Church is the same thing it always has been. It has taken on different forms and looks differently. But it’s still what the Bible says it is. 

• It’s the Bride of Christ so don’t mess with God’s Chic! 
• It’s the body of Christ so if you wouldn’t dishonor Christ, then you won’t dishonor His body. Scripture clearly warns against doing this. So watch yo mouth. 
• It’s the hope of the world, flaws and all. Yes, church is filled with people who hurt people so unless you plan to stop going to Walmart, the grocery store, and you never want to drive again because people cut you off in traffic, get in front of you in the line and do all the stuff people do, then why would you stop going to church? Church is more essential to your life than anywhere else you go. So take your “church hurt” to Walmart or to your job or your family reunion and you’ll see…it’s everywhere. Walmart hurt. Family pain. People are everywhere so look for a way through, not out so you don’t keep leaving and leaving and leaving until you’re completely alone.
• Church is where believers gather to get filled back up to go out and live the abundant life Christ came to give us. Scripture is so specific forewarning us for this very time we are living in right now, in these last days, to NOT STOP assembling. It’s like God knew this pandemic was coming (ya think?) and went ahead and provided for us this verse to encourage us with because He knows how much we still need each other. Fear not and go back to church! And if you can’t due to serious health risks, get engaged online in a small group and find ways to volunteer from home. We all still have a responsibility to serve and be a vital part of a local church. 
• The church is a place for believers to pray and cry out for this lost and dying world. We exist for our non-members.
• It’s a place to go and be safe and be known and embraced and corrected and challenged and inspired to go for everything in your heart. 
• It’s a place to be empowered and not judged. 
• It’s a place to hear out those who love you and are trying to help you avoid pitfalls, understanding that no one is trying to control you but genuinely wanting to help you when the stupids come all over you and it’s obvious to everyone but you that an extra dose of wisdom is in order.
• It’s a place where the anointing flows and the spoken word (Rhema) quickens your heart to action and ignites in you a hunger for more of God. 
• It’s a place where addictions fall off and weights begin to be thrown off, and the result is you setting your gaze on the prize of the high calling.
• It’s a place where destinies are discovered.
• It’s where a generation I pray will be mobilized into a movement who understands it’s nothing without the backing of the local church because it’s the way God designed it. 
• It’s a place where pastors need the congregation to support and rally behind the vision of the house. 
• It’s a place where people coming in hurting are loved and not judged by pastors and church teams but equipped to do the work of the ministry being cared for, supported and loved through it all. 
• It’s quite possibly a place you may be irritated with right now, hurt from, bitter toward and that’s precisely why I wrote this. It’s time to lay down that offense that is eating your lunch and embrace the very body of Jesus Christ, called The Church, that has what you need and you have what she needs. 
• It’s a place to run to and not from. It’s the place I ran to and slid into the altar after I was done running and doing things my way and Ohhhh, sooooo glad I did. I am praying for you right now that you will GO. TO. CHURCH. I’d be a divorced widow had it not been for the church but instead of marrying that alcoholic I thought I was in love with when I was not in church, who is no longer here on earth sadly, I married the love of my life who I found at church! Trust me when I say this: Get over the hurt feelings, the gossip, the pain. It’s not worth it. The whole church is not those 5-10 people! Lay it down. Give it up. Move forward. 
• Church is NOT a show, a club where you do whatever the rich people want, a business or a metric or system. Yes we need metrics and systems and there are aspects of business. But it’s ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. Those things are to serve people. 
• It’s NOT a place to go and use as a platform to try and grow your multi level marketing company or solicit people for your company or some other church. 
• It’s NOT a perfect place but it is the perfect place for imperfect people. It’s my family of choice. It’s a place I can hardly wait to go to see people who make me better. It’s a place where I’ve been hurt more deeply than any other place but also can’t most of us say that about our families and close friends in or out of church. Relationships are messy. Duh! But relationships are the loudest cries of our hearts. It’s how God made us. Church was God’s idea. Do we do it right all the time? No. But it sure is better than being in jail or the hospital or in rehab or any number of places. 
• It’s a place I hope to see you this week and get to know you and really do life with you! I was at someone’s house tonight from church just hanging out and it was so great. My husband is in Boston hanging out with people who were in our church almost thirty years ago and he is spending time celebrating a major life moment with them….after all these years. It’s because of our church that he bought a plane ticket and and flew across the country to be with them. Our boys grew up in our church and have such an advantage in life because of all they have learned through our church. They’ve seen people break our hearts and it’s broken theirs. But they’ve also seen people give their everything for our church and stick with us through decades. The church is helping us launch our boys well and I can’t imagine what it would be like to launch your kids into adulthood without the strength, love, resources, and people of the church! 
• Harvest Church, I’ve blamed you for things in the past. I’ve worked through bitterness toward you over the years. I’ve resented things. I’ve served you with my blood, sweat, and tears for decades now. I’ve watched you grow, struggle, and thrive. Harvest Church, I just want to say, I love you! I honor you. I am so blessed to be able to sit at this seat of the table with you. I am committed to you. I forgive you. I pray you forgive me for where I have gone wrong. I enjoy being part of this family. I look forward to our bright future together! We are just getting started. 

I encourage you to journal something like this and work through hurts and begin to realize the power of being all in and plugged into your local church. 

What is church anymore? Beautiful! That’s what she is! 

Happy Monday! 

XO,

Adrienne 

PS …. Go to church! It’s the hope of this lost and dying world. Be the change you want to see.