The Church as River and Tree

Near the end of his book "Simply Christian" (SPCK, 2006, chapter 15), Tom Wright uses two images to describe the church. In the first place the church is like a river. This brings all the different elements into a single flow. All belong to one another, and go in the same direction. At the same time the church is like a tree. Jesus is the root, and from the root has grown an amazing plants, with branches going off in all sorts of directions. Interesting, challenging, and powerful images!