A Hospital, a Greenhouse, and an Army

Today I was preparing for tomorrow's worship service where we our receiving four new members. I was reminded of something my dad observed a long time ago regarding a church. It's not original, not then and certainly not now. However, the truth of it rings for me now after 25 years of life and work in the church. He told us that a church is a hospital, a greenhouse, and an army.

A church is a hospital for those that find themselves hurting and on our doorstep. It is these that we have the opportunity to receive and to love. It usually isn't easy or romantic because, after all, hurt people really do often hurt people. However, just as the doctor doesn't judge the emergency room patient, we needn't judge the walking wounded that God sends to us.

A church is a greenhouse for those interested in growing in their relationship with God and others. It is here that we learn together, encourage one another, and, ideally, practice our faith in a safe environment.

A church is an army--not, as I used to understand it, as an army to march and convert the world to our way of understanding God, but as an army assembled to march against the darkness of injustice and hopelessness which shadows our world.

I don't see these as a progression, necessarily, moving from A to B to C. I will experience these dimensions of the church many times each. There will be times when I am able to engage and grow, there will be times when my call is clear and my ministry on fire, and there will be times when I need to step back and allow my wounds to be tended.

What do you think about these three experiences of the church? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Tomorrow, I will write about other experiences of the church that keep us from what I see as these three most important experiences.