PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE: PERCEPTION BECOMES REALITY WHEN MEMBERS VIEW CHURCH

4

I related to the recent callers to the Southeast Missourian's Speak Out column regarding churches they considered to be friendly. Naturally, I wanted to call in to brag (in a humble way, of course) that not only was First Presbyterian in Jackson a friendly church, but I'll bet you a cup of coffee we're the friendliest! You'll just have to come and find out for ourself!

The comments in Speak Out reminded me of a story about a person who was walking along the road in a direction away from his home town.

A stranger walking toward him said, "I'm moving to that next town. Is it filled with friendly people?"

The hometown man asked, "How were the people in your former town?"

"Very friendly," the stranger said.

"Oh, then I imagine you'll find this town to be friendly, too," the hometown man said.

A little way down the road, the hometown man greeted another stranger walking toward him. The stranger asked, "I'm moving to your town. Are the people friendly?"

The hometown man asked, "How were the people in your former town? Were they friendly?"

"Not a bit. Cold as ice," the second stranger replied.

"Well, I'm sorry to say this town is no different. I'm sure you'll find the people cold and unfriendly, too."

Which stranger heard the truth? The story suggests that we experience life as we perceive it. Perception becomes reality. Intention creates experience.

How do you view your church? Is it nothing more than a bunch of hypocrites? Is it a support group for SA (Sinners Anonymous)? Is it a hospital for ailing saints or the refueling station for local missionaries who seek to carry the word of God into Cape County?

Chances are, the way you view your church, its members, or even life in general, is the way things will be. Our perception becomes our reality.

Life delivers to meet our expectations. What we look for is what we find.

My perception of churches and church members is shaped by both the reality of human sinfulness and the potential of God's redeeming grace.

Every person I've met has been a sinner, even the man I meet every morning in the bathroom mirror. We're all sinners, imperfect and flawed, fully capable of making untold amounts of stupid mistakes.

Yet we all hold the unlimited potential to be redeemed and transformed into beautiful people by God's grace. Every person I've met I've tried to accept unconditionally at face value, even the unfriendly people. We are who we are. But I've also tried to see the untapped potential in each person. And amazingly, what I look for is often what I find!

Through my own personal experience of God's grace, I've come to know that a person may be down, but they're not out. No one is a lost cause if they are open to Jesus Christ.

Even the seemingly unfriendly churches hold the transforming potential of God's grace if you have the eyes of faith to see it (though sometimes you have too look with lots and lots of faith).

If you brag on your church as being friendly, count yourself as being blessed. You have seen the redemptive power of God at work in your community of faith.

If you find a church you feel is unfriendly, look a little harder.

Take a second look. Every church holds potential through God's grace! What you look for is likely what you'll find!

The Rev. Grant Gillard is pastor of First Presybterian Church in Jackson.