⁴  You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. ⁵  You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, ⁶  one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. Ephesians 4:4-6 (MSG) 

I once believed that there could exist a perfect church, where the doctrine was correct, but in a way it wasn’t the focus. Where the missio dei -Christ sending us out as He was sent out, was not the focus of the church, but as natural to it’s life as breathing air.  Where people wouldn’t sin against each other, where people wouldn’t betray each other, where sin wouldn’t be so pervasive, where illnesses and anxieties would simply be healed, not as a visibly demonstrated as simply fact.

I have a lot of friends it seems these days, critical about the congregation or the denomination they belong to, heck after our convention I am as guilty of that as any.  There is a sense of where do I go? Heck, some of us actually talk about what such a church would look like.  Robert Webber called it “convergence”, others called it three streams..but drawing the best…of all.

The best simple Christ-centered sacramental and incarnational theology

Humble wise leaders (say like Francis)

Awesome music that is written for all the people of God to sing

An atmosphere where people of every tribe, tongue and language fit in together.

A place where people just enjoyed worship and Bible Studyies.

The question then is…since we can’t find that church and interject our ownsin…what do we do?  Do we give up, do we reorganize our priorities?  Do we just settle for something that is comfortable?

Or do we trust God, forgiving as we are forgiven and work it out?

Big questions…