In the last couple of weeks, people on Facebook have asked about churches in Merced and which one others would recommend. It was beautiful to see how many people responded:
"Come to my church!"
"This is a great church!"
"We are..."
There are over 100 churches in Merced. It is beautiful to see how people gather every week to worship
God.
Did you know that every week, 10-20 pastors meet for lunch - praying together, encouraging one
another, and working together to serve our communities better?
And yet.
Our church buildings stand empty most of the week while people need shelter.
Our benevolence processes can be long and complicated when someone is desperate for food or rent.
We say we want to serve everyone but sometimes our language toward the undocumented, the single mom, or the struggling family does not reflect the heart of Christ.
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I understand that we need systems in place.
I understand that churches are doing their best with the resources they have.
I know that many churches in Merced are already doing beautiful and faithful work.
But Church
it is time to step up.
Not recklessly.
Not without wisdom.
Not without boundaries.
I am not asking you to throw open your doors without discernment (although some churches have done that).
I am not asking you to give to every person who comes through (that is why parachurch ministries exist).
I am not even demanding that you become a sanctuary church (though sometimes I wonder what Jesus would have done).
I am asking us to remember our mandate:
To love God.
To love people.
To act justly.
To love mercy.
To walk humbly with our God.
What would Jesus be doing in Merced today?
Where would He be sitting?
Whose table would He be at?
Whose story would He be listening to?
Let's dig deeper into Scripture - not to defend political systems, but to find our hope in Him.
If you see someone who is homeless be curious. You do not know their story. Support the work of the
Merced County Rescue Mission and others who walk with people every day.
If you see someone who is hurting — be kind and gentle. You do not know their story. Support local counseling services and those who labor quietly in the healing work.
If you see someone whose political view differs from yours sit down. Listen. Love them as Jesus
—
would, who had a tax collector and a zealot among his inner circles.
If you see an immigrant - remember what Scripture says about caring for the stranger.
As the Church, we carry a sacred responsibility.
So, the next time someone asks about a "good" church, maybe the better question is this:
What does that church's love look like outside its walls?
Because in the end, our outward expression of our values is what the world will see.
In the last couple of weeks people on Facebook asked about churches in Merced and which one we would recommend. It was beautiful to see how many people responded...come to my church, this a great church, we are..... There are over 100 churches in Merced, and it is beautiful to see how people come together to worship God. Did you know that every week, 10-20 pastors meet for lunch, working together to help each other serve our communities better.
Yet our churches stand empty most of the time, when people need shelter. Our churches often have a
long process for receiving benevolence when someone is in need of food or rent money. Our churches want to serve everyone but then condemn the 'undocumented' or the single mom. I understand that
we need to have systems in place. I understand that everyone is trying their best with the resources that
have been given and the things they feel they can do. But, Church, it is time to step up, to live out what we believe, to act according to Scripture. No, I don't want you to throw open the doors and let the homeless sleep there (although some churches have done that), I don't you to give to every person who comes through the doors (that is why we have parachurch ministries), I don't want you to become a sanctuary church (although, I wonder if Jesus would not have done that), I want us to think about our mandate, to love God and to love people, I want us to think deeply about what Jesus would be doing in our current situation, I want us to dig deeper into Scripture and find our hope in Him and not in political
systems.
I know most of the churches in Merced are already doing many good things, but imagine what could
happen if we all dig a little deeper to come up with better solutions? If you see the homeless, be kind and gentle; you never know their story and support the efforts of the local Rescue Mission and other groups who help. If you see a hurting person, be kind and gentle; you don't know their story, so support
local counseling services. If you see a person whose political view is different from yours, sit down, hear
them out and love them as Jesus would have loved. If you see an immigrant, remember what the Bible says about how to care for them.
As a church, we have the responsibility to love God and love people, to act justly and to love mercy and
to walk humbly with God. So, the next time a person asks about a 'good' church, see what their outward expression of their values is.