It's not whether you need the church...

 I am writing today specifically to those the church has pushed out or otherwise made to feel as if you don't belong. At some point in your journey, you, who are likely a person of faith, looked at the church and wondered why you felt so out of step with it. You likely eventually made an assessment that the church didn't have the values that you thought were taught by Jesus, and you decided that you didn't need that organization any longer.

I understand. There is a question of whether or not you need the church at all. My answer to that question is, "yes," but that is a message for another day. Instead, my message to you today is that the church needs you.

I am painfully aware that the church is seen as a political entity. Politics, of course, is fickle. The church itself isn't political, but many people use the church to put forward a political agenda, but these partnerships are only matters of convenience for politicians and church folks. Especially politicians are using the church to sanction their policies, and who better to sanction something than God?

But the church is Jesus at its heart, and Jesus' actions are not in line with any political party of which I am aware. Jesus invited those who were outcast to sit at table with him and he even washed the feet of and served communion to Judas, his betrayer.

If you have felt cast out by the church, that is the fault of the church, not you. Jesus is the great receiver of all who come seeking him. If the church isn't that, then we aren't living up to our calling.

And so, it's not whether you need the church, it is that the church needs you. We need you to come and remind us that the fellowship of Christ is not homogeneous, as many of our churches are. We need you to remind us that in you is the life of Christ, the image of God, and the church doesn't own that. We need you, so we can come to know you and love you and find out that our narrow minded definitions aren't God's.

I pray that if you give the church another chance you find a place that welcomes you as you are, that offers you hospitality, and that recognizes you as a child of God. Come and help us get it right.