There is a place I go to in my mind. It’s a boat dock stretching out before me on a lake. Aged wood planks are laid horizontally, just wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The dock is long, but the lake beyond is calm. As its currently fall I imagine there is a chill in the air. The the trees on the far side of the lake still have a smattering of leaves that are red, and gold. Interspersed are evergreens so dark they almost look black. It is picture perfect.

There is a figure sitting at the end of the dock. He is familiar to me. He’s waiting, peacefully looking out at the lake. I walk to the end and sit next to Him. We both stare out at the water.

This is how I imagine my conversations with Jesus. Sometimes I sit at the end of the dock, legs swinging beneath me, as I tell him the good things in my life; about what’s happening with the kids, my sweet friends or how thankful I am for Brian. Other times I sit cross legged, sharing the ways I wish things were different. I become pretty animated in these moments, though He always seems rather calm. There are times when I listen, though I wish I listened more than I do. The best times are when I sit next to Jesus and just lay my head on his shoulder as we both look out at the lake.

Yes, I’ve acknowledged Jesus as my savior. I know that I am sinful and broken. I have some of the head knowledge I need. Yet that is not what changes me. The most important part of my relationship with God is my time on that dock; spent in his presence.

I am convinced is that everyone needs a space like that with Jesus. I have that relationship because I met people who had created their own space with Jesus. I met them at a church. I saw what they had, how they lived and I wanted to be more like them. So I lived life along side them, watched them and learned. And I slowly started to practice it on my own. Some of the people who taught me would never have been in my circle were it not for church. The only thing we had in common was our belief in Jesus. And yet, I learned from them and I loved them.

When I asked myself why the Church is so important to me it was reduced to the ways I’ve learned from others about spending time in God’s presence. I know that I can read books and blogs on this. I can listen to podcasts that will teach me what I need to know. And yet, none of that can replace what happens when God’s people gather together and (imperfectly) live life in community, attempting to teach one another the lessons we’ve learned from God. That is why, though I’ve been wounded, I can never walk away. The Church is still the best place to find people who are following Jesus and trying to live like Him.

I love Sunday worship. When I allow my brain to turn off and sing in worship, it resets my heart. Listening to a message from a pastor always gets me to dig into scripture. I’m so grateful for these things. And yet, I don’t think the event on Sunday is why God wanted us to live in the community of the Church. The Sunday morning worship is extra. It’s not the main thing.

The Church is about people teaching one another about who God is, and we do that in relationships. And relationships aren’t built at an event. I have learned just as much, if not more about sitting in God’s presence from the people who sacrificially serve at church. Two women come to mind as a write this. One of them is much older than me. She runs a farm, and lives simply. I once asked her how she always stayed so joyful. Her response? “I spend all day shoveling manure. No one bothers you when you do that. So I have a lot more time to worship God.” God has taught me so much about himself through this amazing lady. She has taught me how to love others well. how to trust God in all things and how to be obedient to Him. And I would never have known her had it not been for the Church.

The other woman that comes to mind is humble and sacrificial. She is much younger than me and I learn from her weekly. She does amazing things like being a foster parent. She leans in to love interns and single moms. She makes meals and drops off treats. She loves God in the way she serves others. Watching her teaches me so much about obedience and sacrifice and none of that happens in a worship service. I learn all of these things outside of a Sunday morning event. And I would never have known her had it not been for the Church.

The Church is a place where we build relationships that point us to God. It’s where we see others who sit in the presence of Jesus and we watch how it changes them. We can’t give up on on the Church because the world needs it more than ever. The world needs a place where God is visible. A place to learn from others about what it’s like to sit in His presence. People who are struggling can see how we are changed, just by spending time with Him. Lonely people can learn that He is always near and always ready to sit and listen. It’s one thing to hear about these thing. It is wholly different to witness them in someone we know. It is in the Church that we see His sacrificial nature, His creativity, and His love. And I don’t know of a better way to share this with the world than through an imperfect church community.

Do I think the Church in it’s current form is perfect? No. But it’s not going to get better unless those of us who regularly spend time with Jesus lean in and love those who have never sat next to Him. It’s not going to get better unless we talk about the hard things and try to do better. And it’s not going to get better if we all just stop showing up.

I intentionally wrote this to be published on a Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow is Sunday. There are so many places you could go tomorrow to worship God. Maybe ask God if it’s time for you to find a place to go. Pay attention to the worship, but more importantly look for the people who aren’t on stage; the ones serving behind the scenes. Chances are they will be the ones who show you what it’s like to live in relationship with Jesus. Maybe one day they will tell you about what their “dock” looks like.