More than Online

Early this morning I read a blogpost about the importance of the church. The author has a powerful internet ministry at Broken Believers Dot Com.

In it he says:

"I suggest that we restore to the living Church the honor and glory it deserves. Our individual ministries can be good— fruit may even be seen. But we dare not minimize the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. She is his bride. She will rule and reign with him forever and ever."

Pastor Bryan Lowe helps many through his online writing, but today he focuses on the need to keep connected in the church.

I commented on Bryan's post as follows:

This post is particularly appropriate today. Thank you. 

I, and my wife, are sort of "between churches" (btwn LOCAL churchs that is) right now, in the process of moving from one community to another. My new job is more demanding than I thought it would be too (partly because it is new) and the split shift is challenging. It gets in the way of some gatherings. 

For example, the church association I'm most closely connected with (the Alliance of Renewal Churches arcusa.org) is having its annual Midwest Gathering right now. If my work and life were "normal" I'd be at the gathering for most of the sessions. My work, however, takes up my weekdays M-F from 6a-8a and 3p-8p. plus, on the weekends, I'm living about an hour's drive away -- and since I drive transit bus for my work I just don't want to spend my weekend driving back and forth. So I may end up being at the gathering only for a part of one day - today. 

This creates a big gap in my life and a break, in some ways, with the fellowship I need and in the relationships that are built and sustained through that fellowship. My work schedule has interfered also with a daily prayer phone call with sisters and brothers that are part of a church that my wife and I may become part of when we finally get our house sold and our lives entirely relocated to the Twin Cities. 

I appreciate the online church world because it allows me to keep somewhat connected even when we are in this "in between" spot and it's hard to find a way to gather consistently with a local church. 

Thanks for listening.

So it's time for me now to stop writing and get up to Blaine. I can't wait. (If you're interested, you can see a schedule for the gathering HERE and a map to Bridgewood Community Church in Blaine HERE. The evening sessions are free.)

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