Church: The Way it’s Suppose to be

I have pastored for nearly 35 years now and over the last 25 years of ministry I have come to believe that church is meant to be the safest place in the world. It is something we have worked hard to ensure at the church I pastor because the church is meant to graciously love, to build up, encourage, and affirm the believer in their relationship with Christ so that when we go out into the world we live in we might accurately reveal Christ to those around us.

The church is meant to be that safe place we can come when we’ve made a mess of our lives, when our faith has failed, when we have lived selfishly making costly mistakes and poor choices, when we feel like we have failed God, ourselves, and those we love, when life is kicking us in the teeth, whether it is because of our own failures or the failures of others.

Church is meant to be that safe environment that nurtures our faith when we have more questions than answers. It is meant to be that safe place we can come when we’re tired, depressed, overwhelmed, confused, and have little strength. It’s the place we can come and find rest and peace from the demands of the world that is constantly evaluating us on our performance. Church is meant to be that safe place we can come when we don’t have to have it all together in a nice neat package, pretending life is grand when it’s not.

Jesus asks, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get       away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matt. 11:28-30   The Message

Church is meant to be that safe place where we see Jesus in the lives of others; where we encounter His love, acceptance, and mercy through the lives of those who would gather in his name. Church is meant to be a refuge for us as we follow Christ because quite frankly, life at times can be tragic and hard and the burdens we bear can be crushing. Church is meant to be that safe place where no one is keeping score because Christ has settled the score on the cross.

But that’s not necessarily our experience with the church. Too often church is the last place we want to go when we aren’t doing well, when life is crashing down upon us. I believe there are several reasons for this and my hope is to shed some light on some of these as I see it. Until next time…