People with Stories

Since kb and I have been married, we've been struggling with what church to attend. It's crazy that it is even a problem. What a cool nation we live in that there are so many churches preaching God's word, and we can't decide which one to attend. This week, we decided to get up early (extra early considering it is daylight savings time) and go to the church that my uncle Tom pastors in Fort Wayne. We're big fans of my uncle Tom and aunt Kim. Their good conversations mixed with their good cooking creates a kickin' combination.

And their church is super cool. It's nothing fancy. They don't have elaborate sound equipment or popular programming.  They're raising money to pave the parking lot and make the entrance a little more handicap accessible. What this church does have is incredible people. These are the kind of people that didn't grow up in church and are a little rough around the edges. These are the kind of people with stories. Stories of addiction, adultery, divorce, alcoholism, pornography, and abuse. Most importantly, these people have stories of redemption. And they are not afraid to talk about it.

This morning, Phylis, a small, middle-aged woman came up to the front to share her testimony. She talked about the pornography addiction that she acquired at a young age and how she fought out of its strong hold later in life. Then, she encouraged parents to guard what their children hear and see. No one gasped. There was no thought that people would somehow see her differently now that they know her secret.

Uncle Tom has been a pastor at several churches, and this church has presented him with a challenge that he has never had before. This church doesn't have enough seasoned, ready-for-solid-food Christians (Heb. 5:14). He's got a congregation full of new Christians (what a problem to have!), and his prayer is that God equips the church with mature Christians who can come alongside and disciple. I join him in that prayer, and I am thankful that he has been obedient to Christ and has the willingness to lead this church.