Are you afraid to use the F word?

Are you looking for the perfect church? Well, I've got news for you. It doesn't exist, at least not this side of heaven. If you think you have found the "perfect" one then perhaps none of us, not even you, better join because it will then cease to be perfect.

The church is the body of Christ here on earth - Yes!
The church is the people of God together worshipping and serving Him - Yes!
The church is full of people trying and sometimes failing to be like Jesus - Yes!

Did you react to the F word? As Christians we don't like to admit that we fail and yet of all the places in this world, the church should be the place where we can fail, learn, move on and try again. The place where we can fall flat on our faces either literally or metaphorically and there will be others there to pick us up, dust us off and help us to get going again.

The church is not the building or what we do when we gather together; the church is the hands, feet, heart and love of Jesus in this world. There is a song that was very popular in one of my previous churches which I think sums up well what I am trying to say:

Brother, sister let me serve you,
Let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on a journey
We are travellers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

Yet we do not walk alone. The church, which is made up of those who love Jesus and try to be his disciples, is given the Holy Spirit to amongst other things lead, guide, comfort and strengthen us. Living life as a disciple of Jesus is full of high points and low points but we are never alone. No, we are not perfect and yet we are! Listen to what Paul says to the Church in Corinth "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours" (1Cor 1:2) All who call on the name of Jesus are sanctified (made holy) through Jesus! Let's not forget that but instead give thanks for it!

God called loosers to be his people and through Christ he has made them holy! The F word should not be a "No, no!" in our churches, the F word should be a "love and go!" word because of the one we know.