Three reasons to love the Church.
I get it; I'm a pastor, so you may assume I "have" to say that.
What you may not realize is that pastors have a unique window into the underbelly of the Church, so pastors have more of a reason to be cynical and jaded. Churches--after all--are made up of people. And people are imperfect. Every good pastor I know keeps cynicism at bay by reminding themselves that they too are "people."
Here are three things I love about the Church.
#1 The Church is people to belong to.
In the Church you get to belong before you believe. Meaning, there aren't hurdles to jump over before you are allowed to belong, to know people, and to love and be loved. The Church full of God's Spirit, models what Philip said to Nathanael, "Come and see." (John 1:45-46). It's the belonging that creates the welcome that leads to believing. The Church at its best leads with saying "You matter to us", which makes it easier for a person to hear "You matter to God", which opens the door to them saying with their life, "God matters to me."
#2 The Church is a network unlike any other.
The Church at its best is people who care, who want to help, who care about doing good, and who are, on the whole, people of character who can be trusted.
#3 The Church is a wall-breaking-down entity
The Church full of God's Spirit, intentionally tears down barriers human beings always put up because in Christ "There is neither Jew nor Gentile (ethnic or religious barriers), neither slave nor free (class/money/status barriers), nor is there male and female (gender power barriers), for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28 We are together because Jesus brings us together.
In the words of an old song:
I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God
There's nothing like the Church when it's full of God's Spirit. Nothing.
For you,
Scott
(Pastor Scott Marshall, Wichita First Church of the Nazarene)