“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7

Remember when you were a kid and little clicks began to form and somehow you were left out? For some of us that rarely, if ever, happened. For others (like me) it happened all the time. After a while you get kinda numb to it and stop trying to even join.

Then we get older and there are all kinds of new clicks and clubs that form. Maybe it’s the gym and healthy thinking people group, perhaps it’s a book club, a knitting group, the PTA, etc. and these are all good groups. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with any of them. But we still find ourselves gravitating toward those groups who will be more accepting of us and in which we will be more apt to fit in.

I Will never forget, when I was looking for a church for the kids, we ended up in churches of at least 4 different denominations. And every church we walked into made us feel like unwelcome outsiders.

Unfortunately, when people are in a church building for a lot of years they begin to feel like it is their possession and make it an exclusive club.

We did not find a church home among those first churches that we visited.

My husband and I live in an area in which there are approximately 6 churches in a 5 mile radius. Two of which have recently sold to become a dance studio and a home. And the other four have memberships of less than 20 people. One of the churches is down to 6 members. That’s a pretty exclusive club. So exclusive, that soon it will have no members.

The church is NOT a building, it is not an exclusive club, it does not belong to the people.

The church is the people. It is the body of Christ. It is the whole of those who call themselves followers of Christ and it belongs to Jesus.

God did not create “The Church” (His followers) to be an exclusive club.

Do you know what the membership roll of The Church looks like? It’s loaded with thieves, prostitutes, tax collectors and the broken and down trodden sinner (of which I was one), all those that most people would exclude.

John 3:16 says “for God so loved the whole world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that who ever believes in Him will not perish but have ever lasting life”. Did you hear that? It says that God SOOOO loved, the WHOLE world. He deeply loved each and everyone of us and wants us to join the club and gave us the means by which to do that, JESUS!

The only requirement to join The Church is a repentant heart and a trust in Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior. Benefits of member ship include, but are not limited to the following: The love and fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ (John 15:12), unlimited access to peace (Philippians 4:7) and joy (John 15:11), unending love and adoration (from The Father)(Romans 5:8 & John 3:16), you will be provided with a concierge (the Holy Spirit) who will assist you in every aspect of this life (Romans 8:26&27), all of your sin debt will be forgiven(1John 1:9) and finally – eternity in heaven with our precious Lord and Heavenly Father(Philippians 3:20).

If you haven’t accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, please go to our Life Preserver page and pray the prayer that is outlined there and let us know, so that we can be praying for you and helping you to follow Christ and find a church that will love on you the way they are called to.

If you are already part of The Church, ask yourself…who wants to even try out for another exclusive club that we are probably going to be prohibited from joining? Then, knowing that the last thing the world needs is another exclusionary group, determine that you are going to glorify The Father and not treat the church as your building or exclusive club. Love the lost and welcome them in. Be God’s hands and feet here on earth and help meet the needs of the broken and down trodden. Fulfill the purpose for which you were created – to love, honor and glorify The Father and be used by Him to rescue the lost.

I pray that today we are part of The Church and not an exclusive club. I pray that we are closer to our Heavenly Father and more glorifying Him than ever before. And that we are indeed His hands and feet.

Luv ya,