The Impact of a Church - Charlaine Martin

A friend and I were talking the other day about how churches have impacted us, and today’s passage in Ephesians 2:19 got my brain gears churning. We both concluded that we go because God’s Word tells us not to forsake the gathering together of believers (Hebrews 10:25), but also because of how we should do as Jesus did: Jesus went into the Synagogue as was His custom (Luke 4:16). God’s people’s misbehavior has greatly wounded our lives. Yet we go to worship and serve God as we should.

I’ve been held hostage by yelling matches in three-hour church board meetings that divided the members present into Us versus Them, vying for control. My family and I have been the targets of power players with designs on making the pastor’s family their puppets. I’ve also sat in the living room of the parsonage praying for my pastor-husband standing “trial” with the wolf pack coming in for the proverbial kill. We’ve packed up and driven away from churches, tears streaming down our faces, not as much for ourselves but more so for the wounded families who fell prey to the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Is this what church is about? Not according to God’s Word in Acts 2:45-47 and Ephesians 2:19.

I felt like not going at all after my pastor-husband died, but I went anyway to a healthy church in a nearby town. Being in that healthy church family environment healed my wounded soul! Healing comes not by running away from God’s family but into the caring arms of a church family who truly loves like Jesus.

My friend and I agreed that finding a healthy church that understands what God designed the church to be is crucial. We now enjoy the freedom to worship without concern and serve where we are gifted rather than guilted. I love my church’s motto, “If you aren’t dead, you aren’t done.” How true! We have a place in God’s family with the freedom to love, grow, and serve God through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
#churchfamily #FreedomInChrist