A Place to Belong
Every true believer lives in two realities: A heavenly one (“in Christ”) and an earthly one (“in the church”). So says Ephesians 3:21.
Without a doubt every genuine Christian loves the first reality. After all, in Christ all is perfect! But the second reality—life in the church with other still-being-sanctified Christ followers—can sometimes leave us unsure if we even like those who claim to be part of it. It’s no doubt horizontally imperfect.
That’s why I really enjoyed Megan Hill’s book A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church. Megan boldly nudges us all towards seeing Christ’s church as exactly that—Christ’s—and urges us to leave behind false and misguided views about the church that can cause us to miss the true beauty of the Lord’s body. In eight chapters she gently guides the reader through a correct understanding of God’s true people, exhorting all who truly belong to it to see the church’s people, purpose, and protocol from God’s intention, not ours.
I especially benefitted from chapter 2, and feel the book is worth the price just for that chapter alone. It’s a longer look at what it means to live in a reconciled, unified manner with others in the church, and her simple and practical illustrations help the focus of the chapter land with unforgettable impact. Believe me, you won’t forget the “Senior Sisters” once you read about them.
If you’re looking to continue letting the truth of Ephesians 1-3 take root in your heart, and want to move to loving your local church with even deeper affection and commitment, pick up a copy of A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church. Not only will you be glad you did, I suspect those who sit near you each Sunday or are in your small group will be as well.
Pastor Todd