Better Together

Church Beyond the Building - Episode 1086

August 25, 2025 | S7 E1086 | 52:34

What if "church" was never meant to be a place you go, but something you live every day? When believers walk in unity, live with purpose, and serve with love, the true heartbeat of the Church is revealed. | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000

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Better Together | Church Beyond the Building - Episode 1086 | August 25, 2025

Laurie crouch: the church is not a building.
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It is all of god's people.
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And when you choose to follow jesus, you become a part of
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God's family and carry his heart to the world.
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Come on, let's talk about it.
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[music]
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Hosanna wong: i grew up in an outdoor church through our
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Friends living without homes on the streets of san francisco.
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My dad battled a heroin addiction for 15 years and he
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Fought in a gang and then a woman introduced him to jesus
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And jesus changed his whole life.
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So my dad ended up starting an outdoor church on the streets of
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San francisco to our friends living without homes and
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Battling with addiction and that's how i grew up.
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We had outdoor church two to three days a week my
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Whole childhood.
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And people brought their alcohol bottles and people brought their
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Drugs and that's how i learned church.
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Yeah, i learned later in life when other people said they were
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Also raised in church, we weren't talking about.
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Blynda lane: the same thing.
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Hosanna: the exact same thing.
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That's where i learned that jesus could save anyone's soul
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And redeem anyone's story and would use anyone who would
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Say yes.
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And i see now that i was so blessed to have been raised in
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That unique church environment.
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I was blessed to have been raised by a recovered addict.
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I knew every day of my childhood jesus was real because i saw
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What jesus could do.
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But i don't know if any of you can relate, but i've also had
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Different experiences in christfallen communities that
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Weren't as positive.
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So that was my background of the church, but when i was
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18-years-old, my dad got cancer and passed away.
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And then the future i had planned for myself no
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Longer existed.
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The community that i had grown used to no longer existed.
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And the church as i knew it, no longer existed.
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And then i found myself in other christ following communities
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Where my experiences weren't as positive.
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And maybe people watching can relate.
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When you walk into rooms and you're just not sure if you're
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Welcomed or your heroes turn out to not be your heroes or the
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People that you trusted turn out to not be trustworthy or you
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Walk into rooms where you're just not sure like who even
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Likes people or who even likes god.
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You're like is this what church is?
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And sometimes it can be confusing.
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Sometimes you can wonder like, is this what jesus is
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Really like?
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What am i doing wrong?
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What do i have to change about myself to fit in?
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Like all these different questions can come and so for
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Me, even though i had this beautiful upbringing of what
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Jesus could do in people's lives, who jesus is and what he
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Could do, i saw other communities that gave me a
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Really hard heart.
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And i remember there was a time in my life where every christ
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Following community i would walk into, every building i would go
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Into, i would ask myself this question.
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I would ask, "how can i tell if it's real for them?"
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Like i remember thinking that so many people were fake, so many
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People were putting on a show.
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People knew how to, you know, talk like jesus, quote jesus,
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But people didn't know how to live like jesus.
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And i remember i had such a hard heart towards christ followers
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And everywhere i went i would judge people and think, "how can
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I tell if it's real for them?"
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And then at one point in my life the question changed and at one
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Point in my life i started asking myself, not how can i be
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Sure if it's real for them, but how can i be sure if it's real
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For me?
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Blynda: wow, that's good.
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Hosanna: and i started a journey of trying to figure out what was
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The church that jesus had in mind and how can i be a part of
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Creating the community i've prayed for?
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How can i make sure this is real for me without any ounce of
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Faking it no matter what it looks like to anybody else?
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Faith eury cho: it's important that we see god's perspective
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About what the church is meant to be and what our role is
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Supposed to be in the church because it's god's church, we're
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The body, we're his body.
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And when you're someone's body, then that means we follow his
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Mind, his heart, we're his hands and feet.
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And so we don't form the church according to our preference, we
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Form the church according to his will.
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Hosanna: and so that's my lens of the church.
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When i think about the church, i come with all of this background
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Of what i've seen jesus do, how i've seen it done so well, how
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I've done it so wrong, how i've done it so wrong, how i've seen
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It wrong and i've done it wrong.
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I come with all of that.
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And one thing that i love hearing are people's different
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Backgrounds of church.
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When we think of the capital c church, the global church,
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Sometimes we have specific lower case c churches, one specific
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Building or community that we come from or that influences our
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Lens of the church and i think as we kick off a week of talking
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About the church, the beautiful things and the hard things, the
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Things that maybe sometimes we haven't heard other people talk
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About which we're all gonna talk about, i think what would be a
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Beautiful way to set this stage is for us to share maybe what
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Our lens of the church is.
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What is our background of the church and how has it influenced
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Your lens now as we talk about the church.
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Meghan robinson: yeah, it's so funny.
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Thank you for sharing your story because i agree with you.
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All of us have such different experiences in growing up.
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And for me, man, i feel like i was so sheltered as a child.
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And i grew up in a really denominational church until
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About 5th grade.
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And my mom and dad got spirit filled, filled with the holy
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Spirit and decided that we were going to go to a new church.
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And i threw myself on the ground and through like a 5th grader
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Temper tantrum.
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Like i was so upset about it.
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And yeah, my mom and dad were listening to the voice of god
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And we went to just a beautiful church in our area and got
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Plugged in and just, god was doing amazing things in and
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Through that church.
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And my parents ended up going on staff as pastors,
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Children's pastors.
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And my dad did all of the counseling and things like that
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For the church.
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And my story is that i've always like i've loved the church.
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Like i've loved jesus and i've loved the church since i
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Was little.
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And it doesn't mean that it didn't come without some pain
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Points, but i think as a child and a young teenager, i didn't
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See behind the veil of some of the messiness.
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I was protected and sheltered from that.
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When my husband, whom i met at that church, by the way.
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So when god moves you to places where you don't think you wanna
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Go, like sometimes he's working behind the scenes.
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You got to know that.
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But my husband and i both grew up in this church and we ended
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Up stepping in to become youth pastors at a really young age.
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We were like 20 and 21.
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We just got married and i know we were babies and we were
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Serving and building the church and it was only then that i kind
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Of started to see some of the things that my parents had even
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Been experiencing behind the scenes.
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And i'll be--i'll make a statement and be clear because i
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Love the church and there was a lot of messiness in the church.
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It was a mega church, a big church that we were a part of.
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There was a lot of messiness behind the scenes.
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Our pastor loved the lord and i will say that, loved the lord,
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Incredibly prophetic.
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He's a good man.
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He was not a great leader.
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And there was a lot of toxic leadership behind the scenes
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That we didn't experience until we were on the front lines.
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And my husband got the brunt of a lot of it.
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And it was challenging.
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And there was a lot of times where we questioned, like, "is
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This really what church is supposed to be like?"
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And a lot of negativity towards other churches.
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And i'm like, "no, we should be supporting and cheering one
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Another on."
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Like it was just not the healthiest atmosphere and i
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Remember in that whole process, the lord dealing with us and
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Helping us learn what it looked like to see the good in someone
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And allow god to handle the bad.
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To honor and to choose honor even when not everything was
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Handled correctly.
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And god in his graciousness moved us as a young family,
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Moved us out of that church environment and planted us in a
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Church in another state where we had the most incredibly healthy
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Life-giving leaders who just helped to rewire some of the,
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Some of the pain that we navigated in the process of just
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Being young kids doing ministry.
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And honestly, i can say through it all, like we've stayed in
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Love with his church.
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And i think that the lessons that we learned, my story would
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Be the lessons that we learned in the toxicity was how to walk
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With god through the fire and not come out smelling of smoke.
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And there's a lot of people that grew up in that church
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Environment that i think walked away from god and walked away
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From the church and haven't wanted anything to do with it.
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And somehow by the grace of god, like he's allowed us to process
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Through that and still be in love with the church and still
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Be in love with people, even though people are hard and they
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Are messy.
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But like, there's just been it's been the gift of god for us.
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So that's why i say my story is a little different because i
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Think i go into church.
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I'm always surprised when people are ridiculous.
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I'm like, really?
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Why are we still doing this?
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Yes, like, i shouldn't be, right?
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I shouldn't be surprised.
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But i'm always like, oh, come on, we gotta get this right
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Because the church is a beautiful entity to be a
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Part of.
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It's god's bride.
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And so that's kind of a little of my history.
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Blynda: we see throughout scripture that jesus, when he
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Was walking on this earth, he gathered people to himself.
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He had the disciples, he had the women that followed.
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And we also know that when he established the church through
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Peter, that it was gathering people together because there's
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No way to build a church without people.
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There's no even reason to.
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When we talk about the church, we have to remember the end goal
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Is eternity, getting souls into heaven.
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And so there's really no other way that god could have
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Orchestrated the church here on earth by not using people.
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And he would have to use people to do that because it's people
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That we're trying to win into the kingdom.
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I think it's because god puts high priority on heart to
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Heart connection.
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I think he knows that lives are transformed when hearts are
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Loved and cared for.
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I think he believes there's healing when hearts are loved
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And cared for.
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I think we see every outpouring that we are desiring as
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Believers to walk in freedom, to walk in grace, to walk in
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Forgiveness, he knows that that is greatly and most importantly
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Done through people.
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Bianca juarez: the things that i love most about you and carrie
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Is that having seen what you guys have seen and lived through
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What you've lived through, you don't just talk about loving
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The church.
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You're leading the church and you've been in orange county
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Leading for 13 years, so hats off to you.
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It's not easy to lead god's people, but i am a daughter of
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A pastor.
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Meghan: yes, you are.
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Bianca: so i look at you with so much admiration.
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Im daughter of a pastor and now get to lead a church.
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My story is a little bit different.
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Raised in church my whole life.
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I don't wanna say born into church 'cause that feels weird,
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But literally, literally three weeks old, my parents are taking
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Me and my twin sister to church.
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And so i have been raised in church.
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I love church.
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My dad at the age of 14, he became a church planner.
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So i think i had this cognizant awareness that bigger isn't
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Better and that church isn't a building.
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My dad put in our mind at a very young age like church isn't when
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We gather on sunday, like you are the church.
00:11:36.252 --> 00:11:38.687
And also at a very young age my dad always said like, "one day
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You're gonna have to decide who you serve.
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Me and your mom, we serve jesus christ."
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And he never forced us to go to church.
00:11:47.963 --> 00:11:49.965
He never was like, you have to sit in the front pew, you never
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Have to live up to the standards of other people.
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And now looking back in hindsight, i am so proud that he
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Put it in our minds at a very young age, one day you
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Will choose.
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And i chose at the age of 16.
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I mean, i got baptized at seven.
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I really didn't know what i was doing, but it was just really
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Fun experience and i got chills.
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I got chills, so i'm like, okay, god's with me.
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Like it was 16-years-old at a youth camp around a bonfire
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Where the words of my father came to haunt me in the best
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Way, "one day you will choose who you serve."
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And when i was 16-years-old, i said, "i choose jesus and i
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Choose to tell the world about jesus."
00:12:24.667 --> 00:12:26.936
And then the echo of his words again reverberated.
00:12:26.936 --> 00:12:31.073
It's not a building, it's the people.
00:12:31.073 --> 00:12:33.876
And so from then i just dedicated my life to the people
00:12:33.876 --> 00:12:37.913
Of god, discovering who jesus is and that we get to be his hands
00:12:37.913 --> 00:12:41.984
And feet in a world that is really desperate for jesus.
00:12:41.984 --> 00:12:45.688
Meghan: the church is a beautiful gathering of believers
00:12:45.688 --> 00:12:49.825
And yes, the church is not a building that is the people, but
00:12:49.825 --> 00:12:53.362
Without the people, where is the church?
00:12:53.362 --> 00:12:55.865
There's something beautiful that happens when god's people
00:12:55.865 --> 00:12:58.634
Come together.
00:12:58.634 --> 00:13:00.002
In fact, the book of hebrews chapter 10 tells us, "do not
00:13:00.002 --> 00:13:03.272
Neglect to gather as some have done."
00:13:03.272 --> 00:13:06.375
And i just want to encourage you, you need to belong to a
00:13:06.375 --> 00:13:10.846
Body of believers.
00:13:10.846 --> 00:13:12.314
The community of the church is so valuable and you are part
00:13:12.314 --> 00:13:16.018
Of it.
00:13:16.018 --> 00:13:17.353
It's there that people are gonna find freedom.
00:13:17.353 --> 00:13:19.255
It's there that people are gonna find hope.
00:13:19.255 --> 00:13:21.590
There's something absolutely special about coming together
00:13:21.590 --> 00:13:25.227
With believers and exalting the name of jesus in worship and
00:13:25.227 --> 00:13:28.964
Listening to the word and growing together.
00:13:28.964 --> 00:13:31.467
And yes, you can sit at home and listen to a great podcast or
00:13:31.467 --> 00:13:35.170
Listen to a great sermon, but there's nothing like gathering
00:13:35.170 --> 00:13:38.040
With other faith filled believers, encouraging one
00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:40.943
Another in the lord, and reaching out to help other
00:13:40.943 --> 00:13:44.413
People encounter jesus in the same way that you have.
00:13:44.413 --> 00:13:48.484
Bianca: let's keep the conversation going.
00:13:48.484 --> 00:13:50.319
Faith: connect with us on social media and share your favorite
00:13:50.319 --> 00:13:53.322
Moments from today.
00:13:53.322 --> 00:13:54.657
Blynda: we are better together because of you.
00:13:54.657 --> 00:13:58.009
Blynda: we are better together because of you.
00:13:58.009 --> 00:14:01.096
Blynda: i grew up in a denomination and it's
00:14:02.031 --> 00:14:05.100
Interesting though on this side of it, the age that i am now
00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:07.970
What i see that my family did that i find is somewhat
00:14:07.970 --> 00:14:11.674
Different than, you know, some of culture is church was not
00:14:11.674 --> 00:14:16.045
Just a compartment in my family.
00:14:16.045 --> 00:14:17.780
You know, we're good people and we work hard and we do this and
00:14:17.780 --> 00:14:21.250
We go to church and we love jesus.
00:14:21.250 --> 00:14:22.584
No, my family, my parents infiltrated the love of jesus
00:14:22.584 --> 00:14:26.088
And surrendering our life to jesus in our life.
00:14:26.088 --> 00:14:29.291
So i grew up, i mean, literally from the hospital, my mom was on
00:14:29.291 --> 00:14:33.495
Staff at a church.
00:14:33.495 --> 00:14:34.830
So i came home from the hospital and i was, you know, in the
00:14:34.830 --> 00:14:37.866
Church and it's interesting because i literally grew up like
00:14:37.866 --> 00:14:41.770
I knew every nook and cranny of that church 'cause my mom
00:14:41.770 --> 00:14:44.573
Worked there.
00:14:44.573 --> 00:14:45.908
So i would come and i would, i mean, all the hide and go seeks
00:14:45.908 --> 00:14:47.910
Everything was in that, i mean, i knew it.
00:14:47.910 --> 00:14:49.845
And so it's funny because years later we were in a prophetic
00:14:49.845 --> 00:14:53.349
Service at a church that we were pastoring in.
00:14:53.349 --> 00:14:55.818
And people doing the prophecy said to me, "you are a
00:14:55.818 --> 00:15:00.055
Church girl."
00:15:00.055 --> 00:15:01.423
And i was like, okay, let me hear more.
00:15:01.423 --> 00:15:03.158
And he said, "it's not even just that you love the church, the
00:15:03.158 --> 00:15:05.995
Body of christ, you actually love being in the buildings
00:15:05.995 --> 00:15:08.797
Of churches."
00:15:08.797 --> 00:15:10.132
Like you love being there.
00:15:10.132 --> 00:15:11.500
Like when you're at home, you wanna be in the doors of
00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:13.135
The building.
00:15:13.135 --> 00:15:14.470
And i know the church is not a building, but he was so right.
00:15:14.470 --> 00:15:16.739
It was ingrained in me at a young age to love the church,
00:15:16.739 --> 00:15:21.243
Love the building.
00:15:21.243 --> 00:15:22.611
I love the smell of the pews.
00:15:22.611 --> 00:15:23.946
I just love, like, i love being there.
00:15:23.946 --> 00:15:26.782
It holds such fond memories, but it's i believe because in my
00:15:26.782 --> 00:15:31.053
Family at home when we weren't in those church doors, it was
00:15:31.053 --> 00:15:34.656
Being lived out in my family.
00:15:34.656 --> 00:15:36.125
I grew up in a really strong christian home.
00:15:36.125 --> 00:15:38.494
So where that transferred is that was a denomination church
00:15:38.494 --> 00:15:40.963
And it wasn't until i went to university that i got spirit
00:15:40.963 --> 00:15:44.900
Filled and that changed my perspective of my relationship
00:15:44.900 --> 00:15:48.737
With the lord, but it also helped me understand the larger
00:15:48.737 --> 00:15:52.307
Body of christ.
00:15:52.307 --> 00:15:53.642
I had a very narrow view of the body of christ and that
00:15:53.642 --> 00:15:55.911
Helped expand.
00:15:55.911 --> 00:15:57.246
And so then i was 16 at church camp when i really felt like the
00:15:57.246 --> 00:16:00.282
Lord put on my heart that i would be in ministry.
00:16:00.282 --> 00:16:02.618
Well, when you grow up in the denomination i grew up in, that
00:16:02.618 --> 00:16:04.787
Was gonna either be a children's pastor or a pastor's wife.
00:16:04.787 --> 00:16:07.723
I had two options or maybe a choir singer.
00:16:07.723 --> 00:16:10.359
I would...
00:16:10.359 --> 00:16:11.693
Meghan: 'cause you're a woman.
00:16:11.693 --> 00:16:13.062
Blynda: 'cause i'm a woman.
00:16:13.062 --> 00:16:14.396
So i had very few options.
00:16:14.396 --> 00:16:15.731
So when i felt called into ministry i was like, well i
00:16:15.731 --> 00:16:17.366
Don't know.
00:16:17.366 --> 00:16:18.700
I guess i'm gonna be a pastor's wife or i'm gonna be a
00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:20.469
Children's director and i really don't wanna be a children's
00:16:20.469 --> 00:16:21.837
Director so i guess i'm gonna be a pastor's wife.
00:16:21.837 --> 00:16:23.472
So this is just kind of the framework that i had until
00:16:23.472 --> 00:16:28.310
College i went to a church that kind of showed me a larger
00:16:28.310 --> 00:16:33.115
Understanding of how god moves in the church and the ways that
00:16:33.115 --> 00:16:36.819
We can serve even specifically as females.
00:16:36.819 --> 00:16:39.488
I got to see that for the first time and it was very impactful
00:16:39.488 --> 00:16:43.692
For me.
00:16:43.692 --> 00:16:45.060
And so then after getting married, i mean, my husband and
00:16:45.060 --> 00:16:46.562
I haven't always been on staff at churches, but we've always
00:16:46.562 --> 00:16:48.497
Been involved in churches and we've been involved in some
00:16:48.497 --> 00:16:51.166
Really amazing healthy churches.
00:16:51.166 --> 00:16:53.435
In fact, i would say in general, i would say my experience of the
00:16:53.435 --> 00:16:56.004
Church has been favorable even though i would say some of my
00:16:56.004 --> 00:16:59.308
Darkest, hardest times have come through the church.
00:16:59.308 --> 00:17:02.711
And it's very interesting how you can hold both in the same
00:17:02.711 --> 00:17:07.349
Testimony, but i would say through it all because it was
00:17:07.349 --> 00:17:10.752
Instilled in me at a young age, i just i love the church.
00:17:10.752 --> 00:17:13.722
I love the church as the body of christ, but i love the church as
00:17:13.722 --> 00:17:16.525
Like i just i'm a church girl even the hard, hard valleys, the
00:17:16.525 --> 00:17:21.530
Low valleys never deterred me from knowing and understanding
00:17:21.530 --> 00:17:26.034
And believing in my heart the church is the best, safest place
00:17:26.034 --> 00:17:29.004
To be.
00:17:29.004 --> 00:17:30.372
It just is.
00:17:30.372 --> 00:17:31.807
Hosanna: that's so good.
00:17:31.807 --> 00:17:33.775
Blynda: the question that's asked a lot is, if the church is
00:17:33.775 --> 00:17:36.845
So broken, why do i even need to go?
00:17:36.845 --> 00:17:38.914
Why do i even need to be a part of it?
00:17:38.914 --> 00:17:40.649
And the first answer i'm going to give is just because truly
00:17:40.649 --> 00:17:45.487
It's commanded in the bible.
00:17:45.487 --> 00:17:47.890
It was commanded to us that we come together and
00:17:47.890 --> 00:17:51.226
Assemble together.
00:17:51.226 --> 00:17:52.594
Don't neglect doing that.
00:17:52.594 --> 00:17:54.163
And so that would be the first reason whether you've had high
00:17:54.163 --> 00:17:57.065
Highs or low lows in the church, one, we just wanna be obedient
00:17:57.065 --> 00:18:00.903
To the word of god and he says, "don't neglect
00:18:00.903 --> 00:18:03.305
Assembling together."
00:18:03.305 --> 00:18:05.073
But besides that, let me just say this.
00:18:05.073 --> 00:18:08.110
The church inside the church walls, the church outside the
00:18:08.110 --> 00:18:11.280
Walls of the building, we're all broken hurting people trying to
00:18:11.280 --> 00:18:15.684
Seek god, trying to have our lives transformed by who he is.
00:18:15.684 --> 00:18:20.622
And how do you know that it's not your testimony, that it's
00:18:20.622 --> 00:18:24.159
Not what god has done in your life that will be the catalyst
00:18:24.159 --> 00:18:27.396
To somebody else's freedom?
00:18:27.396 --> 00:18:29.565
And if you decide, "i've been too hurt, i can't go," then god
00:18:29.565 --> 00:18:34.102
Is not getting the opportunity to use your story to help
00:18:34.102 --> 00:18:37.539
Someone else.
00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:38.874
That is what the body of christ does.
00:18:38.874 --> 00:18:40.242
We lift each other up out of the dark places.
00:18:40.242 --> 00:18:42.411
So instead of using the dark place to be the excuse not to
00:18:42.411 --> 00:18:45.948
Go, let your dark place be the reason that you change someone
00:18:45.948 --> 00:18:49.651
Else's life.
00:18:49.651 --> 00:18:51.853
Faith: actually, i was saved at 16 too.
00:18:51.853 --> 00:18:56.625
But when i--i mean, i did not grow up in a church background.
00:18:57.793 --> 00:19:01.463
You know, my parents were not christian until way later.
00:19:01.463 --> 00:19:04.266
I was born in south korea, moved to anaheim when i was
00:19:04.266 --> 00:19:09.204
Like three.
00:19:09.204 --> 00:19:10.772
But i remember, i specifically remember when i was around like
00:19:10.772 --> 00:19:13.642
Five to six years old, the thought dawned on my mind.
00:19:13.642 --> 00:19:18.046
Now, you know, as a reminder, my parents were not church
00:19:18.046 --> 00:19:21.383
Attending christians.
00:19:21.383 --> 00:19:23.752
I just thought, "if god is real, like i have to be on his good
00:19:23.752 --> 00:19:28.557
Side, right?"
00:19:28.557 --> 00:19:29.925
Like it was like a logic thing for me, right?
00:19:29.925 --> 00:19:31.827
And so i remember every night just being like, "god, if you're
00:19:31.827 --> 00:19:34.630
Out there, if you're hearing me, can you just show up?
00:19:34.630 --> 00:19:38.734
And it'd be my secret and i won't tell anybody."
00:19:38.734 --> 00:19:41.970
I remember being in car rides, looking at the clouds and be
00:19:41.970 --> 00:19:44.573
Like, "if you just part the clouds, i will believe and i
00:19:44.573 --> 00:19:47.576
Will, like, i'll be your number one servant."
00:19:47.576 --> 00:19:51.280
That was my mentality.
00:19:51.280 --> 00:19:53.215
And i remember, we were on a family vacation.
00:19:53.215 --> 00:19:56.718
We were in a hotel and i saw a jesus movie of sorts, a gospel
00:19:56.718 --> 00:20:01.757
Film on the television and this was in the hotel while my
00:20:01.757 --> 00:20:04.826
Parents were packing.
00:20:04.826 --> 00:20:06.161
I remember asking my mom, "who is that man?"
00:20:06.161 --> 00:20:08.163
And she said, "that's jesus."
00:20:08.163 --> 00:20:10.465
And i told her, "he looks like a really nice man."
00:20:10.465 --> 00:20:14.503
But what's crazy is that day we got into a huge car accident.
00:20:14.503 --> 00:20:19.741
Our car flipped twice in the nevada desert and to the point
00:20:19.741 --> 00:20:24.313
Where everyone's like, "you should have died.
00:20:24.313 --> 00:20:25.947
You really should have died."
00:20:25.947 --> 00:20:27.282
And i really think there was just something about figuring
00:20:27.282 --> 00:20:29.851
Out god's name that made the enemy just tremble, you know.
00:20:29.851 --> 00:20:34.723
So i'm the byproduct of the beauty of the church outside its
00:20:34.723 --> 00:20:38.593
Four walls because i remember after that car accident, i went
00:20:38.593 --> 00:20:41.663
To the library and i asked the librarian, "do you have any
00:20:41.663 --> 00:20:44.099
Books on jesus?"
00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:45.467
Meghan: for real?
00:20:45.467 --> 00:20:46.802
Oh my gosh, that's amazing, faith.
00:20:46.802 --> 00:20:48.170
Faith: and she's like, you should...
00:20:48.170 --> 00:20:49.504
Hosanna: i've got one.
00:20:49.504 --> 00:20:50.872
Faith: and she was like, "you should just go to church."
00:20:50.872 --> 00:20:52.708
And so i told my mom, "you should send me to church."
00:20:52.708 --> 00:20:55.911
You know, i was just, you know, i want to know who he was and
00:20:55.911 --> 00:20:58.347
It's so funny 'cause my mom, like i said, was not a church
00:20:58.347 --> 00:21:01.350
Attendee, right?
00:21:01.350 --> 00:21:02.851
I remember she was just like, okay, and so she would literally
00:21:02.851 --> 00:21:06.788
Just take me to church grounds and i would just play on the
00:21:06.788 --> 00:21:09.925
Playground thinking, this is where god is.
00:21:09.925 --> 00:21:12.394
And this is like, you know, but i didn't know like what he was
00:21:12.394 --> 00:21:16.064
Up to, what he was thinking, but i was just always so curious,
00:21:16.064 --> 00:21:19.034
But, you know, long story short, i got saved in mexico, you know.
00:21:19.034 --> 00:21:23.438
I went to youth camp and i remember it was the first time i
00:21:23.438 --> 00:21:28.110
Heard someone preach this message that you have to choose
00:21:28.110 --> 00:21:32.180
Jesus, you know.
00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:34.783
And i went to this youth camp thinking i was gonna volunteer
00:21:34.783 --> 00:21:38.453
And i was gonna do a good thing and we were in a space where
00:21:38.453 --> 00:21:42.624
There was no ceiling.
00:21:42.624 --> 00:21:45.127
The tiles weren't set on the ground and it was actually a
00:21:45.127 --> 00:21:48.497
Youth camp, so it was a lot just kids.
00:21:48.497 --> 00:21:49.865
Meghan: was it a mission trip or a youth camp?
00:21:49.865 --> 00:21:51.233
I'm trying to get over a youth camp in mexico.
00:21:51.233 --> 00:21:53.668
Faith: you know, it was a youth camp with a mission bent, you
00:21:53.668 --> 00:21:57.406
Know, you know, you know.
00:21:57.406 --> 00:21:59.775
And so, and then i just went because, you know, my violin
00:21:59.775 --> 00:22:02.744
Teacher was a christian and she was just like, "you should go."
00:22:02.744 --> 00:22:05.147
And i'm like, okay, you know, and i go.
00:22:05.147 --> 00:22:07.783
And i remember the preacher, the missionary was like, "everybody,
00:22:07.783 --> 00:22:11.319
I have an announcement.
00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:12.654
Come sit."
00:22:12.654 --> 00:22:14.022
So i sat in the front, you know, and i'm thinking this is gonna
00:22:14.022 --> 00:22:15.891
Be an announcement.
00:22:15.891 --> 00:22:17.225
It ended up being like a three hour revival service where holy
00:22:17.225 --> 00:22:22.564
Spirit just, i mean, lit us ablaze and i'm talking like 3rd
00:22:22.564 --> 00:22:28.103
Graders, 5th graders.
00:22:28.103 --> 00:22:29.671
I was the oldest one.
00:22:29.671 --> 00:22:31.006
I was 16 years old, you know.
00:22:31.006 --> 00:22:32.374
And i mean, but it was like the first time i felt like someone
00:22:32.374 --> 00:22:36.344
Was challenging me, "do you choose jesus?"
00:22:36.344 --> 00:22:39.014
Just like how you're saying.
00:22:39.014 --> 00:22:40.682
And i remember looking up at the stars 'cause there was no roof,
00:22:40.682 --> 00:22:43.452
You know.
00:22:43.452 --> 00:22:44.820
I was looking at the stars and then thinking like, "i want you
00:22:44.820 --> 00:22:48.023
And i've been looking for you all my life.
00:22:48.023 --> 00:22:50.358
And if this is the way, i say yes.
00:22:50.358 --> 00:22:53.195
If jesus is the way to having all of you, then i want that."
00:22:53.195 --> 00:22:59.000
And i remember being baptized by the holy spirit and i was just
00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:03.705
Never the same since.
00:23:03.705 --> 00:23:05.440
But, you know, my journey wasn't predominantly within the four
00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:10.045
Walls of the church, because like i said, my family only
00:23:10.045 --> 00:23:12.447
Really started going to church until later on.
00:23:12.447 --> 00:23:15.183
And so i mean, i would join like christian clubs in high school
00:23:15.183 --> 00:23:19.554
And, you know, i would just try to find my way, just for me, it
00:23:19.554 --> 00:23:24.292
Was just hunting for his presence, you know, hunting for
00:23:24.292 --> 00:23:27.462
Where people were gathered to worship him and to get to
00:23:27.462 --> 00:23:32.501
Know him.
00:23:32.501 --> 00:23:33.835
Later i realized he was already in me and later i realized the
00:23:33.835 --> 00:23:37.205
Beauty of the church.
00:23:37.205 --> 00:23:38.740
But yeah, that was my journey.
00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:40.575
It was kind of unconventional, but what i found the through
00:23:40.575 --> 00:23:43.745
Line in all of it is where there is a gathering of people that
00:23:43.745 --> 00:23:48.383
Are practicing his presence, you know, that love jesus, that are
00:23:48.383 --> 00:23:52.521
Centered on jesus, i mean, there is the church.
00:23:52.521 --> 00:23:57.325
Bianca: in a time and culture where church and the definition
00:23:57.325 --> 00:24:00.061
Of church might feel muddled, i would encourage us that a church
00:24:00.061 --> 00:24:04.666
Is a verb.
00:24:04.666 --> 00:24:06.034
It's an action word.
00:24:06.034 --> 00:24:07.369
It's not a building.
00:24:07.369 --> 00:24:08.737
Now, if we refer to church as a building, then it becomes
00:24:08.737 --> 00:24:10.972
Inanimate, it becomes dead.
00:24:10.972 --> 00:24:12.941
But if church is you and church is me, then we become the church
00:24:12.941 --> 00:24:16.878
To the people.
00:24:16.878 --> 00:24:18.213
I think so many times people are focused and fixated on this
00:24:18.213 --> 00:24:20.882
Concept of church and everyone coming to the church.
00:24:20.882 --> 00:24:23.785
But i would love to see people activated to take this gathering
00:24:23.785 --> 00:24:27.522
Mentality and scatter.
00:24:27.522 --> 00:24:29.224
Gather together and scatter into the community where we get to
00:24:29.224 --> 00:24:32.294
Bring not just the story of jesus, but the hope of jesus,
00:24:32.294 --> 00:24:34.896
The love of jesus, the joy of jesus, yes, even the provision
00:24:34.896 --> 00:24:37.465
Of jesus, 'cause some of y'all need to start buying your
00:24:37.465 --> 00:24:39.935
Neighbors a cup of coffee, taking him to lunch, helping
00:24:39.935 --> 00:24:42.637
Someone in need.
00:24:42.637 --> 00:24:44.039
We literally get to be jesus and that is why i think church is
00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:48.543
A verb.
00:24:48.543 --> 00:24:49.878
We get to put action behind the command that jesus said go into
00:24:49.878 --> 00:24:52.047
All the world, preach the good news.
00:24:52.047 --> 00:24:54.049
Bring the joy of jesus.
00:24:54.049 --> 00:24:56.318
Blynda: and because i've had times in my life that i've been
00:24:56.318 --> 00:24:59.754
On staff at churches and we've been times where we've just been
00:24:59.754 --> 00:25:02.357
Servant leaders, what you find is it's made up of people who
00:25:02.357 --> 00:25:09.464
Dentists and doctors and teachers who all decide we are
00:25:09.464 --> 00:25:14.703
The church.
00:25:14.703 --> 00:25:16.071
And i think in some ways, people come to, okay, they're the
00:25:16.071 --> 00:25:20.075
Pastors and they're leading and so i'm just here to receive and
00:25:20.075 --> 00:25:23.278
I sit in my pew or my chair and then i go back and the idea that
00:25:23.278 --> 00:25:28.416
The church is them and that in the times that i was on staff i
00:25:28.416 --> 00:25:33.388
Was as much the church as i was when i was just a
00:25:33.388 --> 00:25:36.458
Person attending.
00:25:36.458 --> 00:25:37.792
And, you know, and i just think it's i think it's an important
00:25:37.792 --> 00:25:41.162
Message those listening of like, you are the church.
00:25:41.162 --> 00:25:46.635
You are the church.
00:25:46.635 --> 00:25:47.969
Faith: yeah, because for me i was impacted by that librarian.
00:25:47.969 --> 00:25:50.739
I was impacted by my fellow students in the high school.
00:25:50.739 --> 00:25:54.909
You know, they were all the church, just not within the four
00:25:54.909 --> 00:25:59.280
Walls at the moment, you know.
00:25:59.280 --> 00:26:01.216
Meghan: i think that's the danger of like for people like
00:26:01.216 --> 00:26:03.685
Me of growing up in the church and being so like everything we
00:26:03.685 --> 00:26:08.623
Did all of our life like our community, which is a beautiful
00:26:08.623 --> 00:26:11.760
Thing to have the community that is the church.
00:26:11.760 --> 00:26:14.929
But i think that for my husband and i, when we moved to orange
00:26:14.929 --> 00:26:18.667
County and we were gonna be starting a church, we realized
00:26:18.667 --> 00:26:22.671
Probably within the first six months, how much of a bubble
00:26:22.671 --> 00:26:26.341
We've been living in.
00:26:26.341 --> 00:26:27.709
And i think that can be the danger is when we just get so
00:26:27.709 --> 00:26:31.780
Fixated on, well, my community is within this building and with
00:26:31.780 --> 00:26:35.183
This group of people because god's called us not only to that
00:26:35.183 --> 00:26:38.820
Because i do think that's important and we need that faith
00:26:38.820 --> 00:26:41.022
Community, but he's called us also to be a light in darkness.
00:26:41.022 --> 00:26:44.492
And so for carrie and i, when we moved to orange county, he had
00:26:44.492 --> 00:26:48.363
A moment.
00:26:48.363 --> 00:26:49.731
He was walking outside.
00:26:49.731 --> 00:26:51.066
We lived in these little condos and he was walking outside to
00:26:51.066 --> 00:26:52.667
Throw the trash in the dumpster.
00:26:52.667 --> 00:26:54.235
And he said hi to our next door neighbor and he came back inside
00:26:54.235 --> 00:26:57.605
And he was like, "meghan, i have said hi to him three times.
00:26:57.605 --> 00:27:02.944
I don't think i know how to have a conversation with someone who
00:27:02.944 --> 00:27:05.814
Is not in church."
00:27:05.814 --> 00:27:07.382
And i'm not kidding.
00:27:07.382 --> 00:27:08.750
It was like, 'cause we've grown up in this environment
00:27:08.750 --> 00:27:11.086
Surrounded by other believers and the whole point of being a
00:27:11.086 --> 00:27:14.889
Believer is to actually be like the light of the world.
00:27:14.889 --> 00:27:18.460
And i remember in that moment, both of us were like, we have
00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:22.297
Got to shift something.
00:27:22.297 --> 00:27:24.499
And we just began to make it our mission, like to spend as much
00:27:24.499 --> 00:27:28.136
Time as we possibly could with people who were not already in
00:27:28.136 --> 00:27:31.940
Our faith community, but that were like our next door
00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:34.409
Neighbors or, you know, the people that you run into in a
00:27:34.409 --> 00:27:38.012
Coffee shop that you see over and over again, like striking up
00:27:38.012 --> 00:27:40.849
Conversation with them.
00:27:40.849 --> 00:27:42.183
Some of that was because we were starting a church and we, you
00:27:42.183 --> 00:27:44.319
Know, were striking up conversations with everyone.
00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:47.255
But really, honestly, it taught us so much.
00:27:47.255 --> 00:27:49.524
Coming here taught us so much about how to be the church and
00:27:49.524 --> 00:27:54.295
Just learn like love people and be a representation of christ in
00:27:54.295 --> 00:27:58.767
The areas that god has placed us in and the communities god has
00:27:58.767 --> 00:28:02.337
Placed us in.
00:28:02.337 --> 00:28:03.671
And i think that's so important for christ followers 'cause it's
00:28:03.671 --> 00:28:05.140
The church outside of the building, right?
00:28:05.140 --> 00:28:08.143
Meghan: you know, there's so many creative ways that you can
00:28:08.143 --> 00:28:11.112
Show up in your community, in your workplace, in your school
00:28:11.112 --> 00:28:15.483
And be jesus.
00:28:15.483 --> 00:28:16.885
You get to be the church outside of the walls.
00:28:16.885 --> 00:28:19.254
That's a beautiful call of god on your life.
00:28:19.254 --> 00:28:21.623
And i would just encourage you, for your neighbors, be the
00:28:21.623 --> 00:28:24.759
Neighbor that actually pauses before you go inside at the end
00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:27.996
Of the day.
00:28:27.996 --> 00:28:29.364
Say hello to someone, ask them how they're doing, show
00:28:29.364 --> 00:28:31.599
Genuine care.
00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:32.934
I think that's the most beautiful representation of
00:28:32.934 --> 00:28:35.570
Jesus in our neighborhoods.
00:28:35.570 --> 00:28:37.105
Get to know what's happening in your neighbors' lives.
00:28:37.105 --> 00:28:39.340
Offer to pray for them.
00:28:39.340 --> 00:28:40.742
In your workplace, be the light of jesus.
00:28:40.742 --> 00:28:43.711
When you go into a workplace and you carry the light of jesus
00:28:43.711 --> 00:28:47.615
Inside of you, there's something about the atmosphere
00:28:47.615 --> 00:28:49.884
That changes.
00:28:49.884 --> 00:28:51.219
When you walk with love, joy, peace, and patience, man, it is
00:28:51.219 --> 00:28:54.389
Inspiring to people around you and your schools do the
00:28:54.389 --> 00:28:57.826
Same thing.
00:28:57.826 --> 00:28:59.194
Don't be afraid to share your story.
00:28:59.194 --> 00:29:00.695
Don't be afraid to share about what jesus has done in
00:29:00.695 --> 00:29:02.997
Your life.
00:29:02.997 --> 00:29:04.332
It might just be an inspiration for someone else.
00:29:04.332 --> 00:29:06.334
And if god prompts you to pray for them, be bold.
00:29:06.334 --> 00:29:09.904
Be the kind of person who's not afraid to pray for your
00:29:09.904 --> 00:29:12.240
Neighbor, for your coworker, for your friend because i'm telling
00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:14.776
You, prayer changes things and it's a beautiful way to be the
00:29:14.776 --> 00:29:18.680
Church beyond the building.
00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:21.015
Bianca: so i wanna just--i get to sit around and have
00:29:21.015 --> 00:29:24.285
Conversations with people who love jesus, love the church,
00:29:24.285 --> 00:29:26.588
Believe in it.
00:29:26.588 --> 00:29:27.956
For somebody that is watching and kind of on the fence or have
00:29:27.956 --> 00:29:31.259
Been watching church online and they feel like, hey, that's what
00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:34.762
I can commit to or i don't--why should i go to church?
00:29:34.762 --> 00:29:38.099
For someone that is watching and having maybe a feeling towards
00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:41.803
Church or reticence towards church or just apathy towards
00:29:41.803 --> 00:29:45.106
Church, what are things that you were seeing?
00:29:45.106 --> 00:29:47.375
What are stories you are hearing?
00:29:47.375 --> 00:29:48.743
What are--how are lives being transformed because people are
00:29:48.743 --> 00:29:51.880
Going to church?
00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:53.414
Real quick caveat to kick off the conversation 'cause i think
00:29:53.414 --> 00:29:56.551
People need to be reminded that church is important.
00:29:56.551 --> 00:29:59.754
Yesterday at church got to speak to a young man at 26-years-old
00:29:59.754 --> 00:30:04.092
And he had said, "i consider myself an absolute atheist.
00:30:04.092 --> 00:30:08.229
I hated god.
00:30:08.229 --> 00:30:09.564
I was never raised in church, and my sister started coming to
00:30:09.564 --> 00:30:14.102
This church and she," at our church, we like to practice an
00:30:14.102 --> 00:30:17.705
Old testament encouragement for parents to present your children
00:30:17.705 --> 00:30:21.276
Before the lord.
00:30:21.276 --> 00:30:22.644
So we have baby dedications in our church.
00:30:22.644 --> 00:30:23.978
It's a little old school.
00:30:23.978 --> 00:30:25.313
Do you?
00:30:25.313 --> 00:30:26.681
Okay good.
00:30:26.681 --> 00:30:28.016
People are getting rid of baby dedications.
00:30:28.016 --> 00:30:29.384
I said we gotta dedicate these babies to the glory god.
00:30:29.384 --> 00:30:31.753
So he came to a baby dedication.
00:30:31.753 --> 00:30:33.187
He had no idea what it was and i was like, it's literally just us
00:30:33.187 --> 00:30:35.423
Praying for the parents for the child that the lord's hand of
00:30:35.423 --> 00:30:38.226
Favor and protection upon the kid.
00:30:38.226 --> 00:30:39.560
That was it.
00:30:39.560 --> 00:30:40.929
Well, he was skeptical.
00:30:40.929 --> 00:30:42.263
He even said, "i was skeptical of you."
00:30:42.263 --> 00:30:43.631
And he said, "this church is way too nice.
00:30:43.631 --> 00:30:46.668
Why is she saying the things that she's saying?
00:30:46.668 --> 00:30:48.569
Like all these people are smiling and welcoming me."
00:30:48.569 --> 00:30:52.106
He's like, "i was just suss of everything and everyone but
00:30:52.106 --> 00:30:54.375
Specifically you."
00:30:54.375 --> 00:30:55.743
And i'm like, okay, so i have to ask you what changed?
00:30:55.743 --> 00:30:57.946
He said, "you said, give god a year and see what god can do."
00:30:57.946 --> 00:31:02.784
Faith: that's so good.
00:31:02.784 --> 00:31:04.152
Bianca: he's like, "and i was sitting here in this church and
00:31:04.152 --> 00:31:06.721
I said, i don't believe in you, god, but i will give this
00:31:06.721 --> 00:31:10.458
A year."
00:31:10.458 --> 00:31:11.826
Nine months later, he said, "i'm still trying to figure out who
00:31:11.826 --> 00:31:15.096
God is, but i come every week.
00:31:15.096 --> 00:31:17.165
I read my bible."
00:31:17.165 --> 00:31:18.499
He's like, "i'm gonna tell you, my depression has left.
00:31:18.499 --> 00:31:21.135
My curiosity towards the things god has left."
00:31:21.135 --> 00:31:23.571
He's like, "i'm actually serving on the young adults team."
00:31:23.571 --> 00:31:26.507
He's like, this is the funny thing.
00:31:26.507 --> 00:31:28.343
This is just bless my heart, he said, "i actually gave god $20
00:31:28.343 --> 00:31:32.347
And i said, i'm gonna trust you even in my finances."
00:31:32.347 --> 00:31:35.950
To see his life do a 180, it's not the building, it's what god
00:31:35.950 --> 00:31:41.189
Is doing amidst god's people.
00:31:41.189 --> 00:31:43.925
And i just wanna remind somebody there's just something that
00:31:43.925 --> 00:31:45.793
Happens when we gather together and we worship god, and we have
00:31:45.793 --> 00:31:49.731
Communion together that life change begins to happen.
00:31:49.731 --> 00:31:52.066
So what are y'all saying?
00:31:52.066 --> 00:31:53.434
Let us testify to the power church.
00:31:53.434 --> 00:31:55.503
Faith: i wanna bring up this verse that i know we all know in
00:31:55.503 --> 00:31:59.207
Acts 2. it says in verse 46, "every day, they devoted
00:31:59.207 --> 00:32:04.612
Themselves to meeting together in the temple and broke bread
00:32:04.612 --> 00:32:07.515
From house to house.
00:32:07.515 --> 00:32:08.883
They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts praising god
00:32:08.883 --> 00:32:12.553
And enjoying the favor of all the people.
00:32:12.553 --> 00:32:15.089
Every day the lord added to their number those who were
00:32:15.089 --> 00:32:17.658
Being saved."
00:32:17.658 --> 00:32:18.993
And i think sometimes we forget that the first church, it was
00:32:18.993 --> 00:32:21.529
Like a full body experience, you know, they physically met.
00:32:21.529 --> 00:32:27.902
I mean, i don't even like going to the post office today, you
00:32:27.902 --> 00:32:30.471
Know, but the fact that you got your body and you went to a
00:32:30.471 --> 00:32:34.208
Gathering and you sat in that gathering, you ate with people,
00:32:34.208 --> 00:32:37.979
You listened to the apostles teaching, you applied the
00:32:37.979 --> 00:32:40.415
Apostles' teaching, i mean, people rub shoulders in the
00:32:40.415 --> 00:32:44.052
Church on a daily basis, you know.
00:32:44.052 --> 00:32:46.854
And i feel like sometimes we lose that beauty of just a full
00:32:46.854 --> 00:32:53.027
Body experience of a church fellowship sometimes.
00:32:53.027 --> 00:32:57.198
When we think, oh, church is just streaming it online,
00:32:57.198 --> 00:33:01.002
Pressing like, commenting our thoughts, and then moving on,
00:33:01.002 --> 00:33:05.506
You know.
00:33:05.506 --> 00:33:06.874
We kind of try to insert a piece of church into our schedules
00:33:06.874 --> 00:33:10.645
Like it's an extracurricular activity when being the church
00:33:10.645 --> 00:33:15.349
Is a full body experience and that was where the power was.
00:33:15.349 --> 00:33:20.755
Bianca: i'm not gonna lie, sometimes i love staying home
00:33:20.755 --> 00:33:23.624
And watching church online, but as a church leader, a church
00:33:23.624 --> 00:33:26.594
Planner, and a pastor, let me tell you why it's important to
00:33:26.594 --> 00:33:29.597
Be in the building.
00:33:29.597 --> 00:33:31.399
Let me give you first a theological term, incarnation.
00:33:31.399 --> 00:33:36.170
Incarne, that's latin, in carne that is in flesh.
00:33:36.170 --> 00:33:41.142
When we come together, you, me, us, we come together in the
00:33:41.142 --> 00:33:44.645
Church, something happens.
00:33:44.645 --> 00:33:46.948
Theologically people will reference a scripture where two
00:33:46.948 --> 00:33:49.250
Or more they're gathered then god is there in their midst and
00:33:49.250 --> 00:33:51.652
That is true.
00:33:51.652 --> 00:33:52.987
And what happens is that your faith and my faith is a breeding
00:33:52.987 --> 00:33:58.493
Ground for miracles.
00:33:58.493 --> 00:33:59.894
We get to come together with a shared vision, a shared focus,
00:33:59.894 --> 00:34:03.131
And a shared purpose.
00:34:03.131 --> 00:34:04.499
What is that?
00:34:04.499 --> 00:34:05.833
To praise god, to thank god, to learn about god, and to
00:34:05.833 --> 00:34:08.503
Encourage each other.
00:34:08.503 --> 00:34:10.605
Something happens incarnationally.
00:34:10.605 --> 00:34:13.174
Something happens when we are in flesh with one another.
00:34:13.174 --> 00:34:16.844
Now, i do not forsake online church.
00:34:16.844 --> 00:34:18.513
I know that there's certain seasons and spaces.
00:34:18.513 --> 00:34:20.681
When i'm traveling on vacation, i love to join church online.
00:34:20.681 --> 00:34:23.551
I think there's a space for it, but it can't be the only place
00:34:23.551 --> 00:34:27.121
That we're coming together with brothers and sisters in christ.
00:34:27.121 --> 00:34:30.791
Something beautiful happens.
00:34:30.791 --> 00:34:32.126
Faith is fostered, joy is found, and more importantly, we get to
00:34:32.126 --> 00:34:36.964
Host and house the very presence of god.
00:34:36.964 --> 00:34:40.034
I'm gonna share with you this sunday, this sunday morning, i
00:34:40.034 --> 00:34:44.505
Was feeling heavy.
00:34:44.505 --> 00:34:45.840
I was feeling like i was in a funk and i texted a few friends
00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:50.511
And i said, "honestly, i don't feel like going to
00:34:50.511 --> 00:34:52.880
Church today."
00:34:52.880 --> 00:34:54.215
And i was the one that was preaching at church.
00:34:54.215 --> 00:34:56.584
I get that feeling.
00:34:56.584 --> 00:34:58.486
I prayed.
00:34:58.486 --> 00:34:59.820
I reached out to some friends.
00:34:59.820 --> 00:35:01.189
I was honest with where i was at.
00:35:01.189 --> 00:35:02.523
I was not trying to slap about verse on it and pretend that
00:35:02.523 --> 00:35:04.292
Everything's okay.
00:35:04.292 --> 00:35:05.626
I drove to church, i put on worship music, i walked through
00:35:05.626 --> 00:35:07.228
The doors, and something happened.
00:35:07.228 --> 00:35:09.697
Being with a community of people that had faith, they had faith
00:35:09.697 --> 00:35:12.833
And my faith was low.
00:35:12.833 --> 00:35:14.202
They had joy when my joy was low.
00:35:14.202 --> 00:35:16.604
And by the end of the first two songs of worship service, i felt
00:35:16.604 --> 00:35:21.375
Like my faith was being built up, my joy was being built up.
00:35:21.375 --> 00:35:24.445
We have four services at church.
00:35:24.445 --> 00:35:25.813
At the end of the fourth service, i left church with more
00:35:25.813 --> 00:35:29.350
Energy, more hope, more joy because something happens when
00:35:29.350 --> 00:35:32.420
We gather together to worship the lord.
00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:34.522
I encourage you, if you are not yet in a church, find a church
00:35:34.522 --> 00:35:37.525
That feels like home and make a family.
00:35:37.525 --> 00:35:40.928
Laurie: be the first to know all the latest "better
00:35:40.928 --> 00:35:43.197
Together" updates.
00:35:43.197 --> 00:35:44.799
Visit bettertogether.tv to sign up for our weekly emails and
00:35:44.799 --> 00:35:48.903
Never miss the latest news.
00:35:48.903 --> 00:35:52.000
Never miss the latest news.
00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:58.780
Faith: hey everyone, we are behind the scenes and we are
00:35:59.915 --> 00:36:02.751
Answering your personal questions.
00:36:02.751 --> 00:36:05.187
So here we go.
00:36:05.187 --> 00:36:06.688
Nandi sent us this question on instagram.
00:36:06.688 --> 00:36:09.992
"how can i serve beyond my local church without it being seen as
00:36:09.992 --> 00:36:15.330
Competition or being a rebellion?"
00:36:15.330 --> 00:36:18.367
And, you know, that's a real question, nandi.
00:36:18.367 --> 00:36:21.370
We had a couple who really felt called to plant another church.
00:36:21.370 --> 00:36:26.775
And so joining another church planting team that was not ours
00:36:26.775 --> 00:36:31.680
And we're three years in.
00:36:31.680 --> 00:36:33.482
And i remember they wanted to join them in the fall and they
00:36:33.482 --> 00:36:38.954
Were wondering if it was okay to participate in our praise team
00:36:38.954 --> 00:36:44.359
And our discipleship groups.
00:36:44.359 --> 00:36:46.928
And i remember my husband was having the conversation with the
00:36:46.928 --> 00:36:50.599
Couple, and i approached them.
00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:52.267
And then my husband turned to me and said, "faith, so and so they
00:36:52.267 --> 00:36:56.738
Wanna help plant another church and they wanna know if it's okay
00:36:56.738 --> 00:37:00.575
To participate in ours until they join the other
00:37:00.575 --> 00:37:04.646
Church plant."
00:37:04.646 --> 00:37:05.981
And i lifted my hands and i gave them a high five.
00:37:05.981 --> 00:37:07.649
I'm like that is amazing.
00:37:07.649 --> 00:37:09.184
You're going to plant another church?
00:37:09.184 --> 00:37:11.553
Good on you.
00:37:11.553 --> 00:37:12.921
And i remember him looking really confused.
00:37:12.921 --> 00:37:15.157
And he asked, "is that okay?"
00:37:15.157 --> 00:37:17.359
And i go, "absolutely, because we're all playing for the same
00:37:17.359 --> 00:37:20.262
Team, truly."
00:37:20.262 --> 00:37:21.763
And, you know, i think sometimes it's really easy to get caught
00:37:21.763 --> 00:37:25.334
Up in competition and whose turf is it or whose church is allowed
00:37:25.334 --> 00:37:30.972
To do what, but at the end of the day, it's not competition
00:37:30.972 --> 00:37:34.776
That's gonna expand the kingdom of god, right?
00:37:34.776 --> 00:37:37.245
It's the unity amongst the believers.
00:37:37.245 --> 00:37:39.848
And so, yeah, that was a moment for us when we just high fived
00:37:39.848 --> 00:37:42.851
And i said, "that's awesome and i'm so glad that we get to have
00:37:42.851 --> 00:37:46.321
You for the next eight to nine months.
00:37:46.321 --> 00:37:48.290
And i hope you learn as much as you can before you go off and
00:37:48.290 --> 00:37:52.094
Help spread the good news in other ways."
00:37:52.094 --> 00:37:57.532
Meghan: there's nothing like being in a room and worshiping
00:37:58.700 --> 00:38:02.270
God together.
00:38:02.270 --> 00:38:03.605
We're all lifting our voices together and exalting the name
00:38:03.605 --> 00:38:06.274
Of jesus.
00:38:06.274 --> 00:38:07.642
It's like the closest picture of what i can imagine heaven would
00:38:07.642 --> 00:38:10.479
Be like.
00:38:10.479 --> 00:38:11.813
And you don't get that through a screen.
00:38:11.813 --> 00:38:13.982
You get that like in community with other believers and that's
00:38:13.982 --> 00:38:17.586
Where you experience life change.
00:38:17.586 --> 00:38:19.788
And that's where people challenge you in your faith and
00:38:19.788 --> 00:38:22.190
That's where people encourage you when you feel like life is
00:38:22.190 --> 00:38:24.760
Falling apart.
00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:26.094
And there's just there's beauty in being in a community of
00:38:26.094 --> 00:38:29.364
Believers that are all on mission to be the light of
00:38:29.364 --> 00:38:33.468
The world.
00:38:33.468 --> 00:38:34.803
So there's just something about that.
00:38:34.803 --> 00:38:36.171
There's so many stories that i can think of.
00:38:36.171 --> 00:38:37.506
When you asked us to think of stories, i'm like, oh my gosh, i
00:38:37.506 --> 00:38:39.574
Have so many stories.
00:38:39.574 --> 00:38:40.942
But one really fun story is we have a young lady and i got her
00:38:40.942 --> 00:38:44.780
Permission to share this today.
00:38:44.780 --> 00:38:46.314
We have a young lady, had no faith background whatsoever.
00:38:46.314 --> 00:38:49.751
And kind of some of your story, but a little bit of curiosity.
00:38:49.751 --> 00:38:53.054
But when she turned 18, she was like on her own.
00:38:53.054 --> 00:38:56.591
And so she started dancing, exotic dancing and was making
00:38:56.591 --> 00:39:00.962
Some brilliant money and living the life that she thought that
00:39:00.962 --> 00:39:04.399
She always wanted, but she felt like there was
00:39:04.399 --> 00:39:06.234
Something missing.
00:39:06.234 --> 00:39:07.569
There was this piece of her that was like missing.
00:39:07.569 --> 00:39:09.704
And some dancer friends handed her a book by rick warren called
00:39:09.704 --> 00:39:14.509
The purpose driven life.
00:39:14.509 --> 00:39:16.378
And she read that book from front to back and gave her life
00:39:16.378 --> 00:39:21.216
To the lord.
00:39:21.216 --> 00:39:22.584
And she was asking god, like, "god, what's next?"
00:39:22.584 --> 00:39:24.786
And she felt like god told her you have to find a church.
00:39:24.786 --> 00:39:27.756
So she went online and she happened to stumble across
00:39:27.756 --> 00:39:30.425
Our church.
00:39:30.425 --> 00:39:31.793
And mind you, she's still dancing.
00:39:31.793 --> 00:39:33.829
And so she immediately finds a connect group and joins a
00:39:33.829 --> 00:39:38.400
Connect group.
00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:39.768
Before she ever came on a sunday morning, she joins a group.
00:39:39.768 --> 00:39:42.070
And she shows up at this group and she's talking to one of the
00:39:42.070 --> 00:39:44.573
Leaders and she goes, "i just don't know if i'm gonna belong
00:39:44.573 --> 00:39:46.775
Here because this is what i do for a living."
00:39:46.775 --> 00:39:49.678
And our connect group leaders just wrap their arms around her
00:39:49.678 --> 00:39:52.247
And they were like, "you have a place to belong."
00:39:52.247 --> 00:39:54.416
Like, "you are welcome here."
00:39:54.416 --> 00:39:56.451
And so she plugged in and engaged in this group and just
00:39:56.451 --> 00:39:59.988
Started participating in the bible studies that they were
00:39:59.988 --> 00:40:02.591
Going through and the prayer times and then she started
00:40:02.591 --> 00:40:04.926
Showing up on sunday mornings and just hungry for what god
00:40:04.926 --> 00:40:07.629
Was doing.
00:40:07.629 --> 00:40:08.964
And she made this decision to get baptized.
00:40:08.964 --> 00:40:10.699
And her connect group leader sat down with her and said, "i want
00:40:10.699 --> 00:40:12.701
You to understand that when you get baptized, when you go public
00:40:12.701 --> 00:40:15.871
With your faith, and you go under that water and you come
00:40:15.871 --> 00:40:18.807
Back up again, the old part of you is gone and there's a new
00:40:18.807 --> 00:40:22.544
Thing that god is gonna do."
00:40:22.544 --> 00:40:23.879
And she didn't push her.
00:40:23.879 --> 00:40:25.247
She didn't say, "you gotta stop dancing, you gotta stop doing
00:40:25.247 --> 00:40:27.749
These things.
00:40:27.749 --> 00:40:29.117
This isn't in line with what god says for you."
00:40:29.117 --> 00:40:30.452
And so this young lady showed up.
00:40:30.452 --> 00:40:32.287
Her connect group leaders baptized her and she came up out
00:40:32.287 --> 00:40:34.756
Of the water and she was a whole new person and she immediately
00:40:34.756 --> 00:40:38.627
Contacted our pastoral team and she was like, "i feel like god
00:40:38.627 --> 00:40:41.463
Told me that i have to stop dancing and i'm scared."
00:40:41.463 --> 00:40:45.400
And she said, "i just feel, when i came up out of the water, i
00:40:45.400 --> 00:40:48.570
Feel like god told me this."
00:40:48.570 --> 00:40:49.905
And anyhow, all this to say, she stepped out of that lifestyle.
00:40:49.905 --> 00:40:53.808
She gave up all of the money that was coming her way.
00:40:53.808 --> 00:40:56.511
God has continued to provide for all of her needs and there's a
00:40:56.511 --> 00:41:00.081
Call in her life to preach the gospel and that kind of stuff
00:41:00.081 --> 00:41:03.718
You can't make that up.
00:41:03.718 --> 00:41:05.153
Like that's the kind of stuff that happens in the church that
00:41:05.153 --> 00:41:07.289
Doesn't happen anywhere else and it's just beautiful.
00:41:07.289 --> 00:41:10.358
Hosanna: no, that's so true.
00:41:10.358 --> 00:41:11.693
If you're low on joy, if you're low on peace, if you're low on
00:41:11.693 --> 00:41:15.997
Knowing your purpose, low on hope, low on faith, to be in a
00:41:15.997 --> 00:41:20.201
Room with other people who are stirred in faith, to be around
00:41:20.201 --> 00:41:25.073
People who have joy that doesn't make sense and peace that
00:41:25.073 --> 00:41:27.709
Doesn't make sense, if you want your life to be reignited, you
00:41:27.709 --> 00:41:33.748
Wanna go somewhere where there's already a fire.
00:41:33.748 --> 00:41:36.017
Meghan: that's so good.
00:41:36.017 --> 00:41:37.385
Hosanna: the community of the church being close to and
00:41:37.385 --> 00:41:40.255
Involved in and engaged in the community of the church is how
00:41:40.255 --> 00:41:43.224
You can rekindle your soul back to life even though i am a part
00:41:43.224 --> 00:41:48.697
Of a beautiful church and i love jesus and i love the global
00:41:48.697 --> 00:41:52.901
Church, i have moments when i am low on faith and low on joy and
00:41:52.901 --> 00:41:57.439
Low on peace, and i have to be around people of faith.
00:41:57.439 --> 00:42:02.243
So this is not something like, oh, you enter the building and
00:42:02.243 --> 00:42:04.312
Then you get put on fire and then like just jet set.
00:42:04.312 --> 00:42:06.781
It's like all the time i'm low on hope, all the time there's
00:42:06.781 --> 00:42:09.884
Discouragement, there's sick people in our family, there's
00:42:09.884 --> 00:42:12.253
People hurting in our community, there's loss, there's literal
00:42:12.253 --> 00:42:14.889
Fires and floods, i need to be around people that know the hope
00:42:14.889 --> 00:42:20.495
Of the world.
00:42:20.495 --> 00:42:21.830
I need something more certain than my feelings today.
00:42:21.830 --> 00:42:25.200
Hosanna: whenever i am unsure about what god is calling me to
00:42:25.200 --> 00:42:29.537
Do or unsure of who i am or i'm lacking peace or joy, i like to
00:42:29.537 --> 00:42:34.709
Surround myself with people with greater faith than me who do
00:42:34.709 --> 00:42:39.681
Crazier things than i do.
00:42:39.681 --> 00:42:41.750
Like sometimes i think the things god is calling me to do
00:42:41.750 --> 00:42:43.918
Are too crazy and too wild and when i'm around people of faith
00:42:43.918 --> 00:42:47.889
Who are fun and also ask the same questions and also want
00:42:47.889 --> 00:42:51.593
God's answers and they've also taken a risk for god in even
00:42:51.593 --> 00:42:54.729
Crazier ways, it stirs my faith.
00:42:54.729 --> 00:42:57.098
And being around a community of women who believe god for
00:42:57.098 --> 00:43:00.969
Greater things has made me become more of who i really am
00:43:00.969 --> 00:43:04.606
And do more of the things god has called me to do.
00:43:04.606 --> 00:43:07.509
Blynda: i know that many churches experienced over covid,
00:43:07.509 --> 00:43:10.812
It just became really easy to after everybody could assemble
00:43:10.812 --> 00:43:15.016
Again, they've gotten used to just watching online or being
00:43:15.016 --> 00:43:19.054
Home and so the kind of admonishment there i would say
00:43:19.054 --> 00:43:22.323
For believers that are watching is if there's any reason to go
00:43:22.323 --> 00:43:26.861
More than everything you're saying it's just scripturally
00:43:26.861 --> 00:43:29.998
Says do not neglect the gathering with the assembly
00:43:29.998 --> 00:43:33.902
Of believers.
00:43:33.902 --> 00:43:35.236
Don't neglect it.
00:43:35.236 --> 00:43:36.571
So as believers, if you're listening, the idea that it
00:43:36.571 --> 00:43:38.440
Became a little easier over covid to stay home and you're
00:43:38.440 --> 00:43:42.377
Still getting the word in you, you're still--well that's--we
00:43:42.377 --> 00:43:45.180
Have to be the hands and feet of jesus and you cannot do that
00:43:45.180 --> 00:43:48.116
From your living room.
00:43:48.116 --> 00:43:49.451
So the encouragement there to the believers watching is the
00:43:49.451 --> 00:43:52.887
Word says don't neglect going, so don't neglect going.
00:43:52.887 --> 00:43:55.757
But to those who maybe aren't that deep in their faith,
00:43:55.757 --> 00:43:58.393
Whenever--i just love what you're saying because it's like
00:43:58.393 --> 00:44:00.962
When you are sitting in your room alone feeling lonely and
00:44:00.962 --> 00:44:05.433
Feeling like there's nobody who understands what you're going
00:44:05.433 --> 00:44:08.369
Through, yet the last thing you'll do is think about going
00:44:08.369 --> 00:44:11.439
To church instead of the first thing, i wanna encourage you,
00:44:11.439 --> 00:44:14.142
Put yourself just get yourself there.
00:44:14.142 --> 00:44:17.245
Just go and let a connect, let somebody in the vip first time
00:44:17.245 --> 00:44:21.616
Guest area greet you.
00:44:21.616 --> 00:44:23.384
I mean, whatever it is.
00:44:23.384 --> 00:44:24.953
The churches are set up and designed to be able to see
00:44:24.953 --> 00:44:29.190
Those people.
00:44:29.190 --> 00:44:30.525
So just trust that when you go, you will find a place to, but i
00:44:30.525 --> 00:44:35.296
Mean, it's a choice though.
00:44:35.296 --> 00:44:36.664
I mean you have to go, you have to seek it out.
00:44:36.664 --> 00:44:39.167
You have to say, "i'm first time visitor here."
00:44:39.167 --> 00:44:40.902
I'm whatever, but i just so have a passion for people to get
00:44:40.902 --> 00:44:45.473
Back into.
00:44:45.473 --> 00:44:48.443
Meghan: agreed, the community of faith.
00:44:48.443 --> 00:44:49.811
Blynda: yes, the community of faith and the consistency
00:44:49.811 --> 00:44:51.713
Of going.
00:44:51.713 --> 00:44:53.081
Faith: i love how you're challenging us right now to
00:44:53.081 --> 00:44:55.717
Really go for it 'cause i think sometimes we're just waiting for
00:44:55.717 --> 00:44:59.954
This perfect community to come knocking on our door and just
00:44:59.954 --> 00:45:04.492
Love on us, see us and hear us.
00:45:04.492 --> 00:45:06.728
But i think what you're saying is we also need to hand deliver
00:45:06.728 --> 00:45:09.864
Access to people in the church and kind of plant our own cells
00:45:09.864 --> 00:45:15.503
In the church and be proactive about that.
00:45:15.503 --> 00:45:18.106
I remember, you know, kind of like i said before, i mean,
00:45:18.106 --> 00:45:20.542
Being that my family were not church attendees until quite
00:45:20.542 --> 00:45:24.112
Later, i mean, it took a couple tries.
00:45:24.112 --> 00:45:26.781
You know, at first it was just attending and i just thought,
00:45:26.781 --> 00:45:29.551
"oh, this is great."
00:45:29.551 --> 00:45:30.919
And it was a huge church and no one knew our names and, you
00:45:30.919 --> 00:45:33.688
Know, and i was like, "this is good.
00:45:33.688 --> 00:45:35.123
This is good."
00:45:35.123 --> 00:45:36.457
And then, you know, and then i go to another church that seemed
00:45:36.457 --> 00:45:39.060
Like, oh, maybe, you know, like maybe the sermons are better or
00:45:39.060 --> 00:45:42.864
Whatever, but actually it wasn't until i made the choice to be
00:45:42.864 --> 00:45:47.969
Like, i'm gonna join a small group.
00:45:47.969 --> 00:45:50.305
I'm gonna get to know my pastor.
00:45:50.305 --> 00:45:53.107
I'm going to get involved.
00:45:53.107 --> 00:45:55.076
That was actually when i started to spiritually grow and really
00:45:55.076 --> 00:45:59.981
Understand how to be formed like christ, how to forgive, how to
00:45:59.981 --> 00:46:05.153
Reconcile, how to, i mean, all these paramount things that we
00:46:05.153 --> 00:46:09.791
Need to learn as believers, i learned within the church body.
00:46:09.791 --> 00:46:13.294
Blynda: i mean, we weren't meant to do it alone.
00:46:13.294 --> 00:46:15.330
Jesus is the best example of that.
00:46:15.330 --> 00:46:16.931
He surrounded himself with 12.
00:46:16.931 --> 00:46:18.466
I mean, we were never meant to do it alone and so when we sit
00:46:18.466 --> 00:46:21.803
And suffer in isolation and we wonder why there's not freedom
00:46:21.803 --> 00:46:27.141
And why there's not breakthrough and i just--because i just
00:46:27.141 --> 00:46:29.811
Wanted, i want it to be an encouragement to say there are
00:46:29.811 --> 00:46:32.647
People out there who would love to walk beside you in life, but
00:46:32.647 --> 00:46:35.917
They don't know that you're needing them because you're
00:46:35.917 --> 00:46:39.320
At home.
00:46:39.320 --> 00:46:41.189
Faith: i know i mentioned before how my family used to be
00:46:41.189 --> 00:46:43.625
Nonbelievers and how we did not really grow up in the church and
00:46:43.625 --> 00:46:46.928
A huge shift happened when i became a believer and i started
00:46:46.928 --> 00:46:50.598
To carry the joy of jesus within the home.
00:46:50.598 --> 00:46:53.368
And i think me constantly wanting to visit other places of
00:46:53.368 --> 00:46:56.738
Worship and be a part of a church community really had an
00:46:56.738 --> 00:47:00.675
Impact within my home to the point where even my family
00:47:00.675 --> 00:47:04.712
Started to become regular churchgoers themselves, which is
00:47:04.712 --> 00:47:08.349
Why we can't really discount the joy and the value and the impact
00:47:08.349 --> 00:47:12.987
Of attending a body of christ.
00:47:12.987 --> 00:47:16.257
Hosanna: i think both of you said two really important things
00:47:16.257 --> 00:47:18.393
That i want to highlight for anyone that's listening today.
00:47:18.393 --> 00:47:21.162
When you talked about making the choice to be proactive, you
00:47:21.162 --> 00:47:24.933
Know, the word of god says, "we will seek him and find him when
00:47:24.933 --> 00:47:28.903
We seek him with all our hearts."
00:47:28.903 --> 00:47:30.238
And you shared about that with when you even discovered god at
00:47:30.238 --> 00:47:33.908
An early age without anyone explaining it to you, you had a
00:47:33.908 --> 00:47:36.144
Hunger and you hunted, i think was the word you said.
00:47:36.144 --> 00:47:38.613
You said, "i went on a hunt."
00:47:38.613 --> 00:47:40.448
So i think it's good for anyone watching that's like, "where do
00:47:40.448 --> 00:47:42.283
I begin?
00:47:42.283 --> 00:47:43.618
Where do i start?" start a hunt.
00:47:43.618 --> 00:47:44.953
I promise you if you want a scavenger hunt to find god, you
00:47:44.953 --> 00:47:47.689
Will find him.
00:47:47.689 --> 00:47:49.057
Make the choice, go on a hunt, let people know you're new, and
00:47:49.057 --> 00:47:52.193
Let yourself start to see what it's like.
00:47:52.193 --> 00:47:54.529
Try god for a year.
00:47:54.529 --> 00:47:56.230
See what this might be like.
00:47:56.230 --> 00:47:57.565
And the other thing i love that you guys mentioned was we were
00:47:57.565 --> 00:47:59.834
Built for community and even though it might be easy to
00:47:59.834 --> 00:48:02.837
Neglect a community of believers, it might be easy to
00:48:02.837 --> 00:48:04.939
Only watch online even when we can physically go it might be
00:48:04.939 --> 00:48:07.775
Easier to.
00:48:07.775 --> 00:48:09.143
This is what we know, there is something that god has for us
00:48:09.143 --> 00:48:13.414
That we will miss out on if we do not engage with a community
00:48:13.414 --> 00:48:17.952
Of believers.
00:48:17.952 --> 00:48:19.554
So even though it can be messy, even though it takes
00:48:19.554 --> 00:48:23.458
Intentionality, it takes a choice, it takes going, it takes
00:48:23.458 --> 00:48:25.860
Putting yourself out there, even though it might take some
00:48:25.860 --> 00:48:28.229
Healing, even though it takes engaging, do you want to live
00:48:28.229 --> 00:48:32.867
The life god has created you to live?
00:48:32.867 --> 00:48:35.336
There is something we will miss out on when we are not engaged
00:48:35.336 --> 00:48:39.273
With a community of believers.
00:48:39.273 --> 00:48:41.109
So how can we obey god this week and how can we live the lives
00:48:41.109 --> 00:48:45.313
We've been created to live this week?
00:48:45.313 --> 00:48:47.115
What does it look like to say yes to this call in our lives
00:48:47.115 --> 00:48:49.417
This week?
00:48:49.417 --> 00:48:50.785
That is what i want all of our listeners to take away today.
00:48:50.785 --> 00:48:53.154
Wherever you are and whenever you're watching, let's pray
00:48:53.154 --> 00:48:55.823
For you.
00:48:55.823 --> 00:48:57.191
We wanna pray for you, whatever your background in the church
00:48:57.191 --> 00:48:58.826
Is, wherever you are in your hunt, we wanna pray for everyone
00:48:58.826 --> 00:49:02.030
Watching today.
00:49:02.030 --> 00:49:03.364
So god, we thank you for everyone joining us today.
00:49:03.364 --> 00:49:06.200
Lord, we know we all have different backgrounds.
00:49:06.200 --> 00:49:08.036
We come from different lenses of the church.
00:49:08.036 --> 00:49:10.872
Some of us have spent our lives loving the church, some of us
00:49:10.872 --> 00:49:14.776
Have spent our lives hating the church, and some of us that
00:49:14.776 --> 00:49:18.379
We've been spending our lives trying to heal from hurts that
00:49:18.379 --> 00:49:21.182
We've had in the church.
00:49:21.182 --> 00:49:22.550
So god, i just pray that as we open up your word this week that
00:49:22.550 --> 00:49:26.054
You would come and be close, that you would comfort hurting
00:49:26.054 --> 00:49:29.023
Hearts, that your word would come to life, that we would see
00:49:29.023 --> 00:49:32.126
The truths that you have for us, god, and that we would go this
00:49:32.126 --> 00:49:35.396
Week on a hunt for you and your presence and your community.
00:49:35.396 --> 00:49:39.434
In the name of jesus we pray, amen.
00:49:39.434 --> 00:49:43.771
Laurie: connect with us on social media and let us know how
00:49:43.771 --> 00:49:46.207
Our team can pray for you.
00:49:46.207 --> 00:49:48.476
[music]
00:49:48.709 --> 00:49:55.683
Bianca: one more question that popped in from youtube.
00:49:55.683 --> 00:49:57.585
"how do you find a spiritual home, aka a church, and how do
00:49:57.585 --> 00:50:00.888
You know if it's the right one for you?"
00:50:00.888 --> 00:50:02.790
I always like to say that you had to figure out if the vibe is
00:50:02.790 --> 00:50:05.927
Your tribe, and once you know the vibe is your tribe, make it
00:50:05.927 --> 00:50:09.063
Your tribe.
00:50:09.063 --> 00:50:10.398
As in you walk into a space.
00:50:10.398 --> 00:50:11.766
I always encourage people, does it feel like home?
00:50:11.766 --> 00:50:13.901
Your soul should feel at rest when you walk into a community.
00:50:13.901 --> 00:50:16.737
Does it feel like my soul can rest here?
00:50:16.737 --> 00:50:19.140
Then i always challenge people go three times.
00:50:19.140 --> 00:50:21.676
Maybe you go to a community and there's aspects that you like,
00:50:21.676 --> 00:50:24.112
But there's certain things that you're kind of like quit
00:50:24.112 --> 00:50:26.314
Questioning, go three times and if it doesn't feel like home,
00:50:26.314 --> 00:50:30.017
Your soul is not at rest, and it's not your vibe or your
00:50:30.017 --> 00:50:32.286
Tribe, then find a different location.
00:50:32.286 --> 00:50:34.288
But don't stop until you find a place that feels like home.
00:50:34.288 --> 00:50:37.725
And i'm gonna encourage people, maybe there's a church that's is
00:50:37.725 --> 00:50:39.393
A little bit of a drive.
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My daddy always said, "a church alive is worth the drive."
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So make it home.
00:50:43.231 --> 00:50:45.633
Laurie: stream full episodes of "better together" on demand.
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Go to bettertogether.tv to stream all of our
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Latest conversations.
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[music]
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Church Beyond the Building - Episode 1086

August 25, 2025 | S7 E1086 | 52:34

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