I missed this church. I missed you.
I was away from IBC all summer on a three-month pastoral sabbatical, which was, of course, wonderful. My family and I had the opportunity to travel and spend time together, and I got to do more than my share of reading, writing, and letting Jesus do some work on me.
My sabbatical was great, but while I was gone I missed this church. I missed all of you because when you find a home in the world, you miss it when you’re away.
If the last 18 months have taught us anything about ourselves, it’s that we can’t do this alone. We can’t thrive in isolation. We weren’t meant to. See, following Jesus has never been a solo endeavor. We were created for community, and it just so happens that Jesus creates community around himself. In light of this, I believe belonging to a Jesus-centered and Jesus-shaped community amounts to coming home.
So despite the fact that for the first time in a long time I had the opportunity to visit other churches, I missed you. Because even though I was in worship, I wasn’t home. Home is where we’re welcome, where we’re known, and where we have a place. For me, that’s IBC. Irving Bible Church has been my home since my wife Annie and I first visited in the fall of 2003. And yes, time away can be restorative, and being a guest can be a treat. But nothing compares to home.
When we’re not actively experiencing home in the family of God, we’re missing something. We’re missing a place to believe, to belong, to grow, to serve, to welcome and be welcomed in the name of Jesus. This is why I’m so excited about Homecoming this Sunday at IBC.
Homecoming is a celebration of home. Homecoming is an invitation to belong. Homecoming is an opportunity to live out the joy and hospitality Jesus has so graciously and tenaciously shown to us.
Don’t miss it.
Sunday Experience Pastor
MORE ABOUT HOMECOMING
Join us Sunday, August 29, as we celebrate the joy of being together. We will worship together from 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m., and after the service we’ll provide free food, music, a photo booth, inflatables and games for the kids, guided tours of our newly renovated space, a self-guided ministry prayer tour, and connection opportunities. Oh, and there will also be some amazing giveaways! It’s going to be a great day, so we hope to see you there.