I Am Church

No matter what you are doing or what you have been through, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Not only am I here with you and for you, but so is Jesus. I wrote this book especially for you, so let’s clear space. If you’ve been hurt by Christians, I apologize. If you’ve noticed a difference between any Christian’s actions and words, please don’t write off Christianity. I apologize to all who have been judged, abused, or abandoned by us believers. I’m sorry for all the support that was not given, all the rebukes that should have been hugs, and all the hurt that should have been help. And you may be thinking that it’s not my fault; but since I am my brother’s keeper, I’ll be the one to take the blame. I willfully take the fault for the transgressions of my fellow Christian brothers and sisters. If you have experienced hurt by the church, I’d like to personally apologize because I am church. Change in the church begins with me. It is my job, as the church, to be an example of Jesus here in the earth. No matter how long it’s been since you attended a service or said a prayer, if you are a believer, you are church. Jesus was church, I am church, and so are you. Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, “Be the change you would like to see in the world.” True change starts from within; therefore, change starts with me. To begin that change, I humbly say I’m sorry.

Do you know someone who once attended church but stopped? Have you ever asked that person why? Or are you that person? If you are, you have picked up the right book. It is not my intention to attempt to persuade you or anyone to go back to church or to dissuade one to not go back to church. My mission is to help you discover a deeper connection with God by showing you how amazing Christian life can be when we follow Jesus as our example. By building a relationship with God, your life will forever be changed, and the world around you will be greatly impacted. My desire for you is that you read this book and get encouraged, strengthened, and empowered to expand your influence today, for the glory of God. My hope is that you accept your position as church. There are millions of people who, for one reason or another, have left the church. I would like to make the assumption that the majority of these people still love Jesus. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians as so unlike your Christ.” There are many who echo these same sentiments. Theologically we may argue that the church is the body of believers, but for the sake of this book, the church is you. It only takes one member of that body to connect with a person. It doesn’t take a whole congregation to change someone’s life. It doesn’t even take a whole congregation to change the world. For those who have discovered that they may not be fond of the church as an organization, this book is written for you. God has a special purpose for you.

The world’s perception of Jesus does not come from church organization, or Christianity. People’s perception of Jesus comes from you. Our words and actions, as followers of Jesus, create His image in the eyes of our friends and family. The only way those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus will know that He loves them is by the manner in which we treat them. Essentially, every Christian is like an artist — responsible for painting a mental mural of Jesus in the minds of friends, family, and coworkers. In fact, we may paint the clearest picture of Jesus in the minds of our enemies or those who tend to look upon us negatively.

Unfortunately, the image of Jesus is commonly associated with the church organization and those who go to church — Christians. This image of Jesus is not always portrayed accurately by the church organization, nor does the world view it the way they should. The church has shown evidence that it needs to change. Fortunately, it was never the church’s responsibility to create an image of Jesus — it was the individual Christian’s. Church is often thought of as the organization, and Christians as the individuals. In order for the organization to be most effective, every Christian must do the actions they would like to see their church organization as a whole perform.

We as Christians have the opportunity to take Jesus with us wherever we go. The world looks at the lifestyle of Christians to test the truth of our message. Following Jesus is transdisciplinary, so our discipleship is designed to follow us into our everyday lives. The world should not have to go to a church to see Jesus. They should be influenced by his example wherever we are. As Christians we have the opportunity to convert our occupation into worship, and our passion into praise. We can change the church; in fact, we can change the world by incorporating Christianity into our lives six days out of the week — not just the one day we choose to worship. In doing so we change church from a weekly ritual in a building into a practical activity that expresses who we are and proclaims who we would like to become.