why i need the church.

"I come here to be reminded: you have sinned; you are forgiven; God is present; God is risen; God is with you. You have new life." - Lauren Winner, Still: Notes on a Mid- Faith Crisis


As I sat in church yesterday for the first time in three weeks, I thought of this line in Lauren Winner's latest book. I too am in need of that reminder. There are seasons where travel and holidays take me away from that gathering of His people. And I don't always realize what I'm missing while I'm gone. It's nice to have a break, but too long apart and I begin to realize how much I need that rhythm. How much I need those reminders.

Yesterday was hard. I don't always want to hear what God has to say to us. I don't always want to know what my responsibility is as His child. I don't always want to honor and obey a calling higher than my own.

But I'm grateful that there are those in my community who do honor and obey. They continue to push me forward with their faith and their honesty. As easy as it is for me to believe that we can do it all on our own, I've lived just long enough to know that's all a lie.

So here's to the church. Here's to God's people, gathered together, reminding one another that, "[we] have sinned; [we] are forgiven; God is present; God is risen; God is with [us]. [We] have new life."


*small plug (though really i receive nothing if you read this): If you want to read more about how God designed the church to meet our needs as Christians, check out this great book written by the senior pastor of the church I attend - The Gift of Church. The cover makes it look super cheesy, but it's a very thought provoking and encouraging book.