What is church?

So...I've updated my blog everyday this weekend. Usually, I try to leave a day or two in between blog posts so people don't get behind on reading it. Let's face it, most people probably don't stalk my blog everyday to make sure to stay current on all my postings (except you, Mom--haha), and when people do check it, you probably don't want to have to read 3 or 4 posts to catch up from the last time. However, I've just had a lot I wanted to write about lately. So, the lesson to learn from this is: Check my blog everyday, maybe twice a day just to make sure you never miss a post! =)

Today, I spent 9 hours up at the church. It was a special gathering of all the Churches of Christ from the greater Buenos Aires area. There were probably close to 200 people there. We started out with a lunch, then had a time of fellowship (which included playing ping pong, visiting, cleaning up from lunch, etc), had worship service, and ended the day with a merienda (the first dinner we have here).

These activities got me thinking: What exactly is church? In my experience, it has always been get up on Sunday morning, go to Bible class (usually unwillingly, I must admit), go to the church service (watching the clock the whole time wondering how much longer this preacher will persist), then rushing out the door to beat all the other churchgoers to lunch. Today was a different experience and felt more like what I think church was intended to be. Church is a family. Families eat together, play together, pray together, worship together, and just enjoy being in each other's presence.

I like the South American view of church--an all day affair. Did I miss my Sunday afternoon nap? Of course. Did my feet get tired from standing in heels all day? Of course. But, what I enjoyed most about today was not the worship service (though it was good) nor the food, but instead the sense of community I felt. There was a mutual desire to be together. Nobody was checking their clock wondering when they could go home, plop down on the couch, and turn on sports. Nobody was trying to figure out which restaurant would be the least crowded or the fastest. Instead, everybody was talking, laughing, and pitching in to make sure everybody was comfortable and well fed.

This is the type of church I want to be a part of. This is the type of church I believe God intended for us to have. I am exhausted from the long day today, but at the same time I have been rejuvenated by the amazing body of believers that I am blessed to be a part of here in Argentina.