It is easy to forget sometimes that worshipping God can take many forms. There are similarities between each, but also distinctions. Sometimes I have fallen into the trap of thinking that the way I worship is the way to worship. This past weekend I got a humbling reminder that God’s church is bigger than my perception.
God blessed me with the opportunity to help celebrate seven lives changed, as seven men and women devoted their lives to Jesus through baptism. Seven times I got to stand and applaud for the person publicly declaring him as their leader. Seven stories were shared as they gave their testimony of thanks to God. One of these baptisms took place at my usual church, while the other six took place with a friend’s congregation. My friend was among those taking this step of obedience toward Jesus, and he invited me to come celebrate with him.
Having spent so long attending my usual large, multi-site church, I was struck by how much smaller his congregation was. Where my church focuses first on reaching as many people as possible, his focuses first on nurturing and growing their family into a deeper and more mature relationship with God. Both goals are important parts of our walk with God; right off the bat I was reminded of that.
What really surprised me though was when I arrived and found out this was a primarily Korean church. In fact, english-speaking attendees had to listen to a translator during the sermon. Experiencing this close-knit, non-English service really drew me into the beauty of God’s family. My church is primarily white attenders, using our modern American life experiences as references for learning about God. Without meaning to, we can fall into the trap of just assuming that’s what God’s family looks like. But it’s so much larger and more beautiful than that! God’s family stretches all over the world, welcoming people of every language and color to him. As it says in 1 Corinthians 12:12-30, the body of Christ is made of many different members.
This experience also allowed me to step into a minority role, and feel the almost disconnect of feeling out of place. As I reflect on that, I realize how many people must feel like that their first time in church. Maybe it’s because their race or language is a minority in the congregation, or maybe they just haven’t accepted Jesus yet. I can’t pretend to fully understand each person’s situation, but through this experience God is growing my ability for empathy and compassion.
This past weekend was a humbling reminder for me of just how big the body of Christ is, and how diverse. On one hand, this can make me feel small at times. There are so many people worshipping God, in so many ways, what significance do I have? On the other hand, I count myself blessed to share this experience with others, to witness the change in my own life and the lives around me that Jesus has touched. The church isn’t about my significance to the world, but rather God’s significance to the world, and thankfully our significance to him.
My prayer tonight is that God’s family would keep growing in size and diversity, and that the existing body would be ready to humbly welcome newcomers. I pray that this unity would bleed over into our societies, breaking down the foolish barriers we construct between ourselves.
Galatians 3:28 (ESV) – There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV) – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”