Attending church doesn't require much effort beyond the motivation to roll out of bed and into a building.

What if we stopped attending church ...

... and started being the church.

The church is the body of Christ.  The church is Jesus' body on earth.  The church is not the building we assemble in.  The church is an assembly of Christ-followers.

So what does it look like to “be” Jesus to other people? 

It’s a “roll-your-sleeves-up” approach where folks do something sacrificial and servant-minded.  When Jesus washed the feet of His closest followers He gave them this directive… Go and do likewise.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”  John 13:14,15

What does it look like in this era to “be” the hands and feet of Jesus in the world?

We are ambassadors for Christ; His emissaries; His proxy; we are continuing the work that He did when He walked the earth.  And the cool things is, we are given His Spirit to enable us for service.  We're not doing it of our own ability.  We rely wholly and completely on Him.

When Jesus modeled a servant’s heart, He took off His outer garments and washed His followers feet. 

How can we “wash” the feet of people in our church and community?

What does it look like to personally serve God?

What does it look like to personally serve other people?

Is my "serve" sacrificial?

Here are a few SERVE ideas to consider ...

Landscaping at a neighborhood elementary school

Neighborhood redevelopment (i.e. painting run-down houses, cleaning up empty lots, painting over graffiti)

Grant-a-wish” service projects for needy families in the church

Adopt-a-room or apartment for an elderly or needy person

Special delivery care packages

Senior service projects

Disaster relief kits

Blanket or sock drive for the homeless

Car clinic

Computer clinic

Health & Wellness Fair

Art fair

“Adopt” a public school with school supply kits

Holiday meals and food baskets

Professional clothing drive for job seekers

Baby showers for pregnancy clinic.

Invite teenage girls to shop for free formal dresses donated by church members

Community clean-up of a park or beach, followed by a picnic lunch for everyone there

Let local firefighters know how much we appreciate them with a breakfast or lunch at their station

Shop for the disabled and seniors at ACC

Zoo-safari with disadvantaged children, or take them to other outings in the Metro DC/Baltimore area.

Distribute food and household supplies in attractive baskets for families suffering with illness or other crises

Parking meter feeding

Gasoline giveaway

Flower seeds during spring

Moving day burgers or pizza at apartments or dorms

Grocery cart return service

Love baskets for families in crisis

Bag of quarters giveaway outside the local Laundromat

Mother’s Day flowers

Beautification of ACC landscaping and grounds

Clean-a-Garage/Basement for single parents or the elderly at ACC

Spring Cleaning Projects at needy families at ACC

These are just ideas to generate more ideas.  I want to encourage you to use those four leading questions above as a “filter” to guide your thinking.  If you can determine, with some Spirit-led certainty, that “xyz” idea accomplishes “being” Jesus to other people and demonstrates personal service to God and other people, then you’re probably on the mark.

When we stop attending church and start being the church, we find that we can't do it alone.  We do life together with other believers in Christ to be His representatives in our communities.  And so we don't give up gathering together but rather assemble together to be the church; to give praise, glory and honor to God; to build each other up in the LORD; and to become equipped to be Jesus to other people.

You might say ...

The church has left the building ....