MORE THAN A BUILDING!

FELLOWSHIP.....FAMILY....CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT.....JUST FIND YOUR PLACE AND BELONG.

Romans 16:3-5
Greet Priscilla and Aquila. They have been co-workers in my ministry for Christ Jesus. In fact, they risked their lives for me. I am not the only one who is thankful to them; so give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.

Acts 2:40-44
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church---about three thousand in all. They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's supper and in prayer.
A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had.

Church...
The very word conjures up images and thoughts.
Some may interpret the word, church, because of bad times or circumstances that happened to them when they use to go to church.
Some may have fond memories of people and times spent in church.
Church has gotten a bad rap over the years.
Some of the bad justified...
Some not so justified.
I'm sure that each of us has a horror story about something that happened to us or someone we met while attending church.

But like it or hate it, church is a lifeline to believers...
The gathering together of God's people is to be a safe place.
Not a safe place to hide out and excuse our sins, but rather a safe place where we can let down our guard and deal with our sins.
A place where healing can take place.
It should be a place where one could live honest, open and transparent.
Like I said, it isn't a place to hide sin, but a place to be healed from sin.

During my growing up years, the church was my family.
I loved the idea of getting up on Sunday morning and going to church.
The interaction in our Sunday School groups.
The singing...
The praying together.
It was a time where the idea and concept of love became a reality for me.
I belonged.

Back in the 1980's, Vicki and I belonged to Central United Methodist Church.
It was during this time that we opened our home up and started a prayer group that met on Friday nights. Little did we know at the time, but God had us in school teaching us how to host, oversee and run a home group. It was a wonderful time for family. A time to grow in Jesus and see the effects that prayer truly could have on a group of people who were just crazy enough to believe this Jesus. We were a part of something larger than we could have ever imagined. From this prayer group, another group was formed that would gather at the main church building on Saturday nights to pray for our pastor. These were special times for me. To be in that huge sanctuary, Bible in hand, stretched out at the altar, praying with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and to actually feel the presence of God so thick in that room you were almost afraid to say anything out loud.

By the time Vicki and I had joined Gadsden Vineyard, God had moved us into new areas with our church family. Prayer now became an all-night event. We would host watch nights at the church where we would gather together and spend all night in prayer and reading the Bible. There wasn't any agenda, as we simply met together to pray. If someone thought God had spoken to them, they would share with the others. If someone was given a particular verse they felt has some importance to the others, they would share that. But the feeling of being together with a group of believers, forsaking sleep to stay up with God and simply pray....it was an incredible time.

The bonds of love that were forged in those meetings...in those groups, have made me a stronger, better man in Christ. God used those times and the people to help me to see the incredible value of belonging to a community of believers. Were the people perfect? No. There wasn't any super-Christians among us. There were simply folks who loved Jesus and wanted to be with others who shared similar feelings.

Now with the ReCovery Church we have a family that should have been dead many times over. Those who have recovered from their addiction (and continue to recover).

God has also given me a 2nd family (or should I say a continuation of the first). I am part of a church family at Northside Baptist Church. A praying family.....a family that truly looks out for one another. A family that doesn't just talk about love, but extends it to anyone who comes to visit.

If you aren't a part of something like what I have written about, you need to be.
Church is where life happens.

God on you...
mb