An Imperfect Church

The United Methodist Church has its problems. Sometimes our bureaucracy seems to get in the way of what matters, which is to make disciples of Christ. Our denomination has financial pressures, and these financial pressures are passed down to our local churches in the form of higher and higher apportionments. Widespread disagreements and disputes exist on a denominational level about what it means to be the Church and how to live out that calling in the world.

As disciples, we make lots of mistakes. We are, decidedly, imperfect. Then, we look at pictures of the early saints and heroes of the Church, and we are discouraged, because they do not look like us--imperfect people within an imperfect religious tradition. They have halos, peaceful expressions, and don't ever seem to make any mistakes. They look like they have it altogether.

This Sunday in the Revised Common Lectionary we continue our journey through Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 3.1-9, and we see something remarkable. The early community in Corinth had the same problems that we do, both institutionally and individually. The church in Corinth was divided, with disputes and controversies, and the disciples within the church were flawed and imperfect. And yet despite their imperfections and the imperfections of the institution around them, they did great things. We know that they did great things and that the other communities that Paul founded did great things, because they passed down the traditions of the faith to us. They prayed and read the scriptures and proclaimed Christ crucified and risen and lived as true disciples.

We bear this same duality. We are both imperfect and capable of doing great things through God's Spirit. And in the United Methodist Church, we live out our discipleship in a flawed and imperfect denomination that is also capable of doing great things and does great things. I have a sneaking suspicion that this same duality is present in other expressions of the Church Universal.

When we make mistakes, we should not give up on ourselves because God has not given up on us. And when we are frustrated by our religious tradition, we should not give up on our religious tradition, because God hasn't. And then we should move on and continue to live according to the example of Christ. God will be with us when we do.