“Going to Church”

For many Americans, especially in the south, Sunday morning is about dressing nice, piling into the minivan and attending a worship service. The hope is that it’s a positive family experience, with age appropriate programming that is safe, fun and at least a little Biblically inspiring. As my sister told me before a Christmas Eve service one year, “You better make me cry.” She meant, “Inspire me.” Not sure if I did.

A lot of good things can happen when people “go to church.” When the Bible is clearly taught and people pay attention with open hearts they can have deep and powerful encounters with the living God. When Jesus is exalted through music and other creative elements the pains and losses of this life can be softened by reminders of God’s goodness and a vision of eternity. When people are warmly welcomed and relationships develop genuine care can take place to help people sustain their walk with God through the ups and downs of life.

But most churchgoers eventually realize that the call of Christ is much more to be the church than to go to church on Sunday morning once or twice a month. So how do we, as pastors and leaders, help believers make the shift from just attending services to being transformed by the grace of Jesus?

In this episode of the Collaboration Podcast we hear from Pastor David Speicher of South Bay Church in Riverview and Pastor Larry Mouton of No Greater Love, a church plant in Palm River. These two brothers share some principles and strategies they use to create environments where people can experience the transforming love of Jesus.

How are you leading the people around you to not just be fans of Jesus (enthusiastic admirers) to truly being followers of Jesus?

How is the grace of Jesus transforming you? How can you share that life-changing love with others?