frustrations - with the "church"

So, at "church" this morning, I was sitting in on a class about the book of Acts. The person teaching was talking about the early "church" and what all they did and such. The thing that I found so disconcerting was that there was still so much focus on individuality and not community.

As an Agape member, and youth minister for that matter, I find it so heartbreaking when people don't see how important it is to BE THE CHURCH. I think that Dixon, my mentor, said it best when he would say, "Don't GO to church, BE the church." How true is that?

I have a friend, who is not a follower of Christ, who wrote this one time. He said:

"Is it just me or is the 'contemporary' christian scene just one big circle-jerk? They wrap themselves up in this tight cocoon of warm fuzzy Jesus loves me and shut everyone else out. How is any of this christian? Christ did not spend His time hiding in a room with the apostles, He was out helping the broken people, the ones who were crying out for Him but didn't know it."

How true is that? And how sad is it that people who claim that they follow Jesus prefer to just sit back and not do anything about it?! It's about living out your faith! It's about being who God has called you to be! And I can guarantee you that sitting on your ass and doing nothing is not what God has called you to do. How can we, as followers of Christ, grasp what my friend said and make a difference?

Follow Christ - Be the church!

peace all,
~Jenna