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A Church on Every Corner
Francis Chan once said, “I would have a bigger church than Jesus because I know how to keep a crowd.”
He wasn’t bragging. He was asking a hard question about himself: Had he become better at gathering people than at helping them follow Jesus?
It’s a question I can’t shake.
There are an estimated 335,000 Protestant and other Christian churches in the United States. In a Tennessee community I know, there seem to be churches everywhere. I’m grateful for churches. Trish and I love our church family. We’ve been encouraged, challenged, prayed for, and loved by people there.
But I’m writing especially for the person who feels distant from God, confused about faith, or hesitant to walk through a church door. I’ve been all of those things, and more.
Maybe you once felt close to Jesus and don’t anymore. Maybe you want to believe but have questions you’re afraid to ask. Maybe someone at a church hurt you, and even hearing the word church brings up pain. If that’s you, I’m sorry for what happened. I won’t ask you to pretend it didn’t matter.
I do want you to know that you can bring your questions, your anger, and your uncertainty to Jesus. You don’t have to get yourself sorted out before you turn toward Him.
When I read about the first believers in Acts, I see people learning, praying, eating, and sharing life together. They cared for people in need. Their faith reached beyond a gathering and into their homes and daily choices. The early church had struggles of its own, but its people understood that following Jesus was something they did together.
That makes me ask what we might have lost along the way. With churches all around us, why do so many people still feel alone? Even the people in our churches?
We recently held a men’s gathering at our church. A lot of men came simply to be with other men. At one point, someone asked, “If you feel alone or lonely, would you raise your hand?” More than half the men raised their hands without hesitation.
I keep thinking about that moment. Many of those men go to church, work hard, and do their best to care for their families. Yet when someone gave them the chance to tell the truth, they said they felt alone. How many other people would say the same if we asked—and stayed long enough to listen?
Why do so many know about Jesus without knowing Him deeply? And how can those of us who love the church make it easier for a hurting or hesitant person to be honest with us?
I think we start by listening. We can resist the urge to defend everything or offer a quick answer. We can ask someone how they’re really doing and make time to hear the answer. We can admit where we’ve fallen short. We can invite someone into a conversation, a meal, or a friendship without making them feel like a project.
Most of all, we can point them to Jesus and be willing to walk beside them.
I believe knowing Jesus is the most important relationship in my life. And I don’t want anyone reading this to think they have to find their way to Him alone. Following Him is a personal choice. No church, pastor, friend, or family member can make it for us. Jesus calls us to trust Him with the life we actually live: our hopes and regrets, our relationships, our habits, and even the parts we’re afraid to surrender.
If you’re wondering how to begin, you can begin honestly. You might pray something as simple as: Jesus, I want to know You. I have questions. I’ve been hurt. I’m not even sure what giving You my life would look like. But I’m willing to take a step toward You. Please meet me here.
You don’t need impressive words. You can take the next step by reading about Jesus, talking with someone you trust, or asking a person who follows Him to sit with you and hear your story.
I’m thankful for our church family. I also know that someone can live near a hundred churches and still wonder where they belong. If that’s you, I hope someone will make room for your whole story. And I hope you’ll know this: however distant you feel, you can turn toward Jesus today. Have courage.
Wanna talk about it?
Jesus is enough!
