07/02/2026
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When my wife first met me, she must have thought I was pretty wonderful because she agreed to go on a date with me. On that first date we both knew we were going to marry and spend the rest of our lives together. We were married 6 months later, and it has been downhill ever since. I’m kidding, but it has been hard while also wonderful. It seems like life is just one crisis after another with short breaks of peace and happiness. I have come to believe that that is just what life is and it is certainly not perfect.
It kind of reminds me of the church. Church can be wonderful; it can also be hurtful. Churches can be like a big family but like any family, we can have that weird uncle or that cousin who constantly stirs up trouble. I have served two churches in the past that people in town knew to stay away from because of all the trouble the members caused there. I have experienced some of the most loving and wonderful people in church, as well as some of the most mean and nasty as well.
I have always said that church is great, right up until you open the doors and let people in. I have always been told that “church is for sinners.” Others view it as a hospital for sinners and sufferers, not as a school or clubhouse for Christians. This is very true, but I would much rather be in a clubhouse than a hospital. So, we must acknowledge the painful baggage that churchgoing means for some.
I acknowledge that salvation does not come through the church, it comes through the risen Jesus, yet it is unfortunate the way in which ‘church’ and ‘God’ can come to feel inextricably linked. I hate the idea that someone might see me as a “representative” of God because I am no saint.
At the end of the day, the church really is a lot like life — and a lot like marriage. It’s beautiful, it’s messy, it’s full of surprises, and sometimes you wonder how on earth God thought this was a good idea. But He did. And somehow, He keeps showing up in the middle of our chaos, our quirks, and our questionable decisions.
Yes, churches have their “interesting” characters. Yes, we sometimes act more like a spiritual emergency room than a polished country club. And yes, if salvation depended on us getting everything right, we’d all be in trouble. But thank God it doesn’t. It depends on Jesus — and He’s much better at His job than we are at ours and I pray that St Paul’s will always be a place you’ll find grace, laughter, healing, and people who will walk with you through every season of life. And honestly, that’s worth more than gold — especially at today’s prices.
Blessings,
Pastor Dave
