There are many things the Church can do to reflect Christ better within our community.

   I could
quickly sum all of this by stating  EVERYTHING we do as a Church and individuals within the
‘assembly of professed believers’ be focused around two things Christ commanded us to do:

a)    Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus
replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor
as yourself.'

b)    Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
age."

Since this assignment is to provide “specific and practical steps”, I will go beyond stating these
two scriptures and provide more specific things we need to do; although I believe if the Church
and Christians were to center their life on these two scriptures everything else would fall in
place.

Preface: (and post title explanation before I get kicked out of Liberty)

I have created a three step plan that details how I believe the Church and the individuals within
the ‘assembly of professed believers’ need to do in order to reflect Christ better in our
community and culture. Step 1 directly deals with how we view God's love and forgiveness for
us. Step 2 deals with how we, as Christians, view and treat non-Christians; I believe Christians
tend to be quick to be judgmental of non-Christians (and other Christians) way too much, at
which point we are not showing Christ’s love. Finally, Step 3 deals with how we as a Church and
individuals within the Church need to get out of the church [building] and stop completely
filling our time with "Church Fluff" (activities within the church[building]) so that we are able to
do as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18-20.

Three Steps to Get Out of the Church[building] & "Church Fluff

Step #1)    Truly understand God's love and forgiveness for us.  "God made Him who had no sin
to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Christians are supposed to be full of hope, joy, love and peace but a believer so bogged down in
guilt cannot experience any of those. Their belief, that they should never sin or never want to
sin because they are a Christian, is simply drowning them in the own guilt. They fail to see that
they are now a forgiven sinner but none the less, still a sinner; that Christians must make a daily
decision, sometimes a minute by minute, decision to follow Christ by relying on the power of
the Holy Spirit who lives within them. If one fails in that process, they are still forgiven and can
actually learn from that experience. They fail to see that most of God's chosen people
throughout the bible sinned in their walk such as David and Solomon. Not only can some
Christians be quick to judge themselves, they are also quick to judge and condemn others
including non-believers; who rather than condemning, they should be showing them God's
love.  "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and his word has
no place in our lives" - 1 John 1:8:10
 
Step #2)    Stop the legalistic, “holier than thou” attitude toward others
Many non-believers are turned away from Christianity because they view Christians acting
"holier than thou".  In general, the negative view on this attitude is not because a Christian
chooses not to [fill in the blank sin] but because so many Christians are quick to place judgment
on someone that [fill in the blank sin]. The fact is, telling a non-believer that he should not [fill
in the blank sin] is like telling a young child not to act childish, which is completely foolish and a
waste of time until they receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and receive the Holy Spirit.

I believe the main reason for this "holier than thou" attitude is caused by a Christian's failure to
understand God's love and forgiveness (step #1). They are attempting to show how worthy they
are to receive God’s love because they are “better” than most people; but in reality they should
understand there is nothing holy or worthy about them except for what God provided for
everyone, if they choose to accept it.  "For by grace you have been saved through faith ; and
that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-18

If Christians truly understood God's love and forgiveness they would not feel like hypocrites,
not feel completely burdened by guilt of past sins, not live in a state of condemnation, not be so
quick to condemn others, and most importantly be able to experience for them self and
properly share God’s love with others.  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who
are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the
law of sin and death." - Romans 8:1

Step #3)    Get out of the Church (building) and do what we are meant to do
The Church leaders fill up their schedule and the schedule of its members with what I call
“Church Fluff” (committees, bible studies, choir practices, drama practice, jazzercise classes and
many other things) so much that there is no time in an active member’s life to properly spend
time with their family much less go out into the community and share God’s word, Jesus’ love,
and how God has impacted their lives. It’s not that the things listed are not important but like
everything in our life there must be a balance. How can someone be that involved in the
church, spend the required time with their family, and do as Jesus commanded us to do
Matthew 28:18-20?

The same leaders who plan all this “Church Fluff” schedule little, if any, community projects
outside of the church.  Why not have choir practice twice a month at different nursing homes in
the community. The people in those places could care less if it was prefect or if the music
leader had to stop a song to make an adjustment. They would be thrilled to have people there.
Why not spend one jazzercise class a month on community projects like painting a single
mother’s house or picking up litter within the community.

I am convinced there are a lot of Christians who spend way too much time in the Church
(building). It would be awful that a person who was a deacon, a choir member, and a bible
study teacher has to stand before Jesus and answer why he never followed “The Great
Commission”, Matthew 28:18-20. The only answer he can give is, “I was really busy in church.”

In closing I believe required to examine our lives, our Church, and our decisions and make sure
that it is centered on the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 22:36-40 and Matthew 28:18-20.

Something to ponder on:

Would it be bad for a church leader, like a deacon, to go to a local bar (not Chilies but the kind
that you will find NFL linemen-sized bouncers patrolling the place) to shoot darts and start
forming relationships in order to share God’s word? (Not that it matters to me but let’s say he
only drinks bottled water; he has never cared for the taste of alcoholic drinks)