We mark a milestone today in Crane Chapel’s history: We celebrate the conclusion of a long season of praying and planning and never-ending meetings. (The Building Committee is to be applauded for their dedication and determined efforts.) At the same time, we mark the beginning of a new season: A season of construction – along with anticipation, obstacles, certainly some chaos, and much hard work!
It’s an exciting and emotional time. The media will no doubt report our milestone. But will the average person in our community really grasp the idea of the Church? More likely than not, they will visualize a “Christianized” physical structure with pews and a piano and a platform - a building distinctly built for preaching and singing.
Do we ourselves understand the idea of Church? Over the last several weeks, we’ve been studying Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples. We’ve learned that in the hours before His death, Jesus was indeed establishing His Church. The disciples were effectively being trained as the first evangelists and first Church-members! The Church exists to evangelize. Jesus’ final words before he returned to heaven were a commissioning to all Christians: "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you…." (Mt. 28:19-20)
We should remember that the early church, as recorded in the New Testament, did not own property, and yet they were very successful in preaching the Gospel to the whole world. The Bible does not tell us exactly where we are to meet together, but only that we must do so. The Greek word for church is 'ecclesia' which means the called out community. Christ’s Church can be anywhere at anytime and it holds closely to the scripture that says, “for where two or three gather together in my name, I am there among them” (Mt 18:20).
I don’t think this passage could be more obvious than it has in the last year of Crane Chapel’s ministry. We’ve been gathering in a Union Hall! Many of us meet in each others’ homes. We meet and pray together in the back room of an old house. I’ve even been spotted with some of the youth at Culvers! See, the goal is not to gather weekly in an appointed building but rather the growing of relationships through people. People are the church. Take out the people and the church ceases to exist. Remove the building by fire – and the church still exists!
In no way am I downsizing our new church building or minimizing the long hours of planning to reach this point. Not at all! This is going to be a beautiful and functional building where we will carry on a God-given vision for our community! I do hope, however, that you will see how fitting and appropriate it is that we welcome a new member in today’s service. As we break ground for a brand new physical church building, we also celebrate and welcome in a new member of Christ’s Church.
- Pastor Mark
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