as not without aim

Thinking further about a post from a few days ago, as well as musing on what the vision and goals should be for my flock. Was critical a few days ago about how churches focus on ministries rather than the Spirit, and how ultimately that strategy wouldn't pay off.

But what if that strategy is in fact what a church should do? Perhaps the Spirit-focus is not something a church does, but rather what an individual and/or a family does?

I have stated before that parents, especially fathers, too often let the church handle the spiritual parenting, as if the main responsibility for raising a child up in the instruction of the Lord is dropping the tykes off at Awana rather than praying with them, reading Scripture with them, and talking about Jesus with them. What if this spiritual laziness existed in the realm of the Spirit as well? What if the job of ensuring a closer walk was an individual journey and not a corporate one? Perhaps the body is meant only for instruction, service, fellowship, and support and not for discipleship.

That is the key question, isn't it? Whether or not the body is for discipleship or for fellowship. My inclination is the former rather than the latter, but I suppose every house of worship needs to answer that question for itself.