The Steeple

Reading from the Book of Revelation 4:11
You are worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honor and power . . . 

Burning most of the city in four days, the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed
St. Paul's Cathedral and many churches. Architect Sir Christopher Wren was
commissioned by King Charles II to rebuild these religious structures. In his design,
Wren included steeples that visually guided men and women to gaze heavenward
above the city's destruction. The steeple image quickly caught on, reminding people
of the Church's purpose: to glorify our Lord and Savior.

Yet tragically, in the busyness of new programs and entertaining fads, churches
can forget their purpose. Do we pamper our congregations with an entertainment
mentality that leads to biblical ignorance? It's not about how smart we are at
directing people toward our particular church. Our purpose isn't to be wealthy,
famous, or praised by a degraded society. Our singular purpose is to pave the
way for His return by sowing the Gospel person-to-person and nation-to-nation.

I'm thankful for the church steeple. It's a fitting symbol for the central purpose of
the Church, apologetically directing people toward the glory of God.
Step outside and gaze heavenward.