Picture of the Church?

I was driving around a few nights ago with my family looking at Christmas lights. We saw a well-decorated community and we turned onto the street leading toward the lights. As we turned, I noticed right away that the community was a gated community and I was locked out!

I was baffled...

Why would a gated community with 9-10 homes (that is all that were in the community!) decorate their homes to the extent that they did? Do they really believe that they are providing "holiday cheer" just for themselves? My thoughts wandered to the types of conversations they must be having inside their community...

"Hey, great lights John, I really enjoy them. I put my lights so that you and our street could enjoy them. I'm glad that we are not like other communities that have tons of cars coming through to look at our lights. We get to look at each other's lights and reindeer and santa claus figures and enjoy them. Maybe later this week, we can sing Christmas carols to ourselves and walk down the street. Isn't that going to be a blast?"

In many ways, I've witnessed some churches follow the same patterns in a different arena. We put on our best "show" and "lights" but oftentimes only think about ourselves and who is inside our 'community'.

My prayer and goal is that I would be part of a church that doesn't exist like that gated community that I saw the other night.

I wonder how many people visit a worship service or drive by churches and feel baffled like I did the other night?