That's what I love about a Sunday...

I was thinking on something this morning...

during a worship service that looked almost nothing like the worship services in which I grew up...

because see, I grew up in the South...
across the South...
my formative and high school years  in the red clay of Georgia...
elementary in the bayous of Mississippi...
and a few years in Alabama...

and there are a few things, in the South , that there are a lot of:
Dollar Generals
Waffle Houses
and
Baptist churches

Southern Baptist Churches

Sunday clothes
panty hose
choir robes
potlucks
sunday school

churches

and I love them.

And for a long time, that was my comfort zone, my normal...my way to worship.

So to find myself
in a building with folding chairs...
and a stage...
and (gasp) lights and a band
and a pastor sans a tie
and
no
sunday
school
(what? surely goodness and mercy...how are these kids going know the five finger facts or the books of the bible or  the ... oh... wait)

see,
I grew up in an area where everybody goes to church...
and even if you don't go to church you've gone to church..
or you go to VBS
or you go to Easter and Christmas...
or you know someone who goes and you've gone with them...
and you know
about church
because
well, they are , everywhere...
it's part of the culture , practically...

So when we moved here in 2013 and visited our current church...
maybe you'd find it odd...
that the first Sunday-Donald and I both knew-it was ''our'' church...

A church where the pastor pours himself out through three sermons each Sunday...
and a worship team leads before each...
where a whole wing is dedicated to kids-and filled with people passionate about them knowing Jesus...
where small groups meet throughout the week-and the work of the church is done...
where on Fridays Pastor Mike hosts one of the largest Celebrate Recovery programs ...
where you are welcome , in your brokenness ...in your addiction...in your weight of life...
to come a meet a Man that was broken for you...
A church where there is coffee and cake in the back...
and you come just as you are...

a church that is everything I believed the church shouldn't be...

My pastor is a bible believing, compassionate, ,God fearing and following, leader...
and he preaches truth...
and stands for Christ...
and honors Him with his life and in his example...

But my church exist...
because there are so many people-hurting, lost and in need of a Savior...
and the traditional church...
well,
they don't want their kind.
but my pastor has a heart for those people...
and because He wants them to know
there is more...
there is better...
there is hope...
there is Jesus....

I sat this morning, hands raised, singing the words...

"at the cross , at the cross, I surrender my life...
I owe all to you, I owe all to you"

and I looked around at a building full of people,
that came because:

"at BCF we exist to invite those who don't usually go to church and to help them become fully transformed followers of Christ."

and I was thankful...