Why Church is Weird

“One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always.“- A. W. Tozer

I have been thinking a lot about the Church recently. What makes it Church and how do we do it better? These of course are frustrating questions indeed. Everyone has an opinion that seems to divide more than it unites on this topic. But this is still a vital question every generation must attempt to answer. For too long we have focused on the expression, or how we do Church, rather than the essence, or why we do Church. The essence must always drive the expression for a church to be authentic. Unfortunately, the last 20+ years have found this not to be true. Well meaning and sharp Christians believed that if they just looked a little more worldly, if they just a little cooler, we could really get somewhere. While there is wisdom in understanding culture, especially by an organization traditionally known for running away more than engaging, this philosophy ignores a freedom granted to us by God. The saint is now free from the demands of fitting in. Culture never rests and those who attempt to keep in step will only face exhaustion.

In many ways, the Church is to be weird. What is deemed as normal in our culture has been found lacking. It simply doesn’t work. The masses know this to be true, even if just instinctively, but are lacking alternatives. This is the purpose of the Church, to be the alternative to the normal status quo of heartbreak and unfulfilled desires. Humanity was created for more. Community, passion, and hope are all to be calling cards of a great church. These are the traits we see lacking outside it’s walls and are the cornerstones of any great revolution.

Today, be weird. Love your neighbor, offer hope, give freely. In this, you will be building the Church.