"I Love My Church" T-Shirts

I work in Customer Service in a super market. So, in the course of a week, I see a lot of people. I'm not especially observant, but I do notice what is obviously noticeable.

Recently, I've observed a number of people, from different churches, wearing T-shirts with the saying, "I Love My Church," then advertising the name of the church.

People from outside the immediate area often shop in the store. We're close to a PA Turnpike exit and our meat department is renowned. People come from city areas for special sales. So, some of the beloved-churches are churches unknown to me.

One, however, is in this community. From what I know, it's what most mountaintoppers and, uh, pastors, in my denomination dream of, averaging 300-400 in Sunday Show attendance with several well-paid staffers and a reasonably new building.

But, and these days, and this, truly, is a reason for any church to be at least a tad defensive...

...only ONE campus.

"I Love My CHURCH."

My CHURCH.

It strikes me that, as I live among people, among so-called believers and among what churchy people call, "the unchurched," Jesus Himself is, increasingly, a nonfactor in the culture.

More and more all the time these days, I attempt, if even only in passing, often in what probably seems, to others, trivial ways, to make Jesus a part of conversation. But, I do talk about what Jesus Himself said...or did.

It's not hard for me to do because I'm, by nature, not a customer service person and I use the teachings of Jesus as linchpins to keep my behavior on the job centered.

I'm known by the owners of the store as a people person but it's only because because I keep the teachings of Jesus about self-denial and showing mercy and cheek-turning and second-mile-walking always on my mind and, occasionally, on my lips when I'm asked how or why I do what I do.

It's a regular thing for people I work with, and serve, to focus on and to talk about their church. But, the Lord of the church?

Jesus?

Honestly? Not so much.

At the store, it wouldn't be good customer service for me to go to someone wearing, "I Love My Church," to ask them why they're not advertising their love for Jesus, or to question if they actually do love Him.

So, I don't...

...out loud.

But, honestly, as Christianity declines in the culture, I do see much more church-loving than Jesus-living.

We must repent.