Fifteen weeks ago we began our journey through 1 Corinthians. We explored together God’s prescription for his new community, the church.
The picture wasn’t always pretty. But that’s typical of any story that involves people. We humans have a wonderful ability to mess things up.
But the church, even the Corinthian church, is so much more than its messiness. It’s the bride of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit. It was and is the hands and feet of Jesus.
When people tell me they were hurt by the church, I often stop them and say: You were hurt by a church but not the church. The difference matters.
All churches in their human expressions are flawed because people are flawed. But in many of them something wonderful happens when, despite their imperfections, God shows himself in their service, sacrifice, and compassion.