Commercial Property.

It started raining this morning. I re-thought my earlier resolve to go for a run but decided to strap on the shoes despite the weather. It turned into a very slow jog. My heavy feet made slower by my heaviness of heart. A heaviness that has been lingering, even a run unable to remedy today. The uncomfortableness was dulled slightly, but not cured.

I was listening to Ed Dobson and Rob Bell's tag team sermon titled Bread and Baskets from a few months ago. I always manage to laugh at some point while listening to a podcast and running, probably looking like an idiot. I volleyed back and forth between listening intently and brooding over the 'typical' questions as of late. I was trying to help the listening side win, but the brooding team kept taking over. It is an epic battle trying to sort through this mess that is my mind. A task I would wish on no one. It's really brutal sometimes. Most of the time really. It never seems to really know what it wants, and is so good at producing a counter-argument. While in the middle of one of these battles, I stopped and was integrated back into my surroundings.

I was passing a church building. I noticed the strange rounded roof first, and then looked at the sign and wondered what denomination it was. I read about their services, part of their "creed", all stickered on a large white board. There was another large board at the edge of the lawn. "Commercial Property for Sale". You can call Thun Champassak if you are interested. Commercial property. Right next to it was a Grubbs and Ellis sign advertising another commercial property on the market.

Rob and Ed were talking about the early church. Ed just finished reading this passage-

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

How does koinonia turn into commercial property?
I cannot begin to describe how much I need Sunday mornings. The last two have been vital. But church isn't Sunday morning and four walls. True fellowship, true community has nothing to do with buildings and stuff. The church isn't about the piece of land it sits on, it's about what happens on the square of grass. The empty shell of a church I saw this morning, it's commercial property now. Because that is not the church. The sign out front may say so in blue and gold letters. But the real church is a living, breathing, moving thing that when really happening, can't be bought or sold. A reminder that brings excitement and comfort.