the image of church
Take a look at this photo. What do you see? When I first looked at it, I first noticed the people milling, moving in the centre of the room, in the centre of the frame. But then you likely notice, as I next did, that there is a cross hanging on the wall above these people.
Were you surprised? I was. At first glance this image didn’t read “church” to me. There are people standing around, moving around the room. The room is scattered with comfortable furniture, armchairs and chesterfields. There are small area rugs on the floor, and the seating is grouped into little clusters with coffee tables. There are cups of maybe tea or coffee on those tables.
People are talking to one another, looking at one another. The people in this photo aren’t just in the same space, they are sharing this space. They are together in this space. And this space is comfortable, artful, personal and engaging.
Is this what church looks like for you where you worship? It doesn’t for me.
But should it? If church did look like this, how would your worship change? How would your relationship to the Body of Christ - the church - change? Would it change your relationship with God Himself?
