I love church

Not MY church, Gracepoint, which I do love; not my OLD church, Newspring, which I did and do love; not Westlink or River Community or Riverlawn Christian or Central Christian or Aldersgate or Aviator Church or Boston Vineyard. I love all of them.

I also love Audacity Church, which has yet to launch in Wichita. And Gracepoint's Fayetteville campus, which launches this week in George's Majestic (a bar, who else is using it on Sunday morning? And everyone in the area knows George's, Huey Lewis is there the night before launch Sunday), and Restoration Church (I just love that name) that also launches this Sunday in Rockland, Mass at Players Bar and Grill (they are serving waffles), and again? Who else is using it Sunday morning. Just a side note, George's is $3,000 less a month than GP paid for the building they met in here in Wichita till they got their own building, and Players is free. No rent, no charge for utilities, etc. Pretty awesome stories.

We choose a church to worship in. Certainly there is a style of worship I prefer. And a preacher I like to listen to. And friends at the church I like to attend. And we spent a great amount of time searching and praying for just where God wanted us.

Here's the thing. Gracepoint is gritty. There are a lot of lifetime Christians, but there are a lot of new Christians. And there are a lot of tattoos and long hair on men and clothes on women that would have been deemed inappropriate at every other church I've attended. And at these churches, someone would've said something to you about causing men to stumble, self esteem, knowing you are a princess in God's eyes, etc.

Gracepoint is full of broken people. And they know it. I am a broken person. I look prettier on the outside than some, and I know how to talk Christian, but internally I'm as shattered, if not more so, than they are. Our spirits understand each other. But the lady at church my college years that told me my dress was too low cut and I was causing men to stumble? I get it (now) that she is broken too. She needed us to live at her standards. She felt the need to point out my sin. Or the lady who gossiped about me at 24 when I was pregnant with Nate. And my brother who stuck his nose in the conversation and told her they were going to stone me, but they couldn't find rocks big enough. She is broken too. And my big brother is a whole nother story entirely.

I realize we all need Jesus. I need him everyday. I can't get very far in my day without his strength. If I try, it's disastrous. Every bad day I have starts out that way, me doing it on my own. And I know it. Yet it still happens. Less than it used to, but it happens.

Some of us realize just how far we are from the standard he sets for us, and we try. And we get that love your neighbor is the first commandment. Love them. Not get them cleaned up and living right and then love them. Not love the ones who are like you. Love your neighbor. And that includes the judgemental. That includes the poor, the uneducated. That includes the addict, the homosexual and the drunk. That includes the person that you think you have a right to hate, (and by the worlds standards, maybe you do). And it includes the church. Some of the worst offenders of all. We get it, but don't always do it. At least I don't.

This is a recurring theme on my blog, love your neighbor. God loves us because he chooses too, and commands us to love him and to love others. But Sunday at church I had a moment. (Well, I had two, but I'm only going to share one right now, this is wordy enough already).

A lady came in with 4 special adults. (By special, I mean it in the politically correct way to say handicapped). They were so precious. The lady with downs syndrome who was so quiet and shy. The lady with the fancy lacy white dress and yellow lace veil. The old man that was so small I could've picked him up. The other man that the leader told to count five seats and sat down. He counted 4 and sat down, then looked at them and said 5!!! and moved over one more seat. I watched them sway with the music. I watched them wave their arms and clap their hands. And I thought as we sang "child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me thine all in all". That in a lot of ways I am weaker than they are. They don't even know enough to be as bad as I am. With all I've been given, which is much, so much more than I deserve, I do so little.

I know that true freedom is finding Jesus as my all in all. And that means, love, love LOVE!

I'm praying for each of these churches that I have been in this year, and the ones that are launching this weekend that I may never attend (well, Steve's already talking about a trip to Fayetteville to check that one out) and knowing that I love the church.

But I also love those who are not yet members, that need to meet Jesus.

Praying a blessed week for everyone.