Here's The Church... Here's The Steeple

We're taught early on via "hand" motions the little saying

"Here's the church, here's the steeple, open the door and here's the people"

It's a great line (rhyming of course) but it is good and bad theology mixed together. Let me explain.

I've been struck lately with songs that talk about the people of God and the church and I think when I hear them I still have a little of that "Here's the church" mind in me as I think about the church.

The church is NOT a building, a place or an organization. THE CHURCH is the people of God, motivated by the indwelling Holy Spirit to accomplish the will of God in their lives. We're all wrong when we say we're going to CHURCH--we're actually going to the meeting house (I think that's what the Quakers call it)

The church is made of people whose lives are intertwined like our fingers in this little saying and it is that interconnectedness that we all need and all depend on to be the church. We need each other--everyone one of us!

One of the songs that has meant the most to me lately is Paul Baloche's "Rising"

"People of God, In the power of God, for the Kingdom of God"--- I think that's the right perspective on church. We as the church are the people of God and our only motivation and empowerment comes from God with the purpose of accomplishing God's will. Maybe I'll come up with hand motions for this.

So--what do you think? Agree or Disagree? What's your definition of The Church?