It’s Just Average

I wish my church had cool features like hidden passageways or catacombs, but nope. There’s nothing particularly cool or unique about our building.

It’s not ancient enough or brand new enough to be cool. It’s just average.

No fountain. No outdoor fireplace. No bookstore. No gym. No library.

In fact, there is nothing stand-outish about our facilities. They just kinda blend in.

We sometimes have people drop in, ready to pay their water bill—thinking our building is the local water and sewer district office.

Nobody ever comes thinking we are a historic or landmark site.

Your church is probably better than mine.

And it’s OK.

My church doesn’t exist “to be cooler” or “to be better than” or “to be the best.”

Instead, we exist to love God, love people, and love life in a way that brings people together and makes our city a better place.

That’s it. No cool points required.

Our church’s goal is to be the church God needs in our community.

From that perspective, there are a few things my church does very well and I want to brag (one last time) about another one of those things:

We look like our community.

I’m not just talking about our building—although our building certainly looks like our community. It’s all Northwesty and has Starbucks chairs in the lobby.

But I mean the people.

We look like our community…

Black. White. Pacific Islander. Mexican. Asian. Old. Young. Lots of families with little kids. Middle class. Poor. Well-off. Women in leadership. Men in leadership.

Our church is diverse and I’m crazy proud of it.

We’re not a rich church or a poor church, we’re a church that looks like our community.

We’re not a black church or a white church, we’re a church that looks like our community.

If we’re going to be the church God needs in our community, I believe we will be reaching the people of our community and we will always look like our community

We have a saying at NWLife, “Everyone’s Welcome, Nobody’s Perfect, Anything’s Possible.” I’m thankful to be part of a church that doesn’t just say it, but actually lives it. Everyone is welcome and considered family – a big, blended, diverse, Northwesty family.

WHAT ABOUT YOU: When you think of your church, what are you thankful for? What is one thing your church doesn’t have that you wish it did?

Check out Tuesday’s post “Your Church Is Better Than Mine” and Wednesday’s “Another Reason Your Church Is Better.”