Thoughts on Church

Right now, take a look at Jesus and tell me what you see. That my friend, is what Garden Valley Community Church strives to be -- or become. My study of God's Word has taught me that the church of Jesus Christ is supposed to be more of a hospital than a social club for the spiritually elite. A place where people can come and find hope, peace, and experience God's unconditional love and acceptance. If they can't find these things in church -- then where? For some that walk through the door, the past week has brought them nothing but pain, disappointment and heartache. So when they step through the church doors, these Believers desperately need the good Lord to give them a drink of cool water that will "restore their soul" (Psalm 23) and bind their suffering with His healing touch. For some that walk through the church doors, the past week has ran them so hard, their reserves are depleted. They have nothing left to give. They have shot all their marbles and the demands of the upcoming week leaves them feeling defeated and passionless. These Believers desperately need the good Lord to give them a drink of cool water that will restore their purpose and give them hope and strength to face the challenges tomorrow presents. For some that walk through the church doors, the past week has brought them disappointment when their closest family members turned their backs on them and dealt criticism and expressed disapproval. These Believers need to simply experience the love and acceptance of being in God's family. They need to experience the love of God not just in hugs but it the honest acceptance they see in your eyes. For some that walk through the church doors, the past week has presented them with enough bad news to sink a battleship. For some it is the dreaded "cancer" whispered by a doctor. For others it is the loss of a job, or everything they own breaking down and costing more to repair they they have in savings. These people drive to church begging God to give them simply 1 word of good news. These Believers desperately need to be encouraged. For some that walk through the church doors, the past week has presented them with more questions than answers. They don't want the pastor's opinion on anything. Nor do they want to hear a sermon based on the pastor's denominational slant. What they desperately need is to hear how God's Word impacted the pastor's life this week and how that impact brought him closer to God They need to experience real world truth from God's Word that has the power to save their soul and transform their life. If they can't expect to personally experience the love of God in church -- then where? If they can't expect to find their needs met in church -- then where? If they can't expect to find themselves in God's amazing presence at church -- then where? Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by me" John 14:6