Nicene Nazarene, Part Three: (c)atholic.

Yes, that's "catholic" with a lowercase "c".

And yes, some of us are okay with using the word in its original sense: it's an authentic descriptor of the universality of the church. There is a place in the church for everyone. Pastor Sam defined "everyone" as:

-those people who are like you; and
-those people who are unlike you.

Let's briefly recap the sermon:

-the mandate of the Great Commission is that we must go to all nations, baptizing and teaching them. The picture of diversity is evident in Jesus's selection of the disciples: varying ages, varying political affiliations, varying social status. We see catholicity in the example of the Twelve.

-the presence of all nations is a key factor in the outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 1) and the establishment of the church (Acts 13). Diversity of not only nationality, but also gender, is made apparent in the life of the early church. We see catholicity in the example of Pentecost and Antioch.

-the prophetic vision of John in Revelation 7 is echoed in the letters of Paul to Thessalonica and Corinth: the church is strong because it is different from the world, and the church is strong when it is a visible expression of different backgrounds, serving as a clue of what the invisible church looks like. We see catholicity in the example of the church militant, which foreshadows the catholicity of the church triumphant.

Lord, help Bronx Bethany to look more like the church You built.