by Bohdan Rewko (Bo of T.O.)

Created on: January 12, 2010   Last Updated: January 14, 2010

Almost two thousand years ago Apostle Paul wrote letters to churches he helped to found. His aim was to encourage them to live by faith and to grow in love and unity by maintaining fellowship within the Christian communities that were the beginnings of Christ's Kingdom.

Over the centuries Christ's Kingdom has manifested itself in communal living, hospitals, orphanages, schools, and of course church buildings dedicated to the worship of God. But if Paul were writing to today's North American churches, what might he say?

Before anyone gets onto the tangent of progressive revelation, it should be stated that Paul's letters are more than adequate for teaching in the twenty-first century church. What is missing however, seems to be the perspective that previous centuries had, which was that Christians corporately form the Body of Christ. The North American spirit of independence and individuality has been extended to an individual relationship with Christ in a way that seems to work contrary to the hitherto understood principle of unity.

Christians in America gather to worship and then go their separate ways to live their lives apart from one another. Commuting has replaced community as an accepted norm, and the concept of Christian fellowship does not encompass more than having a coffee and doughnut after a Sunday service, or the occasional potluck luncheon. Is it a wonder then that the world does not see the difference between the Church and any other country club?

Is this the Church that Christ proclaimed and gave His life to establish? Is it the Church Paul encouraged in his letters?

As a musician who has been gifted with some ability to create music and songs, it concerns me to see how many Christian musicians view their roles within the functioning Body of Christ. There are those who put in their time on worship teams and choirs in congregations throughout the continent, and then spend the week making a living performing at bars, musicals, or other staged productions.

Recently I approached a singer at a church to consider collaboration on a recording project. The response was that they had no time because they were too busy making a living outside of the church. A while before I attempted to convince another musician working as a producer in studio settings, to help organize Christian musicians into a business venture involving like-minded Christian artists. This too was met with a polite but somewhat cool response. Marketing skills aside, is there an

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>