I think the Church is a conduit to God. The Church is not God. And I think that from the very beginning Jesus taught us that.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I suppose the Church would be perfect only if it were run by perfect beings. God is perfect, and His doctrine is pure. But He works through us - His imperfect children - and imperfect people make mistakes.
Through the ages, God has used the church to keep alive and pass down the story of what Christ has done for us.
I believe with all my heart that the Church of Jesus Christ should be a Church of blurred edges.
As the Church is the aggregate of believers, there is an intimate analogy between the experience of the individual believer, and of the Church as a whole.
I do know this... I seem to reach a lot of previously unchurched people. So many people have told me they never went to church until they heard our message of hope that God is a good God who desires to bless those who are faithful and obedient to Him through Jesus Christ.
The faith of the church must be tried by God's word, and not God's word by the church; neither yet my faith.
I think we are all trying to figure out what it means to be the Church as opposed to just doing church.
In the periods of my life when I've had least contact with the Church, I've always assumed a belief in God is a solid thing, but clearly it's a relationship; it has good days and bad days.
The Church is the new creation, it is life and joy, it is the sacramental fellowship in which we share the ultimate purpose of God, made real for us now in our hearing the Word and sharing the Sacrament.
I think in church you're raised like God is God and you are here.