Have you ever awakened in the middle of the night with a numbing headache? The pain is so intense that the least little movement sends shock waves throughout your body. You get out of bed and go to the medicine cabinet to get a couple of aspirins only to find the bottle is empty. So much for alleviating your pain.
What does the church have in common with an aspirin bottle? The church is defined as a community of believers who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior by striving — as individual ministers — to appropriate the untainted life and work of Christ within a contemporary framework. This community of believers was established in the post-Easter era by individuals who sought to perpetuate the memory of Jesus Christ, who endeavored to be involved in the cause of Jesus Christ, and who witnessed to this cause as the ultimate hope for humankind.
The church that fails to live out this charge is best compared to an empty aspirin bottle. It might appear to be the panacea for all ails us, but it does little to actually relieve our pain and suffering.
