Why I Need My Church

I love the writings of author, Rick Warren.  In his book, The Purpose-Driven Church,  he explains how being part of a healthy church is essential to living a healthy life.  He believes God designed His church specifically to help us fulfill the five purposes He has for our lives…a purpose to live for, people to live with, principles to live by, a profession to live out and power to live on. There is no other place on earth where you can find all five of these benefits in one place. 

The bible says “love your spiritual family.”  I was part of a church some time ago when our pastor (who was a tremendous visionary) began the challenge of trying to change our way of thinking and do more reaching out in the community as well as in other countries where the needs were so crucial.  Some of the folks did not like the thought of “change.”  They felt they would lose control of the church…these were the folks with the big bucks at the time.  Today a McDonalds sits where the church used to be.  People forgot about loving their spiritual family. 

Over 50 times in the New Testament the phrase “one another” or “each other” are used.  We are commanded to love each other, pray for each other, greet each other, serve each other, teach each other, accept each other, honor each other, bear each other’s burdens, forgive each other, submit to each other, be devoted to each other and many other mutual tasks.  These are our “family responsibilities” that God expects us to fulfill through local fellowship.

God’s purposes for His church are identical to His five purposes for our lives as stated in paragraph one.  Worship helps us focus on God; fellowship helps us face life’s problems; discipleship helps fortify our faith; ministry helps us find our talents; evangelism helps fulfill our mission.  There is nothing else on earth like the church!

I searched a long time to find a church where I felt “life and true passion” existed . . . I thank God everyday for leading me to Bridgeway.  I love my church and my spiritual family.  Are we perfect? No, but we strive to please God and overcome our weaknesses. He continually tests my obedience and my faith and I am thankful for that as I know it has drawn me closer to Him. 

I am so excited to now have Pastor Jeff Stark and his family coming to Bridgeway.  We have so much to do in our community and in the world we help support and nothing feels better to me than doing that which I know makes God smile and doing it with all of you.

- Dixie Sanders