At My Church...

1.  All the teenagers sit on the front row....by choice.

2.  Everybody sings.  Everybody.  Loud and with heart.

3.  Moms and Dads bring their babies, toddlers, kids, etc. to "Big Church" because worship is for whole families....and sometimes they cry, and sometimes they laugh, and sometimes they see their daddy on stage praying and they yell, "Hey Daddy!"

4.  When the preacher refers to a Bible verse while teaching, you hear pages turning all over the congregation.

5.  Old people tap their feet to the beat of the drums, and young men sing hymns.

6.  Some people wear jeans and some people dress "to the nines"... and some babies wear smocked dresses with big bows (my girls did until they just put their foot down and said "NO!") and some don't....and it doesn't really matter.

7.  If you are late, the men in the back smile, welcome you, and help you find a seat, which is a good thing for us....because we are often...well you know, late!  (But, of course,  it's not my fault.) 

8.  The pastor is my brother in Christ, a sinner, saved by grace.

9.  You can lift your hands, clap, maybe even move to the beat, if you feel so led while singing praises to Him.

10.  People notice if I am not there.

11.  I have been hurt, wounded, wronged.... and I have hurt, wounded, and wronged others.  And we forgive, although sometimes it is hard.

  

12.  We bear one anothers' burdens.

13.  We fellowship and drink coffee (and sometimes spill it on the sanctuary floor).

14.  We have differing views, sometimes share unwanted opinions,  and are learning to let God work on us in His time.... in His way.

15.  We love because He first loved us.

And I know that we are just one small part of His "Big" Church....  and I am thankful that He has chosen to put us right where we are.