The church becomes a Living...
Illustration
The church becomes a Living Body of Christ when the love of Christ is allowed to move through all the various members in such a way that what is formed is a community of limitless love. It is not easy to imagine a church accepting all kinds of people, caring for them, and giving to the point of sacrificial love, as the members of the church use their various gifts to minister to those in need.
Once in awhile, however, it still happens. The Church of the Saviour in Washington really lives up to its name. One of the members, a girl named Meg, came to that church out of a life of alcoholism and prostitution. She had tried marriage for a while in the hope that it would help her, but it didn't. In fact her extramarital adventures drove her war-veteran husband to attempted suicide. Then Meg came to the Church of the Saviour. People from many walks of life in that congregation accepted her, cared for her, and gave themselves to her, as no one had ever done before. Some of the members worked with her until she stopped drinking. Others supported Meg as she and her husband worked out their marriage problems. Still others helped Meg get a job, and begin a new kind of life. Meg said, "At first I thought these people were crazy. Then I didn't care what they were. I suddenly wanted what they had."
Once in awhile, however, it still happens. The Church of the Saviour in Washington really lives up to its name. One of the members, a girl named Meg, came to that church out of a life of alcoholism and prostitution. She had tried marriage for a while in the hope that it would help her, but it didn't. In fact her extramarital adventures drove her war-veteran husband to attempted suicide. Then Meg came to the Church of the Saviour. People from many walks of life in that congregation accepted her, cared for her, and gave themselves to her, as no one had ever done before. Some of the members worked with her until she stopped drinking. Others supported Meg as she and her husband worked out their marriage problems. Still others helped Meg get a job, and begin a new kind of life. Meg said, "At first I thought these people were crazy. Then I didn't care what they were. I suddenly wanted what they had."
