"It is certainly true that our congregations have, at times compromised the radical requirements of discipleship prescribed by Christ, and you may find yourself put off by the church because of its failure to be faithful to his teachings. But I would urge you to consider this fully, and to think about the words of St. Augustine: "The church is a whore, but she's my mother."That statement brilliantly conveys how I feel about church. It is easy for me, like so many of the young Evangelicals I know, to note the ways the church been unfaithful as the bride of Christ... Unquestionably, the church too often has socialized our young people into adopting culturally established values of success, rather than calling them into the kind of countercultural nonconformity that Scripture requires of Christ's followers (Romans 12:1-2)."Why, then, do I encourage you to participate in organized religion and commit yourself to a specific local congregation? Because, as Augustine made clear,the church is still your mother. It is she who taught you about Jesus. I want you to remember that the Bible teaches that Christ loves the church and gave himself for it (Ephesians 5:25). That's a preeminent reason why you dare not decide that you don't need the church. Christ's church is called his bride (11 Con 11:2), and his love for her makes him faithful to her even when she is not faithful to him."Even when she acts like a whore, and sells herself to relevance, power, or the temptation to be spectacular, the Church is still my mother.I think it's important to remember that when Church seems to become an ugly thing, it's because the church isn't a building, institution, nor provider of religious goods and services. The church is never described in terms of brick or mortar. She isn't a place. The church is comprised of broken souls who are still searching the dark corners of our hearts for glimpses of the divine. We are all a mess, and the church is an unstoppable force.When we fuss with God about how bad Church has become, listen closely. He may just ask you, "Who said THAT was my church?" The appropriate answer should be, "OK. Show me your church." After nearly twenty years in ministry, I can finally see the Church in the bars, being the Bride, instead of a whore.
