<\/p>\n
There is something deep inside each of us. It\u2019s the need to belong somewhere \u2013 to find our tribe, our people, our family. We spend our lives looking for those who are like us, who approve of us, who will share life with us \u2013 be a part of something with us. We\u2019re all searching for a group we can run with. We long for others to accept our friend invitations, to like our posts, and to share our moments. We want people to be interested in us. But while our social networks and areas of influence grow larger and larger, we feel more and more alone and disconnected.<\/p>\n
The fact is that 75% of Americans admit to feeling a deep sense of loneliness. The average person only has two people they feel they could talk to about important issues. Since 1985, the number of Americans with no close friends has tripled. During that same time, churches in America have been shrinking. 85% of churches are in decline. More than half of millennials have left the Church. We have to wonder, why?<\/p>\n
Many assume that Church is where people go who are all \u201cput together.\u201d To most, the Church does not feel like a place for those of us still struggling to make sense of life and get our act together. But it doesn\u2019t have to be this way. In fact, Jesus Himself said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.\u201d (Matthew 9:13)<\/em><\/p>\n The Church is God\u2019s answer to loneliness and pain. The first members of the Church, the disciples, were not great saints. At least they didn\u2019t start out that way. They were fishermen, tax collectors, blue-collar workers, and family men. Barely in their 20\u2019s, they were far from mature. They were weak and broken people, just like the rest of us. But they gathered and formed the first Church around two key themes: love for Jesus, and their desire to grow together and learn to love each other.<\/p>\n \u201cA new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.\u201d John 13:34-35<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n The Church isn\u2019t a haven for perfect people; it is a meeting place for those in need. The whole goal of Church is to encourage each other to keep going, not to give up, and to seek the face of Jesus day-in-day-out. The underlying premise of Church is the acknowledgment that Jesus heals and saves, and that we cannot be good enough or do enough to make life work right. The reason for Church is community, with all the warts and troubles and pain. It\u2019s a constant confession that we need Jesus and each other. We can\u2019t do it alone, and we don\u2019t have to. This is why Church exists.<\/p>\n You\u2019re invited. Visit a local Church and link arms with people just like you \u2013 for real relationships, encouragement, hope, and a chance at living life with others. Jesus made a place for you in His Church, a place marked by love. He loves you and calls you worthy just as you are, and He invites you.<\/p>\n You belong here.<\/p>\n No Church will be perfect, but we invite you to visit. We stand with Jesus, opening our arms to you in love. There is a place for you.<\/p>\n On September 19, 2021, thousands of churches across America will be participating in National Back to Church Sunday \u2014 a special day where everyone is welcome to give Church a try! Click here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to find a participating Church near you.<\/p>\n You were created with a God-given purpose. Are you living outside of that purpose? It is easy to allow the cares of the world to rob us of living life fully.<\/p>\n When Jesus walked the earth, He said, \u201cI have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.\u201d If you are unfulfilled in the life you are living, consider seeking out the LIFE that Jesus came to give and Discover Jesus<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-belonging","category-church"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/encounter.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Church is the Home for God’s Family<\/h2>\n
It’s Not Perfect, But it’s Real<\/h2>\n
Back to Church<\/h2>\n
Go Deeper<\/h3>\n