Embracing the Beauty and Significance of the Church
From front-row pastor's kid to understanding back-row skepticism: a passionate call to rediscover the church as Christ's beloved bride—imperfect yet irreplaceable in a believer's journey.
Growing up as a pastor’s kid, my life was intricately woven into the fabric of church life. My childhood was marked by unique experiences and conversations that shaped my understanding of the local church, its significance, and my connection to it.
From a very young age, my siblings and I were given "free reign" of the church building. The church was right across the street from our house, separated only by a small bridge, and it became our playground, a place of creativity and exploration, where our imaginations could roam as freely as the many rooms we scampered through. My sisters and I were often the first to arrive and the last to leave, our days filled with the scent of fresh coffee brewing in the fellowship hall and the distant echoes of hymns in the sanctuary.
My parents weren’t just involved in church passively—they actively ministered in various capacities, and their commitment and passion for the church made an indelible mark on my own heart. The church wasn’t just a building or a place we went to on Sundays; it was a living, breathing community, a family. And growing up in this context, taking in the sights and sounds of worship, most often from the front row, I began to understand the deep significance of the church.
The Back Row View of the Church
I am acutely aware that while some might relate to my early “front row” experience in the church, my story is not necessarily typical. In fact, many relate more with feelings of skepticism or rote duty and thus are more comfortable keeping the church at bay from the proverbial “back row.”
The landscape of church involvement has changed dramatically over the years, and many people today find themselves disconnected from the local church. The once-typical routine of attending church as a family is becoming less common, and many have grown disillusioned with the very institution that once felt like home. Sadly, the leadership of the church has, in some cases, contributed to this disillusionment.
One recent Sunday, I had the rare opportunity to sit in the back row of our own church, an experience I hadn’t had in years. From this perspective, I was struck by the profound realization that the church can seem really strange. If I were a newcomer, unfamiliar with the practices and beliefs that set the church apart from the norms of society, I too would wonder what was the point of these peculiar gatherings? Why do people come together week after week to worship, sing, and listen to sermons that, at times, seem out of place in a world increasingly driven by practicality and convenience?
And as a music director and pastor’s wife, I’ve listened to countless stories about people’s experience with the church that run the emotional gamut. Some of these stories are the reasons why a few congregants inch closer to the back row week after week, constantly on the brink of making their final exit.
Whether we’re former church mice now disillusioned or whether we’re ‘back rowers’ not sure if we want to invest, how do we reorient our perspective on the church and embrace her in the way Christ has? Maybe the more practical question is: why should we continue to love and invest in our local churches?
Christ’s View of the Church
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the local church is vital to the life of a believer. It is where we come together to worship, grow in our faith, and serve others. It is a place where we find community, support, and accountability. And it is where we are equipped to go out into the world and make a difference. Ultimately, the church is about Jesus. If we love our Savior, we will strive to love his church, even with all its imperfections.
If our spiritual nourishment consistently comes from outside of the church, we miss out on the importance of accountability, both doctrinally and relationally. Is it countercultural to invest in a church community? Yes. But there is not another institution that holds the kind of significance that the church does.
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells Peter that “on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Peter knows he is not the single rock on which Jesus will build His church; instead, he is saying that Jesus Himself is the cornerstone, and we, all of us as believers in Jesus, are the living stones that make up the church (1 Peter 2:4-5).
And with Jesus as the cornerstone, not even the greatest darkness imaginable - the gates of hell according to Peter - can overcome the church of Jesus Christ. Jesus stands to defend Her in any kind of tribulation or turmoil, amid persecution and hatred. This is how much He loves His bride; we cannot love Jesus and not love His church.
The Forward-Looking View of the Church
It’s important that we not only rediscover the beauty of the church ourselves, but that we cultivate a love for the church in the next generation. But doing so is not something that can be manufactured by just trying harder. Parents cannot merely “add” church to their children’s lives and expect them to grow into active, faithful believers. The work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is what ultimately draws them to Christ. It is Jesus who saves, not us.
However, as parents and members of the body of Christ, we do have a responsibility to model love and commitment to the church. Our actions, our attitudes, and our words can help foster an environment where our children grow to appreciate the church and embrace its significance in their own faith journeys.
If we are to pass on a love for the church to the next generation, we must first see it through the eyes of Christ. We must recognize its significance and embrace it as a place of growth, healing, and service. As we do, we will not only grow in our own faith, but we will also help to cultivate a deeper love for the church in those who come after us.
The local church is a profound community, one that offers a unique opportunity for transformation and connection. It is our responsibility to actively engage with it, to love it, and to teach its beauty and significance to the next generation.
