My church, Joy Lutheran, is in the midst of calling a new pastor so we have been talking and thinking a good bit about what God is calling our church to be. In some ways this is interesting since, ideally, we have all been finding and following our own individual calls. So it would seem that it wouldn’t be that tough to discern what our church is being called to be. It seems that it should be an extension of our individual calls, perhaps an overarching call for our church, and certainly, all of these calls should be responding to one great call from the Spirit and from Scripture. What is that great call? What are we, and our church, maybe even The Church, called to do?
After all, being part of the church, part of the body of Christ, is a very high calling. As a congregation, we’ve spent some time in Acts, but where else should we be looking? What else should we be attending to? 1 Peter 2: 9-10 tells us, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”[1] (emphasis added)
The Greek word translated as “church” in the Bible is “ekklesia” This literally means, “called out.” What are we called out to do? What are we called out to be?

I don’t believe we are called out to “do church” – that is, to build buildings, hold services, develop and deliver programs. I believe we are called out to “be church” – to be God’s church, God’s people on earth. I believe we are called out to be “children of the light.” More on that and our callings next week.

In the meantime – Read John 12:35-36, and remember: God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY!

Mike
[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%202