There are many things the Church can do to reflect Christ better within our community. I could quickly sum all of this by stating EVERYTHING we do as a Church and individuals within the ‘assembly of professed believers’ be focused around two things Christ commanded us to do:

a) Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

b) Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Since this assignment is to provide “specific and practical steps”, I will go beyond stating these two scriptures and provide more specific things we need to do; although I believe if the Church and Christians were to center their life on these two scriptures everything else would fall in place.

Preface: (and post title explanation before I get kicked out of Liberty)

I have created a three step plan that details how I believe the Church and the individuals within the ‘assembly of professed believers’ need to do in order to reflect Christ better in our community and culture. Step 1 directly deals with how we view God's love and forgiveness for us. Step 2 deals with how we, as Christians, view and treat non-Christians; I believe Christians tend to be quick to be judgmental of non-Christians (and other Christians) way too much, at which point we are not showing Christ’s love. Finally, Step 3 deals with how we as a Church and individuals within the Church need to get out of the church [building] and stop completely filling our time with "Church Fluff" (activities within the church[building]) so that we are able to do as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18-20.

Three Steps to Get Out of the Church[building] & "Church Fluff

Step #1)    Truly understand God's love and forgiveness for us.  "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21Christians are supposed to be full of hope, joy, love and peace but a believer so bogged down in guilt cannot experience any of those. Their belief, that they should never sin or never want to sin because they are a Christian, is simply drowning them in the own guilt. They fail to see that they are now a forgiven sinner but none the less, still a sinner; that Christians must make a daily decision, sometimes a minute by minute, decision to follow Christ by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within them. If one fails in that process, they are still forgiven and can actually learn from that experience. They fail to see that most of God's chosen people throughout the bible sinned in their walk such as David and Solomon. Not only can some Christians be quick to judge themselves, they are also quick to judge and condemn others

including non-believers; who rather than condemning, they should be showing them God's love. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives" - 1 John 1:8:10 Step #2)    Stop the legalistic, “holier than thou” attitude toward othersMany non-believers are turned away from Christianity because they view Christians acting "holier than thou". In general, the negative view on this attitude is not because a Christian chooses not to [fill in the blank sin] but because so many Christians are quick to place judgment on someone that [fill in the blank sin]. The fact is, telling a non-believer that he should not [fill in the blank sin] is like telling a young child not to act childish, which is completely foolish and a waste of time until they receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and receive the Holy Spirit.

I believe the main reason for this "holier than thou" attitude is caused by a Christian's failure to understand God's love and forgiveness (step #1). They are attempting to show how worthy they are to receive God’s love because they are “better” than most people; but in reality they should understand there is nothing holy or worthy about them except for what God provided for everyone, if they choose to accept it. "For by grace you have been saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-18

If Christians truly understood God's love and forgiveness they would not feel like hypocrites, not feel completely burdened by guilt of past sins, not live in a state of condemnation, not be so quick to condemn others, and most importantly be able to experience for them self and properly share God’s love with others. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." - Romans 8:1

Step #3)    Get out of the Church (building) and do what we are meant to doThe Church leaders fill up their schedule and the schedule of its members with what I call “Church Fluff” (committees, bible studies, choir practices, drama practice, jazzercise classes and many other things) so much that there is no time in an active member’s life to properly spend time with their family much less go out into the community and share God’s word, Jesus’ love, and how God has impacted their lives. It’s not that the things listed are not important but like everything in our life there must be a balance. How can someone be that involved in the church, spend the required time with their family, and do as Jesus commanded us to do Matthew 28:18-20?

The same leaders who plan all this “Church Fluff” schedule little, if any, community projects outside of the church. Why not have choir practice twice a month at different nursing homes in the community. The people in those places could care less if it was prefect or if the music

leader had to stop a song to make an adjustment. They would be thrilled to have people there. Why not spend one jazzercise class a month on community projects like painting a single mother’s house or picking up litter within the community.

I am convinced there are a lot of Christians who spend way too much time in the Church (building). It would be awful that a person who was a deacon, a choir member, and a bible study teacher has to stand before Jesus and answer why he never followed “The Great Commission”, Matthew 28:18-20. The only answer he can give is, “I was really busy in church.”

In closing I believe required to examine our lives, our Church, and our decisions and make sure that it is centered on the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 22:36-40 and Matthew 28:18-20.

Something to ponder on: Would it be bad for a church leader, like a deacon, to go to a local bar (not Chilies but the kind that you will find NFL linemen-sized bouncers patrolling the place) to shoot darts and start forming relationships in order to share God’s word? (Not that it matters to me but let’s say he only drinks bottled water; he has never cared for the taste of alcoholic drinks)