Reflections from the People

This past week a very dear friend of mine and her family said goodbye to the church they've attended for three decades. That sentence alone stuns me. Thirty some odd years. For her parents, its been their church home since college; for her and her sister, their entire lives. Its the only church they've ever known. They were born into that congregation, made professions of faith there, were baptized there, were married there, and dedicated their children there. Three generations. Three decades. Over.

Maybe its because I have history with this church, maybe its because the thought of being in one place for my entire life blows my mind, or maybe its because I'm coming out of a season of goodbyes in my own life, but this coming of their last Sunday at this church has weighed heavily on me

I thought this would be a good time to take a moment and reflect on the role this body of believers has played in my life. It was an instrumental part in my life while I was in college, which was a critical season. If my life were a house, it was during this time that the framing was built. I think it's safe to say I went to college with a solid foundation. I have been a Christian for the majority of my life, and had been discipled well while in high school. Leaving the safety of my family and the place I grew up allowed me to test that foundation and build upon it. Most of that framing was done during college.

The first time I went to a function of this church, I knew I was home. I don't know if its the same for other people, but for me there was something different about choosing a church independently of my family. For those of us who grow up in the church, this is the first time we not only have to make this decision on our own, but make the decision of whether or not we're going to keep attending church or not. The prospect of doing this had been somewhat intimidating to me, though looking back, pretty much everything about going away to school and being on my own for the first time was intimidating. One of the many things God used to calm my heart was immediately give me a home with this body of believers. Within an hour there was no doubt in my mind. It gave me a sense of confidence with which to start this new phase of life.

At this church, I sat under a pastor who was beyond words. He wasn't perfect, as no one is, but he is pretty great. He came to see me before I had surgery not three weeks after he had been called to the church. He didn't know a thing about me and didn't owe me a thing. In fact, we had never even met before, but he was there to pray with me and sit with my grandma and my friend and her family as they waited on me. He instantly cared for and invested in the lives of those who had been entrusted to his leadership. He spoke the word with ferocious clarity, never watering down the message, but neither wielding the Word as a sledgehammer. He just spoke truth and let the Spirit move. He made changes simply because it was the right thing to do and those changes allowed the church to be better stewards of its resources. He led the church through one of the most difficult circumstances a church can face, and he did it with grace and courage. I learned so much about so many things from this man, and was forever changed by his leadership and influence.

It wasn't just the pastor who made me feel at home. Obviously going there with my friend who had grown up there gave me an instant "in," but that didn't stop others from reaching out. There was an older couple who always made the point to tell me hello and ask how I was. It was obvious this was something they had done for years with new college students as he always remembered me and others by where we were from. I probably haven't spoken more than an hour or two total in my life with the man, but I'll never forget him or his kindness. There was another couple there who took me into their lives. It was to their house I escaped when pressures at school got intense, and their voices I still hear in my head when I need to recall a particular word of wisdom, or remind myself to "be gentle" with myself. Those who know me know that's something I need to hear often.

It's important to look back from time to time to remember where we've come and appreciate where we're going. I encourage you to reflect on the role various groups you may have belonged to have shaped your life. Take a moment to thank someone involved in that group for the influence they've had in your life, and then look for ways you can similarly influence the life of someone else.