Ok, I admit it. I have a love-dislike personality disorder when it comes to dealing with church.

Since church is composed of people, it is rather remarkable when I remember most of my experience with church as positive. I’ve had a few ungodly encounters within church that I would not wish on anyone. Yet, I still love the church.

As a kid, I liked church people. I loved going to all activities of church. I liked what the church stood for as a family of God’s people.

Rather early, I saw church as a God reflection.

I still do.

The vast majority of my lifetime I’ve attended healthy, functioning churches. I continue to love Jesus’ church.

The other side of the coin is unhealthy churches. It is harder for me to extend grace to unhealthy churches–although, I know I must.

I see a few unhealthy congregations in Scripture. They too are cells in Jesus body. It just happens they could use some vitamins, perhaps some antibiotics, and maybe even surgery.

I don’t like seeing sickness in Christ’s church.

Only the Great Physician can help. It takes His Holy Spirit to convict the church of its sin. It takes the Great Physician to heal her.

There may be an occasion when I can offer a few vitamins along with a dose of encouragement. However, I cannot heal a sick church. In my impatience, I find it easier to advocate hospice care.

Here is why I don’t give up on church:

1. Jesus loves church and gave it life through His own blood. The church is a creation of the Godhead.
2. The second reason I don’t give up church is I often catch a glimpse of its power for good.  That is a partial answer to why I need to love the entire church. Occasionally, my corner of the church can look dim. Then, I raise my eyes to the horizon and see faithful and loving churches leaving unbelievable waves of goodness in the wake of their faith. The church has no equal when it comes to power for good.
3. I don’t give up on church because it is in Christ’s church where I find my closest relationships. Over a lifetime, the church provides me with outstanding friends and soul mates. Many are as close to me as my family.
4. I don’t give up on church because Jesus protects His body from Satan. Built on Jesus as the son of God, Christ constructs His church so that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Church is a safe place to reside to stay out of the destructive clutch of Satan.

Since I love Jesus, I find it impossible not to also love His church.

My prayer is that we as members of His church would do a better job at loving each other so we do not hide the power of the cross from those who still need eternal cleansing.

Stay tuned.

Gary J. Sorrells on Cross Church