I (Heart) My Local Church
Nov. 22 2007As part of our series on the Local Church we wanted to hear from people about why they love their local church and how it has affected their lives. Here are four of your stories.
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Brittany
Vista New Life Church
El Paso, TX
Most people would begin a testimony of how they found their local church with a story of how someone invited them to church or maybe with a story of how they found their church in the phone book. The ironic thing is that I found my local church about two years after I began attending it. You’re probably wondering how that’s possible…
Well, when I was a sophomore in high school, my family began attending Vista New Life Church. It wasn’t until I was a senior in high school that God began to draw my stubborn heart away from the busy schedule of competing in sports, drama, and music. He used teachings about the importance of the local church and the gospel to show me that I was kneeling before the idol of activities rather than kneeling before the throne of the most Holy God. By God’s grace, I began to change my priorities and make sure that each priority would line up with God’s Word.
Now, four years later, not only has God changed my heart, but he has provided me with accountability, opportunities to serve others, and godly friends that constantly point me back to the gospel. It is these things that make me grateful for my local church. I can now see that it is not ironic that I found my local church after I began attending it, but it was God’s providence and kindness towards me.
Peter
Liberti Church
Philadelphia, PA
I need a local church. Though, I’ve come by this knowledge the hard way.
I left my childhood church entering into college and did my own spiritual thing for almost two years. I saw myself as a Christian who needed only Jesus and a little determination. What a disaster! My naivety and pride led me into confusion, doubt, and patterns of guilt and self-righteousness. My classmates needed to see a great savior of a great sinner, not a self-made and religious man. God broke me, provided patient friends, and led me to a local church in Maryland. God used that church to do battle with my pride and to show me Jesus in the preached word and through the help of my friends. The church provided me with the truth I needed to hear as well as contexts where I could practice humility and change. The church is a massive gift and a very tangible view into God’s great grace. I am reminded of myself in Jeremiah 17: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength.” However, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD...He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
God has shown me that accepting his church, one of his greatest blessings, is a key way that I can trust him and take hold of his grace. It has been oh so sweet to see humility peek out of my still arrogant heart and fruit be brought forth as I have engaged my church in exalting and honoring the Savior. Currently I am in a new school, a new city, and by God’s kindness, a new, Christ exalting local church. I feel my heart often telling me that sleep and time are more important to my life as a student. Lies. I need grace in every form I can get it. What a fool I would be to reject the intense and concentrated grace to be found in His church.
Pami
Gracia Soberana
Juarez, MX
My dad felt called to the church in Juarez, México when I was about 12 years old, and since then I have been repeatedly overwhelmed with gratefulness for the work God has done in my heart in regards to loving the local church, and my local church in particular. I wasn’t thrilled about moving to a different church - in fact I was bitter and angry. I didn’t want to get to know people or invest in friendships or socialize with people from church outside of church activities. Thankfully, God has transformed my heart and attitude, and He’s used people from my church to do it. There were times when people that I didn’t even really know would come up and encourage me, and tell me that they were praying for me (they still do this). At first it was a little odd, and then God began to show me His care for me through His own body, which is the church. God revealed Himself to me through the church.
As time passed, and God continued to call me to Himself, I was provoked to bless and serve the people around me in the same way that I was being blessed and served. I began to feel the familial ties with the people I fellowshipped with I church, and God opened my eyes to the true brothers and sisters I had all around me, and a love sparked in me to care for them as they cared for me. I have been seen so many examples of serving and selflessness in my church, and people doing it passionately and joyfully for the glory of God and the blessing of others that I wouldn’t know where to begin, only to say that it speaks loudly of redeeming and transforming grace. God has changed my heart towards my church, but a big tool He used was the church itself. It reflected His care and love for me, and it won me over. Formerly, I was quick to point out defects and shortcomings in any and all areas, being critical and judgmental. But now, I find it to be an encouragement to know that the church is full of sinners - redeemed sinners - and we are all in this race together, helping each other. I fit in that category of “redeemed sinner,” and I am accepted, and I belong.
Pancho
Mision de Gracia
El Paso, TX
My local church, Mision de Gracia, has been everything to me. It has been a place of family, spiritual leadership, friends, fellowship, teaching, and learning. Mision de Gracia has been God’s means for my spiritual growth. It was in this local church that I had the incredible pleasure to understand and believe the Gospel and apply it to my life. The leadership that my pastors Hellman Avila and Jaime Chow have shown, has been spectacular. Their example of how to be a true servant of Jesus Christ has truly been something that has impacted my life deeply. In them I not only see the Word God being preached but in them I can see the Word of God being lived.
This example has been something I have tried to imitate through God’s grace, and the patience and love that my pastors, leaders, family, and friends have shown me as I strive for sanctification is truly humbling. For in times where I have failed and sinned, my local church has not judged nor condemned me, but they have shown
Christ’s love and forgiveness given to us at Calvary, and that truly has been great blessing in my life as I continue to grow in my local church.
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We’d love to hear your stories about why you love your local church or how it has affected you. Send your story in to ricky@newattitude.org and we’ll use it in a future post.