The Band
Image: Microsoft 365 Copilot
Last Saturday I was involved in an all-day band rehearsal, in preparation for our church network’s summer camp, coming up at the end of August.
During the morning I played drums, then switched to guitar and vocals for the afternoon.
I was a little rusty on the drums, as I don’t play as much these days, so it was good to work on my skills!
It was a joy and pleasure to play with such talented and ‘ego-less’ musicians and singers. We had an acoustic, electric and bass guitar, keyboards, drums, saxophone and vocals.
I loved hearing the instruments blend together and watching the players looking and listening out for one another. Together we made some wonderful music.
Over the years I have been in a number of bands. When these different musicians play together they produce something which is far greater than the individual parts! I have always seen this as a wonderful picture of the church.
In the Bible, Paul used the picture of a body to describe the church…
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. And so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”
The church is a glorious mix of unique, talented, complex, broken, beautiful and wonderful people. All have had an encounter with God and are on a journey with Him.
It can be challenging, because of such diversity. There are times when I have encountered people who don’t see or do things in a way I would, and I have sometimes struggled with this.
I have to come back to this passage, and remind myself that we are all different, with our own perspectives, strengths and weaknesses.
In doing that, I again see the richness and variety of the church and can celebrate that people are not all like me!
You are unique, and so is everyone else! When we all keep our focus on God we can find ways to live and work together in unity.
I wonder if Paul had been in a band would he have used that to illustrate the church? When I get to heaven, I shall ask him…
God bless you:)
Gary Bastin
Hope Community Church leader