Kingdom & Culture
There's a truth stirring in the Spirit that demands our attention, a truth that calls us to realign our hearts and rediscover what it means to be the body of Christ. It's the difference between doing church and being the church. Doing church is about routines, programs, and replicating what's been done before. Being the church is about living in vibrant, Spirit-led obedience to what God is doing right now.
The difference between doing church and being the church is like the difference between a photograph and a living person. Doing church leans on past knowledge, repeating what worked before, following patterns of ministry that once bore fruit. Without the Holy Spirit's present guidance, it risks becoming a hollow shell. As Paul warned in 2 Timothy 3:5, it can have "the appearance of godliness, but deny its power."
Being the church, on the other hand, is about active partnership with the Holy Spirit, listening to hear what the Father is saying, seeing what He's doing, and moving in step with His present will. This is where the power lies.
Consider Saul in 1 Samuel 13. He made an offering to God that seemed right based on past practices, but he didn't wait for God's present instruction through Samuel. His act looked godly but lacked God's power because it wasn't Spirit-led. In Matthew 15, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees: "You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Their worship is in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." Their rituals looked holy, but they were empty because they prioritized tradition over God's present will.
Jesus is our ultimate example. He didn't operate on autopilot or lean on religious routines. His life was a living demonstration of hearing and seeing what the Father was doing, rooted in intimate communion. He said in John 5:19-20, "The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing."
Jesus' ability to move with the Father came from His times of secluded prayer. Mark 1:35 records Him rising early to pray in a solitary place, setting the tone for His ministry. Luke 6:12-13 tells us that before choosing His twelve disciples, Jesus spent the night praying on a mountain. Intimacy with God fueled His obedience and opened the door to His power.
Today's church is busy with good things, preaching, teaching, running ministry schools, hosting conferences. These are all valuable, but without the Holy Spirit's direction, they become mere activities, lacking the life and power of God. It's not about the activity itself but whether it aligns with God's present will.
When we move in sync with the Spirit, God's presence and power accompany us. In Luke 5:4-6, Jesus tells Simon to cast his nets again after a fruitless night. Simon obeys, despite past experience, and a miraculous catch follows. His obedience to Jesus' present word brought God's power. Let's lay aside the temptation to just do church out of habit. Let's embrace the call to be the church.