Biology 101 - for the Church!

I just finished up a blog post for my weekly assignment at Church Solutions. It should post sometime Monday morning; you will be able to see it here.

It all started with the anniversary of the discovery of the chemical structure of DNA on February 28, 1953 by Francis Crick and James Watson. Although DNA was discovered in 1869, it wasn't until 1943 that its role in determining genetic inheritance was demonstrated. It took an additional 10 years for Watson and Crick to discover the structure of the DNA molecule and its importance in the replication of our cell structures throughout our bodies. The very familiar double helix structure is depicted above. The discovery of DNA allowed Watson and Crick to demonstrate how it was possible for genetic instructions to be held inside organisms and passed from generation to generation.

There is a lesson here for the church - and it's not just in the popular use of the phrase "the DNA of your church" that has become more prevalent over the past decade. As much as I see the church as structure and systems and organization, we must never forget that it is an organism - the Body of Christ. All of the science and knowledge of living things can be applied to the church in the same way - and it behoves us to understand the church in this way.

After all - God created all living things and gave us the intellect and ability to begin to glimpse just a little of the miracle of life - why shouldn't we apply that same learning to His body, the church?

More to come!