The Pope Mobile

We have been fortunate enough to have been given two cars.  The first car we were given was from 'The Nan'.  She was not using her car much and saw that when we had our first child we would benefit from being a two car family.  This car we call the pope mobile (a similar shape).   It's old, unfashionable but I love it!  It’s my work car.  It's a mess because Ez (my wife) does not drive it thus does not clean it!  I do clean it once a year for its annual MOT and in doing so I fill a bin bag with rubbish.  This car is parked on the road outside our house and generally looks undesirable.  The second car we were given was a very generous gift from a couple in our church. They saw our growing family and bought us a seven seater VW Tauran.  This is a nice car, certainly the nicest we have ever owned! Socially desirable, new (ish), clean (because Ez drives this one) and practical.  This one is parked on the drive.  Recently we have had a spate of car break in's at night.  We have had a car broken into now three times.  The thieves are looking for treasure!  Sat Navs, mobiles and loose change.  However, they have only broken into the Tauran.  They saw the undesirable pope mobile and concluded that there would be no treasure in there.  They saw the Tauran and broke in with hope.  The thing is Ez drives the Tauran so all the treasure is bought inside at night. They leave empty handed.  If they decided to try the pope mobile they would have found what they were looking for - the Sat Nav was in the glove compartment each time.  Who would believe the pope mobile could hold the treasure?  I wonder if the church today is the pope mobile?!  Unfashionable and largely ignored.  But yet here is where the treasure is. A place filled with people that know the love of God.  A people who know who they were born to be, a worshipping community in relationship with the creator, trying to imitate and follow Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit.  A community who enjoy the presence of God and are assured of hope.  A wonderful treasure and it is in the heart of the church.  Yet, unlike the pope mobile we want people to have this treasure so how do we get them to come to the unfashionable undesired church?  Trying to be more fashionable and desirable is one way but not the way I would promote.  We can perhaps start with the most simple of things... passing on what we have seen, heard and know.  To be witnesses to the treasure.  I am not expecting the church to be filled with evangelists who have arguments all sorted for penal substitution and why there is suffering in the world.  But a people who pass on what they know, have seen and heard.  Like, I don't know what it is, but every time I take communion I feel more peaceful, forgiven even clean!  Every time I sing truths about God my heart is lifted more than with any other music!  We had prayer ministry at church and someone laid hands on me and I felt loved to the core of my being!  I heard a great talk that has inspired me to be a better person today!  When serving at soup runs, toddlers groups, youth clubs, and cafes I just feel like we are making things better for our community!  I can’t wait for my small group tonight, they are my dearest friends who have and are walking with me through life!  I have been to a funeral and the words of eternity just dwell deep in my soul!  To name a few!  And when the inevitable 'that's weird/amazing/unbelievable comes’... our reply... 'Come and See'!  Come and see, come and find the treasure, come and know the love, come and join the mission... come to the pope mobile, come to the church because what you have been looking for is there! The treasure is in the church!  So if you are reading this and never found the treasure, try the church.  If you are reading this and have found the treasure tell everyone what you have found.