled hospitality and the use of our gifts to bless others. What are your gifts? How can you share them? Tithing is about more than just dollars. It can be about feeding people at your table, about making something for someone, about simply showing up, about using your gifts and skills to bless someone. Think outside the box. Do you love to cook? Who can you bless with food? Are you a writer with a friend who’s starting her own business? Can you offer to look over her website copy before it goes live? Do you love to knit? Can you make a baby blanket for the pregnant girl at your office? What do you have to share? Jesus shared his time, his food, and himself. Surely we can do that, too. It doesn’t have to be ostentatious–Jesus’ offerings were always humble in form; it was the spirit behind them that was extravagant.

Gandhi is credited with saying, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Likewise, let’s be the church as we wish to see it in the world.

Harmony Harkema has loved the written word for as long as she can remember. A former English teacher turned editor, she has spent the past ten years in the publishing industry. A writer herself in the fringe hours of her working-and-homeschooling mom life, Harmony also has a heart for leading and coaching aspiring writers. Harmony lives in Memphis with her husband and two daughters. She blogs at harmonyharkema.com.

Photograph © Andrew Seaman, used with permission