# 3. Church Doesn’t End
Our church meeting begins at 10:30 am on Sunday morning. It ends when it ends, usually around 1:30, but you never know. Last week it started at 1:30 pm and ended sometime around 6. But it didn’t really end around 6. It never really ends.
Not to be too cliché but we don’t go to church we are the church. It’s not about the meeting; it’s about our lifestyle. This was a pretty big lesson for me.
About a year and a half ago a couple named Jeff and Erica started attending our church. A couple of months later I had a little heart issue and ended up in the hospital for two days. My wife Ali called Jeff and Erica to ask it they could watch our sons while she was with me. They immediately came over. After the end of a long day my wife returned and thanked them for babysitting. They said, “no, thank you for giving us the opportunity.” That made an impression on me.
Jeff and Erica are great examples of church. We can always count on them. Consequently, it makes us want to be available for them. A couple of weeks ago they were on vacation and Jeff texted me to ask if I could go over and take in their trash can. It was a small thing but I not only didn’t mind the inconvenience, I was actually happy that I could help.
If we think that church is one or two hours a week we are missing the point. It’s not about filling your calendar with busy work or feeling guilt about doing more. It’s about being the body of Christ. It’s about the “one-anothers.” The meeting is when we come together and share about what God is doing in our lives. It’s where we encourage and equip each other to return to the front lines. It’s also where we worship, pray and learn together. It’s where we get our marching orders from the Holy Spirit. But Church doesn’t end when we leave the meeting. It never ends.
