Three Stories

Three stories about what the church is selling.1) A story about life, death, and the afterlife that allows people to sidestep their fear of death.2) Inspiration for living a good life.Both of these stories are insufficient, and people who strongly adhere to one of the purposes can see the thinness in people who choose the other.But what does God want, or get? Admiring fans? Company? What does God actually want? Both of these stories are about what humans want and need. This is their insufficiency...their narrowness.Or, consider 3: The church provides a witness to the vocation (in the sense of calling) of humanity. In this version, God has created humans for a partnership in a broader mission. The church witnesses to this calling, and guides people towards fulfilling it.