what is the church, really...

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 

 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."

                                                Galatians 5:13-15

I've worshipped the Triune Godhead in many sacred spaces; 

mud huts, tin buildings, living rooms, prision gymnasiums, movie theaters...school auditoriums,  memory lockdown units, death beds, sidewalks, taigates...and even churches that seated thousands. 

I've been at this for almost thirty years. I was kicked out of church buildings over my postion on Christ and authority of Scriture just about fifteen years ago. 

I'd like to comment a little of what is a very common phrase now...

"the church has left the building". 

Some shout "hurray, finally!".... others are lamenting... 

Who is correct?

Well, only God can judge the heart. 

The first called out people and sacred space for worhip seems to me to be found way back in Genesis 8:15-16... "Then God said to Noah, 'Go out'"

The "church" are the "called out people". Lots of folks are tossing out the word "Εκκλησία", 

Ekklisía...the word often used in the Bible for church...

So Noah and his family were called out by God from the boat...and the first thing they did, without being commanded by God, was to build an altar out of a pile of rocks and sacrifice some clean animals and birds to God as a thank offering. (see Genesis 8:20-22).
(fun aside...Noah DID NOT only bring two of each...see Genesis 7:3)

What's my point?..."Let me explain... No, there is too much. Let me sum up."

God called His people out, to worship....He would do it again with the Exodus...God called Moses out to journy three days to again, build and altar to worship Him.

So, if we are to "be the church", the called out people, we are to "be" worshippers.

But.... we can be as isolated in our living rooms with our dogs in our pajamas as we can be in a building on Sunday mornings....

Stop biting each other!

We have left the building physically, but are we still in it spiritually?

Loving your neighbor as your self is a passive response not an active command.... when you worship God, you will be driven to live a sacrificial life of Love...because when we worship Him, He lives in us, and it's the "Christ-in-us" who is doing the loving...

Remember, we are the jars of clay carrying the treasures.

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God 

and not from us. 

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  

persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, 

so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body."

                                                     2 Corinthians 4:7-11