Church on the Hood

How I have longed for the church of my youth or even the church of my children's youth.You would think that with as many churches as there are you could just walk in one and feel right at home......Not! Ironically my search has brought me back to the place I started for now to rest and lick my wounds, that little church on the hood.
And as I reflect on all this I can not for the life of me recall why I left it. The only thing that really comes to mind is perhaps I was off trying to keep up with the Jones, and if that is the case how shallow that makes me feel, as shallow as some of the Church's I have been to.
As you walk into this church it is not pretty nor is it big, you are greeted at the door by a "Biker dude" dressed in leather, with a smile as genuine as they come ready with a hand shake and or a hug. His Tee Shirt reads Jesus saves and he is ready and more than willing to tell you how Jesus saved him and how he ended up at church on a lost bet with his brother, and he has been here ever sense, and given an edge he will tell you how he has a prison ministry that will rival the largest church. As you find your way to your seat, the only music you hear for now is greetings and glad to see ya and how are you doing that echo in the Small church,and laughter, something I have missed in my visits to other Church's Here are white people and black people, poor and middle class and perhaps one or two that are well off, but you would never know that for sure for humble is their pie.There are those that are dealing with physical as well as mental issues and those that are fighting the addictions that bind them. There are Mothers who have lost children's and wives who have lost husbands and husbands who have lost wives You have some that are out of prison and some that are facing prison and some that are still paying for a mistake they have made once. But when you walk in those doors you have the feeling that all are on equal ground and there is no condemnation in these walls.All in all there are about 40-50 people here today, but they also are host to about 10 other ministers that guide about 500 people each week.
You will probably not find the folks here with brand name cloths or shoes on, no pretty people you might say except in their heart and that is what brings me to to heart of the matter. Arent these the kind of people Jesus hung out with? You did not find him with the ones that had platice or position, you found him with the sick, poor, the mental and the broken both physically and spiritually.In Isiah 61;1-4 he instructs us to do the same.The sermon today is titled High cost for low living and the Pastor for this Sunday is a long time friend and I was refreshed to hear Gods word, intact, not watered down so that it don't offend,He would not be guilty of hearsay this day. He told us what God had told him to say and he made no apologies for speaking the true word of God.He he was gentle in speech and I was touched that he admitted that he too had followed the world at times and the cost was high. The high price for low living.
So what is the problem, glad you ask that, the problem I felt was the worship. It lacks in depth and perception for me....How sad....Not sad for the music, sad that I have been tricked into thinking that the music is what was most important and I could not have been further from the truth....well done Satan, you got me on that one, but not for long.

The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach to the POOR.
He has sent me to bind up the BROKENHEARTED,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the PRISONERS,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the vengeance of our God,to comfort all who MOURN.............