After moving to Minnesota almost a year ago, we have struggled to find a church to call home; but I think we may have found one. Church is not a perfect organization nor is it filled with perfect people but the good ones are places that make you feel like you belong, accept you where you are while still encouraging you to become more like Jesus. That's a tall order but it's what we were looking for. It's what we had in Omaha at Lifegate and I think it's what we've found here in Minnesota at River Valley.
People say church is not a social club, but it is a place to find connections with people who will likely become your best friends, mentors, or people you will mentor. People gathering in a building who have the same life code, the same desire to love God and love the people He has put in our paths. There are many places a person can find their tribe, the people they choose to do life with. Because of my love for Jesus, I am most likely to find those people at church so in some ways, it is a social club, but one with a far deeper significance than any other.
There's the obvious reasons to be a part of a church, like whether or not you believe what they believe. That's a tricky one because we haven't visited any churches that we disagree with on paper. It's just that so many churches don't live what they say they believe. This one seems to.
There's also not so obvious things about a church that makes it a right fit. For example, this church is full of ladies of all shapes and sizes, different ages and races, and yet they mostly all have one thing in common: they are confident in the body God gave them. This may seem insignificant and it's not something I necessarily go into a church looking for but is very telling. What it says is that these people as a whole, and more specifically the teachings of this church, don't blame females for male misbehavior or sexual desires, that the responsibility for males to have pure thoughts about females is put exactly where it belongs: on the shoulders of the men.
Music is another telling aspect of a church. I had a good friend tell me years ago that music that moves you doesn't necessarily mean God is at work and I agree to an extent. Some churches, the music is a chore in that everyone sings because they are supposed to sing but no one really finds joy in singing. Those churches aren't for me because I find joy in worshiping my Saviour. Some churches are loud and full of special effects and feel exactly like a concert, like a push to make you respond a certain way. Those churches aren't for me because for me worship isn't forced. Some churches somehow have this magic space where even though the singing is loud and there are special effects, and even though everyone walks in knowing they are going to sing, it doesn't feel forced and the majority of the people find joy in worshiping their Saviour. That's the church for me.
There's also the seemingly insignificant little interactions. There's this one lady that I have spoken to five times now. Once I went up to her to thank her because she exudes the "welcome home" atmosphere that River Valley wants. The other four times were her just being genuinely nice, caring about people, caring about me. Or the pastor that took time to meet me for coffee, driving to a part of the twin cities he had never been so I didn't have to go so far on the bus. Or the people who walk up just to say hello. Or random people who offer to give us a ride from the church to an event a mile away. Or the smile of the person preparing the coffee when I come up to get a third empty cup. Or the person who said "thank you" when I explained that no, I don't need four cups of coffee to stay awake but rather have filled three of them with pennies to put in the offering. Thanking me for pennies, not judging me or shaming me, but thanking me. I could keep going. There are so many of these little interactions that prove that the "welcome home" on the wall isn't just a slogan.
On the way out the door tonight, I said to Angelica that I would go forward for prayer when my hunger for God exceeds my distrust of people. And my distrust of people runs deep because for all the good that is in church, there is also opportunity for bad because church is full of people. And I have been hurt by people. Lots of people. Many times. Most recently by people I met at church. But the truth is, I almost went forward for prayer tonight.
I don't know yet if River Valley is home. Only time will tell. But I think it is. I think I may have found a place to land, a place to make Minnesota as much home as Nebraska was or Georgia was. A place to live, to grow, to serve, and to love. A place to make mistakes and go alongside to encourage people who make mistakes. A place to learn, receive, and give forgiveness. A place to share in triumphs and failures. A place to call home.
