Should the church as an institution be loved?

In conversation about church there is always the obligatory reminder that the "church is the people." That is true and should never be forgotten. But the church is also an entity in itself full of tradition. The church is made up, not only of current members, but of all who have gone before. She has a legacy of blood, sweat and tears. People have given their lives to form the institution.

As a Christian people, we belong to God. The Church belongs to God. She is the bride of Christ. She is his body made up of many members, yet one. She has a purpose. Determining that purpose is often fraught with deep battles of will and conscience. Some see her as a well where Christians go to drink and be filled. She is. Some see her as a springboard for "going forth into all the world." She is. Some see her as a source of social interaction in an otherwise lonely world. She is. The church, this battered institution, is all these things and more.

There is comfort in tradition. It binds us as a scattered people. Attending church in a strange town with folks who are unfamiliar to us, one can sing hymns and make statements of faith that bring unity. In this time and this place strangers are family. For this hour there is one church, the body of Christ. The tradition of the institution spans space and time. It makes tangible the promise of Christ that where two or more are gathered in his name, He will be in the midst of them. The communion of saints is mortar in a fragmented world. Worship is the tie that binds.

Worship is one facet of the institution. It is the heart and soul. Before the church can go out into the world she must acknowledge her Creator and Sustainer. The tradition, hymns and creeds come from a long line of people who could no longer contain their love of God and of His people. They put words to paper to offer back to God their souls in gratitude and joy. The people read and sing in hopes of making the same offering. Church, the institution, retains the legacy so that Church, the people, may express devotion to God as one.

The expectation is that this body of believers will leave worship refreshed , renewed and full of wonder at the grace of God through Christ and carry this wonder out into the world, out of the safety and familiarity of the institution.

The Holy Spirit draws us in, refreshes us and sends us back out.

The Institution is a Holy entity bought by Christ to make Himself evident to the world. As such she is to be loved.

Lisa Poole is a freelance writer living in Virginia.