What happened?

I wonder when Christianity managed to reduce itself to just another world religion? No doubt it didn't happened overnight, but it has happened. Maybe this is why people are still curious about Jesus, but fed-up with church (and most Christians)?

The other day I was reading Luke 19:10 (some curious words of Jesus when he was at the home of a religious leader). Apparently, Jesus' mission was to seek and save those who were lost, and yet for the most part he wasn't welcomed by those with a religious ilk. He was welcomed, however, by those furthest from it. So, I guess you could conclude that Jesus came to seek and save the religiously messed up as well as the irreligiously forgotten. Doesn't look like a religion to me, it looks like a contagion; a contagion for good, of grace, of peace and of compassion.

When I explain to people what I do for a living (pastor a church), then next questions is automatic; where is you church? In Dexter I guess, is my usual not-so-clever response. What they are really asking is, where is your building? Here's one, where do you go to church?

So, it has come this; church is a building, thousands of them all over the world with real zip codes; places where people can come and hear things, grip about the outsiders and then go home; nothing changes. It's true; we must be a religion!

Maybe we followers of Jesus should just start being the church, loving Jesus and those who need him, caring for those who are unable to care for themselves, setting aside our petty differences, busting out of our judgemental clicks, confessing our sin of moral superiority, indifference and apathy.

Maybe then we can become a contagion for good again; one where people will take notice and discover the real Jesus.

Peace.