Get Back to Church

Matthew 18:20 ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I was saved at 12 years old. I grew up in a Christian household, thankfully, and we went to church faithfully 3 time a week…twice each Sunday and once on Wednesday. My Mom played the organ and the piano and my Dad was the song leader and choir director. When our pastor of many years left, I think I was around 18, we had all lost our love for our church and stopped going. We didn’t really connect too much with the new pastor and I think, quite frankly, my parents were tired. I was a teenager, so I didn’t really want to be there anyway. And honestly, I didn’t argue much when they decided to stop going. They wanted to find a new one, but never quite found one that fit.

At that time, I started college at Dallas Baptist University… where chapel attendance was required. At the age of 20, I decided I wanted to spread my wings and moved up to Washington state to attend Seattle Pacific University (a Free Methodist University). As you can guess, chapel attendance was required as a condition for graduation. We had to attend at least 3 times a week in order to get credit. So, by the time I graduated 3 years later, I was a little burned out on church.

Regrettably, at the ripe old age of 24, I decided I didn’t need to go to church to love God. Ever find yourself in that place? I told myself I could have a relationship with God without a pastor telling me how to do it, or what I was doing wrong. What I didn’t realize then, was that church is so much more than just a place to go on Sunday to prove to others and yourself that you’re a ‘good Christian’. A good church and church family is like a compass. Without that compass, you can get lost. And that’s exactly what I did. I told myself I was a Christian and loved God, but the longer I stayed away from church, the further I got away from Him.

I found myself 30 years later, unemployed and begging for God’s help. I actually think He used this as a way to get my rear-end back in a church pew. At the age of 50, after a monumental move back across the country to Texas, I found myself in a place where I was yearning to find a home church. My church family growing up was just that… my extended family. I grew up with some of the other kids in that church and their parents were like extensions of my own parents. One of the biggest benefits of moving back here is that I’ve been able to reconnect with some of them. One of the most influential ladies I had growing up was the Mom to the girl I spent the most time with. I’ve known them since the age of 6 and I’ve always called her my 2nd Mom. She currently lives about 5 miles down the road from me and it’s been a huge blessing to be be able to reconnect with her. But I digress…

Hebrews 10:25 ‘Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.‘

This was exactly what I was looking for in a church. After checking out another church in town, thinking we were going to start becoming members there, we had second thoughts. The people were very nice, but it just didn’t seem to fit. On a whim, I was searching for another church online. We were pretty specific about that we wanted. they had to be believers of salvation by grace through faith and users of the King James Version of the Bible. Luckily, I found one (they’re a little hard to come by these days). But I found New Heights Baptist Church and told John that I thought we really needed to try this one.

Let me tell you, from the moment we walked in the door, it felt like home.The people were so warm and welcoming and the pastor preached like a good old southern preacher should… with compassion and love for his congregation, but with the authority and guidance I think we all need. It wasn’t a week before we were talking about joining and before long, John & I both were baptized and became permanent members. One of the best decisions we’ve made. I find myself not wanting to miss Sundays at church. We’ve both joined the choir and are starting to become closer to the members there. They are such a wonderful gathering of people… a true church family. Exactly what I was looking for.

Why am I telling you this? Our pastor has been dealing with health issues that have kept him away from us all for a few weeks. He and his wife have finally made it back home and he felt well enough to pay us a quick visit this morning. The outpouring of love from the congregation was so incredibly amazing… and you can tell the pastor and his wife love their congregation just as much. John and I don’t have the history that a lot of these members have, but the love we have for them and the pastor and his family has bloomed so big in such a short amount of time.

God is so incredible. He answers prayer. He has set our pastor back on the healing road after many many prayers lifted up. He has blessed John and I with a church that not only met our ‘requirements’, but filled our souls to overflowing. It’s that compass that I needed back in my life. It helps keep me focused on Him and reminds me each week how much I love my new church family.

If you’ve been thinking about going back to church, but you’re a little nervous, I urge you to go. If the first one doesn’t seem to quite fit, keep trying. Keep looking until you find the one that does fit, that feels like home. I promise, you won’t regret the decision.

Psalm 122:1 ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’