As we are in New Year mode, I thought it might be nice to start off my year by thinking positively. I am a negative soul by nature, which despite popular opinion, does have its benefits. But let’s not pretend it doesn’t also have considerable downsides. So, I thought, why not be positive at the start of the year and think about some of the things that I really love about my church (by which I mean, the one I belong to rather than it belonging to me – you know it belongs to Jesus!)
Multicultural
One thing I love about our church is its multicultural makeup. We have the privilege of being reminded visibly every week that Jesus came for all nations. Israel’s Messiah came not just for the Jews, but for the Gentiles too. Whilst every church that has any Gentile believers in it should be reminded of this each week (and that is most of us), I accept it is that little bit more tangible and obvious when your church is not monocultural and full of people who look, sound and act the same. It is such a privilege to belong to a church with Brits, Americans, Nigerians, Cameroonians, Latvians, Indians, Iranians, Iraqis and often others. We cannot escape the truth: Jesus came for all nations. And I love that.
Word-centric
I don’t take for granted that we are a church that wants to look to scripture. It is not uncommon to enter church buildings and find little to no scripture read, taught or even alluded to when you get there. I am grateful to be in a church that values the Word. I am encouraged that, even when we disagree with one another (as we inevitably do sometimes), the question always boils back to this: what does the Word say? Our disagreement may be real, but we absolutely agree that the answer is only to be found in one place and it is not just from the minds of either person disagreeing! It is to the Word we go. More than this, we have people who are genuinely hungry for the Word. Children who want to stay in the service whilst the preaching is going on, adults who come an hour early to do a theologically Bible study before church begins, others undertaking theological training. I am so grateful that the church is Word-centred.
Servant-hearted
I am struck frequently by the willingness and desire of so many people to serve in the life of our church. People who are already working full-time jobs, giving up their time to serve in ministry. People who are busy with all manner of other responsibilities taking on significant responsibility in the church. Of course, there are issues. Of course, there are things that need doing sometimes that don’t get done. Naturally, they are the things that tend to stick in our minds and wind us up. Rarely do we set the thing that isn’t done against the raft of jobs and behind-the-scenes service that is consistently being done all the time and with such efficiency and excellence that nobody really notices it happening. We focus on the one thing that wasn’t done rather than the dozens of things that have, and are, being done! I am grateful for servant-hearted people.
Kind
I don’t take this one for granted either. I think, by and large, ours is a church that is kind. A good pastor friend has often said that they believe (and I tend to agree with them) we have a crisis of kindness. That is to say, many churches just aren’t very kind places. I can attest to being on the receiving end of severe unkindness in the church. But I can also attest to the kindness I see on display in our church and the many kindnesses I have received. The people cared for, prayed for, served practically. It may not always have been so, but I don’t take for granted that the church as I see it is kind. Such a kindly church tends to be a happy church and I think (by and large at least) we are a happy church too.
