Forts, Castles and Walls to Hide Behind

When I was growing up and we went on family vacations we would often stop at forts.  We would see the displays and uniformed soldiers and watch them fire the cannons.  These were secure military facilities to house the troops and armaments safely.  In other times people built castles for the same purpose.  But here's the thing. A castle or a fort is not very significant if the soldiers stay inside.

So let's think about that for a minute.  A fort is in a single location that provides security to a larger area.  It is a secure place for the soldiers to sleep at night and to keep supplies, but how much influence can be exerted from behind the walls.  Enemies could go around it and avoid the conflict.  To be able to secure an area, the soldiers must leave the security of the fort and explore the world beyond.

 

So let's compare a fort to a sanctuary.  A sanctuary is a safe place and you stay there.  Lately in the news there has been a controversy over "sanctuary cities", cities that don'y follow federal immigration laws.  Illegal immigrants can stay there in safety, but only if they stay there.  They aren't leaving and they don't plan on leaving.  In a wildlife sanctuary animals live there and they don't often leave.  

 

I think that our churches should be less like sanctuaries and more like forts.  We come into the church to recharge and recoup,  We can profess our faith and worship among other believers.  But if we are to have an impact we have to move beyond our walls and out into the world.

Of course we all physically leave the church building, but some of us never mentally leave the building.  We work around Christians.  All of our friends are Christians.  We watch Christian TV and listen to Christian radio.  And all of these things are good.  But if we never leave the fort, we have a very limited effect on the world around us.

Watch this video from Pastor Chris.

Jesus worshiped in the temple and prayed with His disciples, but he also walked among the masses and shared hope and healing with a part of the world that desperately needed it.  Just like today.  We would all do better to remember that part of Jesus's ministry so that the light of God can shine through us.