What do I hope church will be?

A place where people come in and find renewed life.

A place of community.

A place where healing starts. Where ordinary people are sent out as missionaries. Where families are strengthened. Where we feed the poor.

A place that reaches out instead of closing in.

But most of all a place where they will know us by our love.

Sometimes I struggle with the love we fail to show.

The things we say that are political and not necessarily scriptural.

The times we say a loud amen to sins that we weigh as heavier than others.

The times we fail to see our own shortcomings as sin that is just as grievous, and covered in the same mercy.

What can we do about it?

We can only look at our own lives and ask God to do the work within us.

Start with me, Lord. Start with me.