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- Apr 25, 2006
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What I go to church for
'... No man cared for my soul.' Psalm 142:4
What do people come to church for? What do you go to church for? And I don't just mean church on Sunday; but youth groups, small groups, special events, whatever. It could be that the music, the preaching or some special attraction got them there in the first place (good coffee and doughnuts works for me). But I guarantee that won't be what keeps them going along. Sure, everybody needs good teaching and the opportunity to worship as a church body together. But deep down, what people most crave and need from church is warmth, friendliness, human interaction, a feeling of belonging.
Jesus told His disciples, '"... I have called you friends ..."' (John 15:15). Many people are shy, distrusting, and relationally impaired. Our mandate is to make 'friends' out of them, not just pew-fillers and financial givers.
The Scripture says, 'Bear one another's burdens...' (Galatians 6:2) and we're all carrying burdens. We all carry with us the wounds of our past, the struggles of our present, and the unspoken anxieties of our future. What we all want to know is, 'Will you love me as I am, even if I don't fit your mould and change as quickly as you'd like me to?'
So when you arrive at church this Sunday, remember the people you see around you probably aren't looking for profound answers, they just want to feel cared for. When that happens, they open up to God's love and miracles take place.
written by Bob Gass
'... No man cared for my soul.' Psalm 142:4
What do people come to church for? What do you go to church for? And I don't just mean church on Sunday; but youth groups, small groups, special events, whatever. It could be that the music, the preaching or some special attraction got them there in the first place (good coffee and doughnuts works for me). But I guarantee that won't be what keeps them going along. Sure, everybody needs good teaching and the opportunity to worship as a church body together. But deep down, what people most crave and need from church is warmth, friendliness, human interaction, a feeling of belonging.
Jesus told His disciples, '"... I have called you friends ..."' (John 15:15). Many people are shy, distrusting, and relationally impaired. Our mandate is to make 'friends' out of them, not just pew-fillers and financial givers.
The Scripture says, 'Bear one another's burdens...' (Galatians 6:2) and we're all carrying burdens. We all carry with us the wounds of our past, the struggles of our present, and the unspoken anxieties of our future. What we all want to know is, 'Will you love me as I am, even if I don't fit your mould and change as quickly as you'd like me to?'
So when you arrive at church this Sunday, remember the people you see around you probably aren't looking for profound answers, they just want to feel cared for. When that happens, they open up to God's love and miracles take place.
written by Bob Gass
