What is church really supposed to look like?

I have a precious friend who no longer lives near me but rather on the (what feels like) other side of the world as a missionary. She recently posted on her family's blog about what she would do different if she moved back to the states after having this experience.

The overall theme of touching other's lives no matter where you live resonated with me as I live in my little bubble of Murfreesboro, TN. She talked about how the 'church' isn't supposed to be four walls but rather the 'community' of believers in Christ gathering together and gathering with others who might not be followers to support, encourage and enable each other in His name.

I thought a lot about that as I continued to go to my little baptist church and sit up in the balcony listening to the preacher and fellowshipping with other believers who I felt 'safe' with. There is supposed to be something more. Christ intended more for his followers! But how? Where? What?

Then an exciting thing happened. I met a woman, actually in my church who was just visiting with friends. I assumed she was a Christian. Because aren't all people who come into a church believers? (I say this with sarcasm) I immediately started to talk with her and we made a connection. She was from China but here with her family teaching at MTSU.

Long story short...

She ended up telling Nate later that she was not a Christian but was interested in our faith. At this point I was back in my bubble of life and she her own as well. But this is when it hit me. This is what my friend's blog was about. This is what Jesus talks about in the bible. This is the opportunity I have before me...to choose to get out of my comfort zone and pursue a relationship with someone who doesn't know me and may not want to hear what I have to say about my faith or maybe she does. The only way to know is to ask her. So I do...

I called her and asked her to coffee. Then later through e-mail we decide upon a night out and we met. It was the most wonderful hour of conversation I have had in awhile. We both related to each other as mothers, women, our interest in communications, personal goals and career goals but then also our need for something more in life to sustain us, to get us through the hard times, to give us peace and wisdom. For me that is completely my faith in Jesus Christ. And that is what she unashamedly wanted to know about.

I didn't beat her over the head with the bible. I didn't lecture to her. I related to her. I shared my story, my struggles, my desires for my own children in their walk of faith.

When we left that evening we both agreed we needed to do it again at some point in the future amidst our busy schedules. She is going to start reading Matthew in the new testament and I promised to pray for her as she is truly seeking God in her life for the first time. A friendship was born and hopefully a new life in Christ will be born out of that night as well.

I am not proud of myself for anything that I did on my own. I am humbled that God used me to reach out of my comfort zone and risk feeling rejected so that He could touch another person's life. That is what 'church' is all about. That is what the Christian faith is all about. That is what I want to be all about!