Visiting Where You Belong
I grew up in one house. From 1980 to 2013 the Joneses resided on Glenwood Street in the city of Overland Park, Kansas. The front yard was hilly and almost always shaded by a tall oak tree. The back yard was more spacious with enough room for a maple tree, which was perfect for climbing, and plenty of other little trees scattered all around. The house itself was a split-level with a furnished basement, two-car garage, five bedrooms, and two-and-a-half bathrooms. The outside shingles were a light green color offset by white trim. The house also had two working fireplaces, which were used frequently during the winter.
Even after I moved out of that house I knew that whenever I returned to Kansas City I did not need to stay overnight at a friend’s place or some motel. I would just stay at home. But when my Dad died a couple years ago that all changed. Within a year the house was put up for sale, and now another family lives there.
When passing through Kansas City this summer I couldn’t help but drive down Glenwood Street as I had thousands of times before. But this time instead of pulling into the driveway of my old home, I had to park on the street and just stare at it from a distance. The house itself mostly looked the same. It hadn’t changed much since I helped my Mom move her stuff out of it a year prior. I was the one who changed. My life changed. I lost my home; the only home I ever knew. Through all the changes in my young life, my home was constant. It was always there. It was familiar. It was the place where I belonged. But that’s gone. I am now just another visitor, driving past it on my way to somewhere else. I was headed to Springfield, Missouri for a little vacation.
The next Sunday morning we were still in Springfield, so we took our family and drove to worship with a church we had never visited before. The neighborhood was calm and residential. The facilities were ample. The music was heartfelt and fitting. The sermon was insightful and challenging. We worshipped with the church for about 90 minutes, and then we left. We were clearly visitors who were not at home. We did not know any of the people there. We had no stake in who they were or what they did. We just came, participated a little, and left.
While on vacation that participation level is quite alright. My family doesn’t live in Springfield, so everywhere I went I was a visitor. However the dual experiences of visiting what ought to be home, whether an old house or a different church raised the question: Why would anyone choose to remain a visitor in one of the few places they can call home?
Visiting a church at worship, even every Sunday, counts for something. As God’s people we are to gather with the redeemed each week and offer songs, prayers, and the proclamation of the word together. But is that all there is to being a part of Christ’s church? According to the New Testament there ought to be more. It likens being a member of a church to being a member of a new family, or, in Paul’s words, being a member of a physical body. Could you imagine having one of your feet be a “regular attendee” of your body for just one hour every few weeks a year? When the Bible describes what it means to be part of a church, it is impossible to meet God’s expectations just by attending worship services, no matter how many years you do it in the same place.
Consider the following list (adapted from Carl F. George):1. “Be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)2. “Wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)3. “Love one another.” (John 13:34)4. “Love one another.” (John 13:34)5. “Love one another.” (John 13:35)6. “Love one another.” (John 15:12)7. “Love one another.” (John 15:17)8. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” (Romans 12:10)9. “Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)10. “Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12:16)11. “Love one another.” (Romans 13:8)12. “Stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 14:13)13. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” (Romans 15:7)14. “Instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)15. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (Romans 16:16)16. “When you come together to eat, wait for each other.” (I Cor. 11:33)17. “Have equal concern for each other.” (I Corinthians 12:25)18. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (I Corinthians 16:20)19. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (II Corinthians 13:12)20. “Serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)21. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:15)22. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:26)23. “Carry each other’s burdens.” (Galatians 6:2)24. “Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)25. “Be kind and compassionate to one another.” (Ephesians 4:32)26. “Forgiving each other.” (Ephesians 4:32)27. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:19)28. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)29. “In humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)30. “Do not lie to each other.” (Colossians 3:9)31. “Bear with each other.” (Colossians 3:13)32. “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” (Colossians 3:13)33. “Teach [one another].” (Colossians 3:16)34. “Admonish one another.” (Colossians 3:16)35. “Make your love increase and overflow for each other.” (I Thessalonians 3:12)36. “Love each other.” (I Thessalonians 4:9)37. “Encourage each other.”(I Thessalonians 4:18)38. “Encourage each other.” I Thessalonians 5:11)39. “Build each other up.” (I Thessalonians 5:11)40. “Encourage one another daily.” (Hebrews 3:13)41. “Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)42. “Encourage one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)43. “Do not slander one another.” (James 4:11)44. “Don’t grumble against each other.” (James 5:9)45. “Confess your sins to each other.” (James 5:16)46. “Pray for each other.” (James 5:16)47. “Love one another deeply, from the heart.” (I Peter 3:8)48. “Live in harmony with one another.” (I Peter 3:8)49. “Love each other deeply.” (I Peter 4:8)50. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)51. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” (I Peter 4:10)52. “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.”(I Peter 5:5)53. “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (I Peter 5:14)54. “Love one another.” (I John 3:11)55. “Love one another.” (I John 3:23)56. “Love one another.” (I John 4:7)57. “Love one another.” (I John 4:11)58. “Love one another.” (I John 4:12)59. “Love one another.” (II John 5)
These are all acts of love that members of close-knit families do for each other. If you are a part of a church, I invite you to reconsider what your membership means. Are there opportunities for worship? Join in worship. Are there opportunities to gather for prayer? Join in prayer. Are there opportunities to gather for teaching? Join in the discussion. Are there opportunities to gather for discipleship? Join a group. Are there opportunities to get to know your fellow church family members? Join the fun. And that’s just a start.
I know there are many reasons why people hesitate to become more involved with their own churches, but in light of what the Bible describes, perhaps those reasons ought to be reconsidered. A church is a family. A church is a home. It stinks having to drive up and become a stranger to your own home. I would not wish that on anyone.
Even after I moved out of that house I knew that whenever I returned to Kansas City I did not need to stay overnight at a friend’s place or some motel. I would just stay at home. But when my Dad died a couple years ago that all changed. Within a year the house was put up for sale, and now another family lives there.
When passing through Kansas City this summer I couldn’t help but drive down Glenwood Street as I had thousands of times before. But this time instead of pulling into the driveway of my old home, I had to park on the street and just stare at it from a distance. The house itself mostly looked the same. It hadn’t changed much since I helped my Mom move her stuff out of it a year prior. I was the one who changed. My life changed. I lost my home; the only home I ever knew. Through all the changes in my young life, my home was constant. It was always there. It was familiar. It was the place where I belonged. But that’s gone. I am now just another visitor, driving past it on my way to somewhere else. I was headed to Springfield, Missouri for a little vacation.
The next Sunday morning we were still in Springfield, so we took our family and drove to worship with a church we had never visited before. The neighborhood was calm and residential. The facilities were ample. The music was heartfelt and fitting. The sermon was insightful and challenging. We worshipped with the church for about 90 minutes, and then we left. We were clearly visitors who were not at home. We did not know any of the people there. We had no stake in who they were or what they did. We just came, participated a little, and left.
While on vacation that participation level is quite alright. My family doesn’t live in Springfield, so everywhere I went I was a visitor. However the dual experiences of visiting what ought to be home, whether an old house or a different church raised the question: Why would anyone choose to remain a visitor in one of the few places they can call home?
Visiting a church at worship, even every Sunday, counts for something. As God’s people we are to gather with the redeemed each week and offer songs, prayers, and the proclamation of the word together. But is that all there is to being a part of Christ’s church? According to the New Testament there ought to be more. It likens being a member of a church to being a member of a new family, or, in Paul’s words, being a member of a physical body. Could you imagine having one of your feet be a “regular attendee” of your body for just one hour every few weeks a year? When the Bible describes what it means to be part of a church, it is impossible to meet God’s expectations just by attending worship services, no matter how many years you do it in the same place.
Consider the following list (adapted from Carl F. George):1. “Be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50)2. “Wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)3. “Love one another.” (John 13:34)4. “Love one another.” (John 13:34)5. “Love one another.” (John 13:35)6. “Love one another.” (John 15:12)7. “Love one another.” (John 15:17)8. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” (Romans 12:10)9. “Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)10. “Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12:16)11. “Love one another.” (Romans 13:8)12. “Stop passing judgment on one another.” (Romans 14:13)13. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” (Romans 15:7)14. “Instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14)15. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (Romans 16:16)16. “When you come together to eat, wait for each other.” (I Cor. 11:33)17. “Have equal concern for each other.” (I Corinthians 12:25)18. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (I Corinthians 16:20)19. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (II Corinthians 13:12)20. “Serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)21. “If you keep on biting and devouring each other…you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:15)22. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:26)23. “Carry each other’s burdens.” (Galatians 6:2)24. “Be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)25. “Be kind and compassionate to one another.” (Ephesians 4:32)26. “Forgiving each other.” (Ephesians 4:32)27. “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:19)28. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)29. “In humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)30. “Do not lie to each other.” (Colossians 3:9)31. “Bear with each other.” (Colossians 3:13)32. “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” (Colossians 3:13)33. “Teach [one another].” (Colossians 3:16)34. “Admonish one another.” (Colossians 3:16)35. “Make your love increase and overflow for each other.” (I Thessalonians 3:12)36. “Love each other.” (I Thessalonians 4:9)37. “Encourage each other.”(I Thessalonians 4:18)38. “Encourage each other.” I Thessalonians 5:11)39. “Build each other up.” (I Thessalonians 5:11)40. “Encourage one another daily.” (Hebrews 3:13)41. “Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24)42. “Encourage one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)43. “Do not slander one another.” (James 4:11)44. “Don’t grumble against each other.” (James 5:9)45. “Confess your sins to each other.” (James 5:16)46. “Pray for each other.” (James 5:16)47. “Love one another deeply, from the heart.” (I Peter 3:8)48. “Live in harmony with one another.” (I Peter 3:8)49. “Love each other deeply.” (I Peter 4:8)50. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (I Peter 4:9)51. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” (I Peter 4:10)52. “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.”(I Peter 5:5)53. “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (I Peter 5:14)54. “Love one another.” (I John 3:11)55. “Love one another.” (I John 3:23)56. “Love one another.” (I John 4:7)57. “Love one another.” (I John 4:11)58. “Love one another.” (I John 4:12)59. “Love one another.” (II John 5)
These are all acts of love that members of close-knit families do for each other. If you are a part of a church, I invite you to reconsider what your membership means. Are there opportunities for worship? Join in worship. Are there opportunities to gather for prayer? Join in prayer. Are there opportunities to gather for teaching? Join in the discussion. Are there opportunities to gather for discipleship? Join a group. Are there opportunities to get to know your fellow church family members? Join the fun. And that’s just a start.
I know there are many reasons why people hesitate to become more involved with their own churches, but in light of what the Bible describes, perhaps those reasons ought to be reconsidered. A church is a family. A church is a home. It stinks having to drive up and become a stranger to your own home. I would not wish that on anyone.
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