As a minister who travels to different churches, it is interesting to see the variety out there.

God’s Church is imperfect, mainly because WE are there. We, the forgiven, who are hopefully growing in Christ-likeness. We, God’s children, who hopefully understand it isn’t just about my needs, or having a “good” service, but about being a part of the mission of God in our cities. Just as in our own families – some never grow up, some are difficult to get along with, some are incredibly loving, some are clueless, some care deeply, some are lazy, some do most of the work. It is very much a family. I love God’s Church. He created it, so He must have felt we needed the family to get together.

My heart is touched as I follow the story of a church in Wisconsin. The pastor and his wife have three children, and two have disabilities. God laid it on their hearts to make a place for families with children who have disabilities. They have recently built a room for children with sensory processing issues, and we were thrilled to partner with them in this effort. Now, people in the community are starting to come to the church, people with special-needs children who had not been able to find a building suitable for their kids with sensory issues. Not every church is going to offer that.

How exciting to see people who are not grumbling about how the church is irrelevant, or uncaring, etc., but instead determined to make it a more caring place. More than we like to admit, there is great truth in the statement: Be part of the solution, not the problem.

Some say church is repetitious. So is life. So is school. So is work.  Then there are those times that a day in life, or at school is so exciting!   Church can be like that. We sing, we pray, we listen, we say hello, we go home. There will be days like that, but then there are those times when God is more tangible in His house, and it is a breath of fresh air. Church is about meeting God in His house.

I am in a really good church. Do I like everything about it? NO! NO! NO! But, I plan to be a part of what is God is doing there, understanding it operates like a family as described above.  Having a bad experience with one family member does not make the whole family bad.  I have said many times, “Some of God’s people need to come with warning labels.”

There are thousands of churches in the USA.  If you can’t serve, attend,  or be a part of the one where you are, find one where you can. But, know that it will be like a family which means sometimes it will be about your needs/desires, and sometimes it will be about touching other members of the family. Sometimes you will get your feelings hurt, and sometimes you will hurt someone’s feelings. Sometimes you will disagree, and sometimes you will be disagreeable.

We are family – my brothers and my sisters and me.  I love the Church.