Remember the mirror? How God's Word is a mirror for each of us individually? Remember how much courage it takes to stand there, allowing God to show you what needs to be changed? Well, did you ever think that maybe churches need mirrors as well? We have come to a short passage where we get to hold a mirror up to us as members of a church body.

It's amazing how many different experiences people have when they start connecting to a church. I believe people tend to show up when they are genuinely seeking some sort of spiritual fulfillment. Maybe they're coming back after a long absence. Maybe they're at a stage of life when it's important to them to raise the children in a church. Some folks are just connection-less and are seeking what's missing in their lives.

And so they come - for various reasons…and what they find in the gathering of the people of God is sometimes good - and sometimes shockingly bad! Especially if their interest is, as I said, genuine; they are REALLY looking for a place where they can ask questions, find some answers, and find a group of grace-filled people who are willing to share the journey with them.

And what they find, again, amazes me — both the good and the bad. I'm SO encouraged whenever someone tells me that as they attend PBCC, they're finding it almost like "home." I like that. It was the word I thought of when my dad asked what word would I put up on the outside of our church. And I'm amazed at the openness and welcoming atmosphere that has been created here.

But then I hear of horror stories of churches. People who claim to be religious, and yet don't act ANY different from the people outside the church (and sometimes WORSE!). Folks truly searching for something significant and different sometimes just find the same ol' same ol' - judgmentalism, hypocrisy, isolation, people pretending to have it all together. Not much different from what's out there in the world today, really.

So what are people looking for when they connect with a church community? Are they looking for a place of perfection? Probably not. Are they looking for a place to fake it? I highly doubt it.

I think what MOST people are looking for in a church connection are people who are sincerely making an effort to grow in their faith; people who want to be authentic about their spiritual journeys - weaknesses and quirks and mistakes and all - BUT who are actually finding true, real life-change in a community that is there to help them thrive.