I Love My Church - part 1

The world is full of sadness, despair, violence, and tragedy. It is just a part of being in the midst of a world that has fallen into sin.

When disaster strikes who helps? When your family is falling apart, who do you call? More often than not, it is the Church and its members who respond in times of crises.

In the recent wildfires in Central Texas, it is the local churches who have been providing food, cothing, and shelter to those who have been displaced. In the midst of the cultural challenges we currently face, it is the local churches who offer parenting classes, support groups,clothes closets, school supply drives, after school tutoring for at-risk kids, and places for organizations such as Alcholics Anonymous to meet.

Yes, other non-profit organizations help meet these needs as well. But even most of those were founded by Christians who wanted to make a difference in this world.

The Church offers hope to a world that is torn. The Church is a place of sanctuary for those who are displaced, abused, addicted, and hurt. The Church is a place of safety and peace for those whose homes are filled with conflict. Where, other than the Church, are people hired full time for the sole purpose of providing physical and spiritual care for free to anyone who has need of it?

Our churches do great things every day and can do still greater things tomorrow and in the future. Our churches need us to love and support them with our time, our God-given talents, and our finances.

The church is not just a social club where we go to see and be seen, perhaps getting a spiritual shot while we are there. The Church is a place where people come to be healed and made whole through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. Never forget that your local church is bigger than you and the people who make up its congregation. The Church is God's physical presence on earth and it is through the Church and its members that God's love is shared and His healing power is manifested.

Love your church! Care for it (it's staff, members, and missions) as if lives depend on its continuing presence - because they do.

CS

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
- Ephesians 3:20-21