For much of my Christian Life, I have had splendid conversations with so many people about church, and what the church should look like. We pass ideas, opinions, ways to reach out to the culture that we find ourselves in. We sip our coffee, and we "what if". We hypothesize, we fantasize, maybe we make a list.
However, for the majority of my Christian experience, I have never seen a church that does as much as Church on the Street, in Linden, MI. Now, I don't mean for this to be a post that just brags about a particular church. I am truly blown away by the things that are done, every week, every day, by pretty much everyone at this little church.
For example, our son Andrew is extremely over-attached. That may be an understatement. So the first time that we attended our church, I found myself with a sniffling watery eyed two year old that wouldn't let go of my leg, in the nursery. This church is no stranger to children. There were several kids Drew's age and a little younger in there, and also double that number of older children, all together in a big room with a small divider. As I sat and was trying to comfort Drew, the lights go out on the other side of the room, and the older kids lay down on the mats. Music is playing softly, and I watch as the Children's leader goes from child to child, placing her hand on their forehead, and prays for each child aloud, by name. I have never witnessed this. It was a very beautiful moment.
This church meets together, with an expectation, not a hope, of a movement of the Holy Spirit. And it happens, in profound ways; most of which I am not accustomed to. And even some that catch me of guard.
This past week, after the songs were over, as he was about to begin his message, the Pastor stopped, and just stated that He was being led to pray. So we did. He did. People stood up and shared testimonies. It was spontaneous, relevant, eye opening, and refreshing. The sensitivity to the moving of the spirit in this place is amazing. Again, I have never experienced anything like this before.
This church is literally full of adopted children. Seriously, there are so many different nationalities and colors in this church that it will blow your mind. This in itself is amazing, however, it gets better. Not only have a bunch of people in the church pursued the order to "care for orphans", or are currently in the process of doing so, but there is one family in particular that will knock your socks off.
One family, has adopted 14 children. You read that right, but wait, there is more. Most of the children they have adopted have a disability. Two of them were born terminally ill, and only lived under a year. They adopt children that no one will. They get calls from across the country. They say yes when literally everyone else says no. Because they believe Matthew 25:40. They act upon it, they live it.
We are so incredibly happy and fortunate to have found this church. This Church does. It is indeed a verb. Not a building.
What if, more churches looked like this?
