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Oct 26, 2025 06:00am

Take Me to Church (Part 2)

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I’ve been in church most of my life. Growing up, it was a joy! As kids, we created our cotton ball lambs, learned songs with motions, and most importantly, ate snacks and drank Kool-Aid®. But something happened when I became a tween and teen: I lost my joy. I had to go to older kids’ classes and talk about things like sin and sanctification. The days of craft time were gone, replaced with days of Bible study.

And my tween self didn’t like it one bit.

When I voiced my opinions to my mama, she gave me a curt reply: “God holds me responsible as your parent to get you to church. It’s like a job; you show up for a job, right? We show up for church.” That was that. There were no more arguments, so off to church we went.

As an adult, I can tell you this: I am so thankful for a God-fearing mom that took me to church all those years when I wanted to rebel and sleep in. Church is where seeds of faith were planted in my heart, rooting me deeply in the Lord and His Gospel. Remembering what I learned in those early years sustained me later, when I drifted from church and wandered in the wilderness.

It was those familiar names—Abraham, Moses, David, and Daniel—that spoke to me more than anything else. Their stories of God’s intervention inspired me. Though I struggled to read the Bible at home, it came alive for me at church. It was the way the preacher told these stories that got my attention because preachers often make you feel as if the sermon were crafted just for you. Instead of that sermon driving me away in condemnation, it drew me close in conviction.

It’s at church, friends, where our knowledge of God is deepened, and our faith is spurred by others who walk with God. And it got me thinking about all the good things we can reap from a Gospel-loving, Bible-believing, foot-washing church. It’s at church when the messages seem clearer, and God’s voice felt louder.

Take me to church, where I learn that God blesses obedience, just as He did for Abraham. Abraham was a pagan living in a pagan land when God called him to follow Him . . . and Abraham said, “Yes.” Abraham walked by faith to an unknown land, and though he sinned and fell short along the way, God never gave up on him. He worked out His purpose through this flawed man and created a family of chosen people to love and call His own.

Take me to church, where I learn that God calls the unqualified, like He did with Moses. Moses committed murder and ran away, living in obscurity for years. And yet, God pursued him. He reminded Moses who He was and called him to lead His people out of slavery. Through trials and tests, God strengthened Moses to stand firm against adversity and trust that He was fighting for him.

Take me to church, where I learn how to love God with all my heart, like David. He made God his best friend while tending his flock in the sheepfold. He trusted God on the battlefield when he faced a giant. He leaned upon God when family and friends betrayed him. He thirsted for God while hiding from enemies in the desert. He celebrated God’s sovereignty when he was placed on the throne. He cried out to his Abba amid the brokenness of great sin and loss. He surrendered to God’s will when his son tried to overthrow him. He accepted God’s “no” to build a temple to worship Him. And he praised God on every mountaintop and in every dark valley. David didn’t just say he loved God—he lived it throughout his whole life.

Take me to church, where I learn how to walk by faith, like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. While Daniel’s story shows me the power of prayer in the testing moments of life, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s story shows me what it looks like to trust God amid an unbelieving world. In their stories, I am reminded that God can do the impossible, whether it’s shutting the mouths of lions or protecting His people from the fires of life. He refines our hearts and faith so that we emerge from trials with a fresh experience of Him and His power.

Take me to church, where I learn how God loves us so much, He sent His only Son Jesus to live and die for us. Jesus came to earth as a baby and lived a sinless life amid a world of sin, temptation, and brokenness. His face radiated His Father’s love as He showed people the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He sought the sinners and offered them living water, God’s free gift of salvation. Something special happened when they accepted this free gift: they were changed. They walked away from sin-filled lives to hope-filled lives, giving up their jobs and eventually their lives to follow Jesus. They had spiritual strength to face the trials and tribulations of life that made them more than conquerors in Christ.

Take me to church, where I learn how God can transform hearts, like He did for Peter. Peter was once a salty fisherman who was quick-tempered, often putting his foot in his mouth. But he said “yes” to following Jesus. Though he failed tests of faith along the way, he didn’t give up or walk away. His story shows us the beauty of Jesus’ forgiveness and restoration when we fail in those moments. Over time and through adversity, the Holy Spirit transformed this salty fisherman into a powerful preacher whose sermons brought thousands to Jesus. God uses imperfect people like Peter to show us the power of following Him faithfully.

At church, I am reminded of how God works through His broken family with His agape love. It’s where I take my eyes off myself and fix them on God and the character He reveals in each of their stories. I am reminded of God’s forgiveness, grace, and mercy when I fall into sin. I am reminded of God’s faithfulness when I struggle to trust Him. I am reminded that I can do all things through Him and His strength when I face roadblocks and mountains. I am reminded that I am never alone as I walk through the valleys of life. And I am always reminded that I am a sinner in need of a Savior.

Oh, friends, good things happen when we go to church. It’s where we’re reminded that if God did it for those in the Bible, He will do it for us too.

That’s what love does.