Has Hope Left the Church?

A Lot of People are Looking For Hope These Days

A lot of people are looking for hope these days. Unfortunately, less and less are looking for it in the church. There are several reasons for that, perhaps as many as there are people. But instead of counting the ways it might be failing, let me tell you how I see hope in church.

Some may say it shows up in the worship music, in the reading of the Word, or in the bread and wine, or maybe even in the passing of the peace. Not so much, for me, if I’m perfectly honest.

I see hope when people gather around a person at the end of the service and send up prayers up on their behalf.

I see hope when our people demonstrate lives of selflessness by giving time and resources to others in need.

I see hope when someone who I know is going through a really difficult time, still comes to church and testifies to God’s goodness.

But perhaps the best way I see hope is in the connection with another person, whether its before or after the service. When someone is intentional about their desire to connect with me, I feel less alone than when I arrived.

Hope, to me, says you’re not alone, that God is in the middle of your life, and there’s every reason to believe that the best is yet to come. My desire is to show that to every person I meet, whether in church or out.