Church

I've been thinking a lot about church lately. I have attended churches that seem to be filled with "pew-fillers" and I have attended churches that encourage me and build me up. I think there is one thing that makes a big difference. It's not the songs, the classes, or even the preacher. It's the community and sense of belonging. Without a sense of community or belonging, there is no church.

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (New American Standard Bible):
(26) And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (27) Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

People suffer together, they rejoice together. They know they belong. The hand doesn't tell the foot, "I don't have time for you." Or, "I didn't volunteer for this." It helps. No questions. The body is one. Just like a family.

2 Corinthians 6:18 (New American Standard Bible):
(18) "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty.

That makes us brothers and sisters. Family helps each other. No matter what. The love and belonging is unconditional. That's what a good church has. Community. It's a family. And to be part of such a church is an incredible blessing that helps a person deal with daily struggles. It gives an environment to heal and an environment to fight evil. It is where the environment to truly be able to spread the gospel comes from. No one can do it on their own. We all need support. And that's okay. It's more than okay; it's necessary. It's the way God made us. He made us to need other people, which is why a good church is so encouraging and fulfilling. And everyone should have a good church; no one should ever be without family.

First Impressions

I came out to Hutch with excitement because of my expectation of growing in Christ this summer along with building friendships, encouraging others, and being encouraged. Well, that is.... off to a fantastic start! Everyone here is super friendly. I'm actually quite amazed at how friendly and supportive everyone is. I've known the Keele's for 4.5 years now, and I know how supportive and friendly they are, but I did not expect to find so many others like them. I guess it's part of being in communion with God.

The church here has a great staff. I came, and I was just part of the group. It was so neat. I didn't feel like the new guy; I didn't feel on the outside. I felt like I belong here. That's not a feeling I often get -- I very often feel on the outside of things. The elders are just as wonderful. I guess it feels like I'm home.

I've never been away from my parents for 10 weeks straight (I've been 8 weeks, only seeing them 1 weekend), so I'm still a little iffy about how that will be. I'm the baby of the family, and pretty close to them.

It also appears that Kansas has more allergens than Illinois. Oh well, I'm sure my body will soon adjust to that. However, I might be sad if it's always this cloudy here. I like my sun occasionally, but I'm not complaining, since I like the cool weather. It makes it more pleasant to ride my bike into work. Speaking of riding my bike into work, I get a really neat experience every time I do it. Wheat fields are beautiful (I'm used to corn and soybeans), and they make a wonderful sound when the wind rustles through them. It makes me realize the beauty of God. And I get that every time I ride into work. Awesome.

So things are off to a great start. I'm excited for meeting new people and getting to know them, and I'm excited that I get to work with such great people. Basically, I think this summer is going to be a great experience for me with a lot of growth.