Lent 2024 | Week 5: CHURCH

Every week on Sunday we will be posting a new set of reflection questions based on themes and areas of our lives that are important to look at on a deeper level. We hope this is a chance to take some time to look inward, to process, to ask intentional questions about your life and bring those reflections to God, asking him to show us what is going well and what might need to change.

The fifth area of life we are going to reflect on is church.

Why Church: Church with a capital “C” is the corporate body of believers around the world.  Church with a lowercase “c” is the specific community I worship God with at any given time.  The church is meant to be a reflection of the Church in a tangible way, a fellowship of believers coming together to encourage one another in the life God has given all of us on the earth in the here and now.  The Church and church, however, are imperfect places of imperfect people reflecting and sharing the love of God as best we can, however far we fall short.  Taking time to reflect on our experience of church, why we go, what we do there, what we receive and what we give to others, can help the Church move closer to a true reflection of God’s love and what he hopes we as his hands and feet can do in this world.

Reflection: Here are some reflection questions to help you work through this topic.  Feel free to answer all of them or just some, and if you’re not sure of the answer, try journaling about why you’re not sure of it…it may just help you figure it out!  If you’re an extrovert or a verbal processor, try going through these questions with a friend!

• Why do I (or don’t I) go to church?
• What do I think the point of church should be?  How do I think the church lacks these things?  What can I do to help change that?
• How do I give to my church community?  
• How do I receive from my church community?
• How do I think church fits into the “good life” God wants for me?

Pray with me: God thank you for the body of believers here in this world.  Help me see my role and my part in this body, both as one that is cared for by it and also cares for it in return.  Give us wisdom and direction as your church to do your will in this world, loving others as you have loved us.  Amen.

Bonus: If you make it through the thematic list of journaling prompts this week and would like some more general ones to guide you, try some of these:

• Am I noticing any changes in myself or my spiritual life as I journey through Lent?
• What has been heavy on my heart or mind today?
• How do I feel today? What am I worried about or excited for?
• How do I need God to show up for me today? Is there anything I need to ask him for?
• How have I seen God show up for me in the past?  What has he already done or been doing in my life?
• What am I grateful for today?