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Church Is Forever Family
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart (1 Peter 1:22) A ll children of God through faith in Jesus Christ are brothers and sisters together because He has made us His family forever. As such God expects us to love each other deeply.
I began learning this as a boy in Lee, Maine. We moved there when I was just two years old and we stayed for nine years. The population of Lee then was about five hundred people. It was a great place to be a kid. In Lee there was one flashing streetlight, presumably so folks going through would slow down enough so as not to totally miss the town. There were two stores on opposite corners of the intersection. One of these was Haskell’s General Store, which was also the only gas station in town, and, in my expert opinion, they had the best selection of penny candy.
The other was Whitten’s Store right next to the post office. Our yard abutted the back of Whitten’s Store, the second floor of which was the proprietors’ home. I remember playing in the yard while smelling donuts being made inside. Especially memorable were times when an upstairs window opened and a ridiculous question was yelled down. “Would you kids like some warm donuts?” Our answer was always, “Yes!” which prompted a warm gift floating down from above in a bag, every crumb of spent in the Lee Baptist Church.
It was the only church in town then, and my dad was the pastor. We lived in a parsonage across the street from the church and we were at the church a lot. I didn’t mind this at all because friends and family were there. I learned that church is extended family. From various people in the church I received love. There I learned by absorption what walking with God is about. Friends of all ages were there, and together we grew in faith and in the knowledge of God. People in the church felt like family to me. Mrs. Virginia Smith was one person who took a special interest in me. I stayed with her and her husband and family at their farm one week when my parents were away. We milked cows, rode horses, and ate farm-fresh food. They made me feel like part of their family.
It was wonderful! Years later when I was in college they contacted my parents to ask for my address and reached out to me again to show their love. Mrs. Smith is in heaven now, preceded by her daughter and husband, but I will see them again because we are forever family. Another memory of when I was eight years old reminds me of the intergenerational blessings of church life and the importance of older saints loving and speaking into the lives of children in the church.
An older saint in the congregation, a woman who walked closely with God, came to me one day and tousled my hair. She said, “Stephen, look at me.” I did as instructed. Looking intently into my face she said, “Stephen, God’s hand is on you. You’re going to be a preacher someday!” I have a vague recollection of blushing some and of my brother giggling, but that moment was implanted into my memory for future recall. I thank God that she cared enough to speak into my life words that later became a great blessing to me. T
he early experiences I had in church have carried with me through life. I thank God for teaching me as a child that church is not merely an organization we join, or a place of worship we go to when it is convenient. Church is the body of Christ (Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12; Colossians 1:24; 2:19). And because church is the family of God (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 6:18), we will be brothers and sisters forever. Referring to His disciples Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50).
There is no perfect local church, just as there is no perfect family. Yet in the church we share with one another a perfect Father in heaven who loves us all, and who chooses us to demonstrate His care and to help us help each other grow to become more like Him. How grateful I am that God taught me this lesson as a child. Through the years God has moved me from place to place, and saying good-bye is not easy, but He teaches His children that really we never say good-bye to each other. As forever family, even if we should not see one another again on this side of heaven, in faith we can always say, “See you later.” I love that! As I think back to “forever family” members I have known through the years, some of whom are in heaven now, I rejoice in the memories of times we shared, while I look forward to eternity together.
Because of Christ in the church we are forever family.
Life Application Questions:
1. Do you regard the church as the body of Christ and forever His family?
2. How does your answer affect your attitude and involvement in a local church? now?
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart (1 Peter 1:22) A ll children of God through faith in Jesus Christ are brothers and sisters together because He has made us His family forever. As such God expects us to love each other deeply.
I began learning this as a boy in Lee, Maine. We moved there when I was just two years old and we stayed for nine years. The population of Lee then was about five hundred people. It was a great place to be a kid. In Lee there was one flashing streetlight, presumably so folks going through would slow down enough so as not to totally miss the town. There were two stores on opposite corners of the intersection. One of these was Haskell’s General Store, which was also the only gas station in town, and, in my expert opinion, they had the best selection of penny candy.
The other was Whitten’s Store right next to the post office. Our yard abutted the back of Whitten’s Store, the second floor of which was the proprietors’ home. I remember playing in the yard while smelling donuts being made inside. Especially memorable were times when an upstairs window opened and a ridiculous question was yelled down. “Would you kids like some warm donuts?” Our answer was always, “Yes!” which prompted a warm gift floating down from above in a bag, every crumb of spent in the Lee Baptist Church.
It was the only church in town then, and my dad was the pastor. We lived in a parsonage across the street from the church and we were at the church a lot. I didn’t mind this at all because friends and family were there. I learned that church is extended family. From various people in the church I received love. There I learned by absorption what walking with God is about. Friends of all ages were there, and together we grew in faith and in the knowledge of God. People in the church felt like family to me. Mrs. Virginia Smith was one person who took a special interest in me. I stayed with her and her husband and family at their farm one week when my parents were away. We milked cows, rode horses, and ate farm-fresh food. They made me feel like part of their family.
It was wonderful! Years later when I was in college they contacted my parents to ask for my address and reached out to me again to show their love. Mrs. Smith is in heaven now, preceded by her daughter and husband, but I will see them again because we are forever family. Another memory of when I was eight years old reminds me of the intergenerational blessings of church life and the importance of older saints loving and speaking into the lives of children in the church.
An older saint in the congregation, a woman who walked closely with God, came to me one day and tousled my hair. She said, “Stephen, look at me.” I did as instructed. Looking intently into my face she said, “Stephen, God’s hand is on you. You’re going to be a preacher someday!” I have a vague recollection of blushing some and of my brother giggling, but that moment was implanted into my memory for future recall. I thank God that she cared enough to speak into my life words that later became a great blessing to me. T
he early experiences I had in church have carried with me through life. I thank God for teaching me as a child that church is not merely an organization we join, or a place of worship we go to when it is convenient. Church is the body of Christ (Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:23; 4:12; Colossians 1:24; 2:19). And because church is the family of God (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 6:18), we will be brothers and sisters forever. Referring to His disciples Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50).
There is no perfect local church, just as there is no perfect family. Yet in the church we share with one another a perfect Father in heaven who loves us all, and who chooses us to demonstrate His care and to help us help each other grow to become more like Him. How grateful I am that God taught me this lesson as a child. Through the years God has moved me from place to place, and saying good-bye is not easy, but He teaches His children that really we never say good-bye to each other. As forever family, even if we should not see one another again on this side of heaven, in faith we can always say, “See you later.” I love that! As I think back to “forever family” members I have known through the years, some of whom are in heaven now, I rejoice in the memories of times we shared, while I look forward to eternity together.
Because of Christ in the church we are forever family.
Life Application Questions:
1. Do you regard the church as the body of Christ and forever His family?
2. How does your answer affect your attitude and involvement in a local church? now?