When you hear the word “church,” what comes to mind? This was the lead question posed at a recent small group gathering at our church. For the most part, the replies reinforced a negative perception of church as a gathering place for the religious elite.

There is a tendency to define church as “a person, place or thing” rather than “actions, events or states of being.” In other words, we interpret church as a noun rather than a verb. According to my Grade 7 teacher, Mr. Carpenter, the verb is the most important part of a sentence because it states something about the subject or object. Our small group defined church as a concrete form rather than describing who it is or what she does.

What if we began to understand church as a verb? And also defined its people by what they do? Would this help change the impressions of a small group like ours?

The idea of church as a verb isn't new. Some may recall a similar campaign in Western churches called “Love is a Verb.” This initiative suggested that the essence of Christianity is responding to the outpoured love of God by actively loving others.

We can better understand this concept when we view it through the Wesleyan lens of Scripture, Salvation Army tradition, reason and experience.

Scripture—The whole of Scripture emphasizes an active faith. The prophet Micah reminds us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (see Micah 6:8, italics added). Note the emphasis on the actions. As the Church, we are to do what is right and fair, show compassion by helping others and, with a meek spirit, seek to know God and let him know us. If the weight of this responsibility seems overwhelming, we can find encouragement in the words of the Apostle Paul: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). The Holy Spirit is the initiator of God's work in our lives, and he will continue to work, convict, move and inspire us until Jesus returns. This means that God doesn't leave us to our own devices to figure all this out. Rather, he works in and through us to fulfil his perfect will, and enable us to act out our faith.

Tradition—The idea of Church as active and mobile is embedded in the Army's DNA. In Red Hot and Righteous, Diane Winston recounts the story of the Army's founder, William Booth, coming across a group of homeless men sleeping under the London Bridge. Booth ordered his son Bramwell to “do something.” The result was the opening of the Army's first men's shelter. Our tradition is rooted in the living out of the gospel—“Heart to God, hand to man.”

Reason—The rationale for our social and evangelistic activism attracts young people to The Salvation Army. We are the church with its sleeves rolled up. If we want to keep this generation in the Church, we need to involve them in the community and give them an outlet for the practical expression of their faith.

Experience—Authentic faith manifests itself in doing. I find my faith strengthened in preparing a meal for the hungry or visiting with people who are sick or lonely. Just as Christ “gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering” (see Ephesians 5:2), so, too, we are called to give up ourselves. I do this through prayer, studying God's Word and responding to the needs of others; these activities fuel me. As a pragmatist, it might come easier to me than others, yet Scripture is clear: “Faith without deeds is useless” (see James 2:20).

I am hopeful. If we focus on embodying the biblical meaning of the Church, perhaps we will better understand our mission and purpose in the world. It's possible if we learn to live out church as a verb.

Captain Deana Zelinsky and her husband, Rick, are the corps officers at North Toronto Community Church.