Don't just go to church...

Don’t Go To Church, by Chris Hooper

Don’t go to church

Be the church

Stop attending a service

Once or twice a month

Or even thrice or more

Stop attending and rather gather

Collect with the “also called”

Join in their songs and chants and prayers

Offer up your own

Bring with you Christ

And as the church reforms

Every Sunday, a great mystery you will see

God with us: proclaimed, professed, possessed

A family of “also called” sinners becomes a radiant bride

So don’t settle to go to church

Watching, attending, observing, critiqueing

Rather be, remain, and reform weekly or more

The mysterious gathering of little Christ-ones

That reconstitute his collected body, his rebuilt temple, his restored family

The group of misfit rebels, sinners, and malcontents

That the Father called, the Son redeemed, the Holy Spirit sealed

Come rejoice and worship. Come greet and embrace

Come expect divine engagement because the “also called” ones have reconvened

Don't settle for going to church this Sunday.

Jesus didn’t die for that

But he did die for those he “also called” friends

Even me. Even you.

I’ll see you when we gather next

together his body, his bride, his people.

Christopher Hooper recently began serving as pastor of First Evangelical Free Church of Brooklyn, NY (http://firstfreebrooklyn.org) after working in an executive pastoral role for several years at Open Door Fellowship Church in Denver, CO (http://odfdenver.org). His wife and ministry collaborator Holly has supported him for a couple of decades while his boys, Maxwell and Miles have brought him joy and pride for over a decade. Chris doesn’t tweet (but enjoys those who do), and can often be reached via email at: xchristopher@mail.com.