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There is nothing like the local church, when the local church is working right.

// December 16th, 2008 // Uncategorized

Last Thursday I left church with it raining a little bit, hopped in my car, and was clueless to what the next four days would contain. As everyone in New England knows we got nailed with an ice storm thursday night which made Friday morning a morning of surprises, questions, strange beauty, and a lot of people without the basic comforts of home (heat, running water, electricity). While the extensiveness of the damage is amazing - thousands still without power - it was the stories I’ve heard over the last few days of the church being the church that has really made my eyes get wide.

People taking in those without heat, helping move debris, repair flood damage, provide places to hang out..sleep..shower..feel human again. I know there have been bigger social disasters before and for many this is just a week or so of inconvenience, but for me I got to see people extending God’s love to others, offering a hot cup of coffee, and meeting real needs. It was cool.

One thing I did notice was the power of community. People who were involved in a small group, investing in each others lives were easy to spot because they had someone by there side, maybe a family that they were bunking up with, maybe borrowing a chainsaw, and so much more. I had one guy tell me, “Thanks, but man you don’t have to worry about me, I have people who are looking out for me.”. Like Bill Hybels says, “There’s nothing like the local church, when the local church is working right!”