"What do you mean — the church within? Isn't church outside me? I go to church, I love the church, but I can do very little to affect the way the church is. I cannot determine the church's development because it is not in my control. Too bad the church out there is empty."
I struggled with these thoughts a while back. Wanting a satisfying answer, I began my search by asking: Do I have an empty concept of Church, the eternal idea of God? Is my concept of Church as complete as it should be?
One definition of "empty" is "lacking purpose or substance." In this sense, an empty concept of Church is one that does not include a clear comprehension of the purpose or substance of Church. Without a spiritual understanding of Church, the divine idea of God, our church organization may be seen only as a Sunday social gathering, a building that needs painting, or a place to share personal troubles. If one has ever questioned the reason for attending church or wondered why a service was not satisfying, perhaps an empty concept of Church is what actually needs to be filled.
Much of what happens in our church work results from our concept of Church. As our understanding is filled with the facts of Truth's Church, our "church within" is enlightened. This inner change is manifested by outward transformation of our church's circumstances. When our own attendance, participation, and outreach become anything but empty, visitors are attracted by the vibrance and sense of purpose we express.
The spiritual fact regarding Truth's Church counters the empty mortal concept. Church is founded on Truth, the divine rock, and the institution that represents it serves to channel the revelation of truth to all who seek God. Christ Jesus recognized the importance of preserving what he taught and lived and making it available to humanity. The Master established his church for all time on Simon Peter's recognition that the Master represented Christ. Jesus declared, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matt. 16:18.
As Christian Scientists, we can strive to follow Christ Jesus' example. Our church rests on the basis stated in the "Historical Sketch" from the Manual of The Mother Church by Mrs. Eddy: "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., is designed to be built on the Rock, Christ; even the understanding and demonstration of divine Truth, Life, and Love, healing and saving the world from sin and death; thus to reflect in some degree the Church Universal and Triumphant." Man., p. 19.As one ponders the spiritual purpose of our church, and has it touch all areas of his daily living, the empty concept disappears. Church activity becomes a precious demonstration of one's growing vision of Christ Jesus' church. The "inreach" to a church's own membership becomes increasingly sincere, encouraging, and full of spiritual strength. One sees the congregation less as a collection of various human personalities and more as the individual expression of limitless Spirit. As one's concept of Church grows, outreach expands to selfless, original, and dynamic sharing of divine Truth. New means of bringing one's church experience to the community may appear.
Infinite Spirit, Soul, is the substance of Church. Our understanding of this fact results in brotherly love, dedication, vision, and the genuine spirituality that heals. Knowing that the substance of Church is Love, one does not fear what mortal mind, or the false suggestion that material sense is intelligent, claims about church. Intelligently acknowledging this substance, one sees through the false claim to the spiritual facts.
Empty seats would never be filled by simply changing the form of our church. Merely cosmetic changes or reliance on human personality do nothing to improve one's spiritual sense. A higher concept of Church is what we need. Life, Truth, and Love unfold the perfect concept of Church in our thinking. Mind forms Church, and man includes all that Church is. Knowing this, we can directly determine the quality of our church experience. Mrs. Eddy writes, "There is no excellence without labor; and the time to work, is now." Miscellaneous Writings, p. 340. As we express the divine qualities that Church includes, we find Church becoming more real and vital. Selfless giving, love for all mankind, spiritual intuition, healing power, are inevitable results. We find the divine, with total love, embracing the human; then the church institution more closely patterns the divine.
Change always begins with one's own thinking. As consciousness is filled, through the Christ, with a higher understanding of "the Church Universal and Triumphant," the empty concept of the "church within" disappears, and the empty experience vanishes right along with it.
