Pastor Larry Sundin
Have you ever wondered, “Is there more to ‘church’ than meets the eye?” The first church service I ever attended as an adult was in 1981. There were three distinct impressions I took away from that first service. One, the music wasn’t of my generation. Everyone was singing these slow, plodding songs. And I was thinking, “This is so foreign to me. This is the ’80s. Isn’t it time to get with this century?” My second impression was better. When the pastor opened the Bible and began speaking, I thought, “He’s pulling the truth right from the pages of Scripture and making it applicable to my life.” I immediately thought, “This is right. This is good. Where has this been all my life?” Then came my third impression: when the service was over, everyone just kind of went their separate ways … there was no connection, no warmth, no genuine conversations. This impression left me troubled. I just assumed that if these people claimed to follow Jesus, they’d at least try to welcome and include a new person like me, wouldn’t they? But they didn’t. So, I left, wondering if there was more to this thing called the church, than what met the eye.
Have you ever felt that way? Are there things about the church that confuse you, intrigue you, or trouble you? Have you ever wondered why there are so many different kinds of churches that do things in so many different ways? Well, in this article I want to share one way Jesus makes His church different from every other kind of community in the world. In Ephesians chapter two, we are told that Jesus broke down the barriers of hostility that divide us. In so doing, Jesus brings people together through faith in Him to give us a glimpse of how different life can be together. For when Jesus creates His kind of community, He creates a world where people are no longer divided by race or nationality; no longer divided by contrasting lifestyles or status. He creates a new kind of community where an Asian lawyer gladly shares a meal with a Hispanic landscaper; where a recovering addict becomes a brother with a successful entrepreneur; and where a single mom can become best friends with a retired grandmother. In fact, Jesus invites us to be part of a community where anyone can belong. Whether they be Black, White, Asian, or Hispanic, poor, wealthy, middle class, or no class, people of every stripe can come together and worship Jesus as one, all because He gives us His peace.
In fact, in a time where there’s so much division, hatred, and strife, it’s helpful to know that there is still a place where barriers can be brought down, where differences can be celebrated, and where people of all walks of life can find acceptance and love. That’s just what Jesus had in mind when He created the church. So, if you’ve been looking for a place where you can be who God created you to be, a place where you can be included without being judged, a place where you can experience peace, love, and friendship with people you never thought possible… well, it may just be that God is calling you to come back to Jesus and come home to a place where you can belong … in His church. And we at Rock Springs hope we can be a church like that for you. Rock Springs Church meets every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. in the Ballroom. Why not come see what God has in store for you, in His church? We’d love to welcome you home!