A person can’t *leave* the church when they ARE the church.
That’s what so many people don’t get.
The church is believers, not an organization or a denomination situated in a building.
Like Judas?
Exactly, metmom. Amen!
The fact that we ARE the Church, makes us responsible for the WHOLE Church, since we are, as St. Paul says, all members of one Body and we all need each other. All of us are working members: none of us is just along for the ride.
It is quite distorted to bring a "consumerist" attitude about the Church.
In a consumerist faith, the spoz-to-be believers are actually mere customers going to the local retailers for religious goods and services. They are in the market for "spiritual experiences," they are looking for a stress-free atmosphere, a warm fellowship, a good choir, a talented preacher, a set of practices that fit their spiritual esthetics. They church-shop until they find a retailer that will give them what they want to fulfill the "religion component" in their lives.
I am seeing lately how "consumerism" describes different kinds of people who hold the name of Christian.
The key would be how they respond when the gratifications and satisfactions of "church-life" dwindle, and the pains and aggravations increase.
The consumerist will be out the door, looking for a more satisfactory retail church experience elsewhere.
The "We ARE the Church", member-of-the Body believer will stand his ground and fight for the doctrinal and moral integrity of the WHOLE church, even if it means a battle to the death.