The church vs. Jesus’s church
When Jesus physically arrived on planet Earth, He completely undid the model of religion in His context. He challenged the model of temple-thinking and invited people into something new that they had never seen or experienced before.
He invited them to something they didn’t grow up with in the temple. He invited them into a living, growing movement of people who loved God and others more than they loved themselves or their system. And although it upset a lot of people in power, this movement worked. It’s what people needed, and it’s what people still need today.
“But the church still exists today,” you might say. This is true. There are many churches of many denominations around the world, but many of them don’t look anything like Jesus’ church.
How Jesus challenged the system
If you look at every ancient religion, you’ll find that they all share four pillars that they are built on:
Sacred places — Followers meet in specific locations to find out if they’re good with God and with their communities.
Sacred texts — There are oracles, teachings or scripts that outline the rules.
Sacred men — There are men (almost always men) who go between the people and God. They interpret God’s will and tell people how to live. They have the power.
Sincere followers — There are people who are completely dedicated to their religion and ensuring its propagation.
When you think about the church today, it doesn’t look much different, does it? That’s because the church today has largely adopted this model of being a religious institution rather than what Jesus started all those years ago:
No sacred places — Jesus’ followers do not need to meet in designated holy spaces or sacred temples. They can meet anywhere at any time.
A new teaching — Jesus’ primary message was to love God and love others. Everything else falls under these. There are no laws for following Jesus. Instead, He asks us to try to live by His example and believe in His power more than our own.
Direct access — We do not have to go through sacred men to access God. We can pray to God anywhere, anytime, on our own or with other people.
For all — Jesus’ movement is for all who want to come to Him. He did not try to create an exclusive club with rules or that judges and casts out others who aren’t like Him. He reached out to people where they were and then changed their hearts. He didn’t force them to be like Him before welcoming them in.
Does that sound better to you than what you see in most churches or religious institutions? It does to us. We hope you can join us as we explore what it means to authentically follow Jesus in a messy, confusing world.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. We are currently going through a new sermon series titled “What Would Jesus Undo?” It’s all about what we imagine Jesus would want to undo in today’s church to rebuild it to better fit His image and His teachings.
Do you feel like the church has lost its way and could use some restructuring? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.