I Love the Church

I don't know if I could have said that 5-10 years ago.

But I love her.

Make no mistake about it, we do not make it through what we've made it through without her.

The outpouring of generosity in our time of trouble has been a testimony to Her potential and Her beauty.

The prayers, notes, meals, contributions, social work, creativity, love and support are making things more beautiful in the world.

You won't often hear about it. You'll hear of corruption, scandal, failure and sin.

But I'm telling you, the Church is magnificent, both in her goodness and her guffaws...her beauty and her blemishes...her servant's heart and her shortcomings.

The Church Fathers for over 1500 years have stated that "There is no salvation outside the Church." I think people read this and in their cynicism and skepticism try to attack it or qualify it, suggesting it is bad theology or somehow limiting to God.

But I think the heart of the sentiment is that the Church is the place where God's grace most tangibly intersects humanity.

Lives encountering LIFE.

As Perry Noble has said, "Those who say they like Jesus but hate the Church are booing the bride on her wedding day, and the groom is not okay with that."

The Church is God's Bride.

Beautiful and Hopeful.

And its time you join the movement.

If you're part of the Church, where can you be an agent of beauty and redemption and hope in your neck of the woods?

If you're not part of the Church, what's holding you back (and more important, what's holding you up in times of hardship?)