Miss Church

I read a great blog post this morning by Mark Batterson (he's the guy in the photo and the pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC). I want to re-post part of it here:

"I've always wanted to pastor a church that people love so much that when they miss church they actually miss church. I don't want people to feel bad about missing church because they didn't do their "religious duty." I want them to feel bad because they actually missed out on what God is doing and saying. I want them to feel bad because there is no place they'd rather be and nothing they'd rather do more than go to church. I know I'm stretching the meaning of the word "church." The church is not a building. In fact, you can't go to church because you are the church. But I mean "church" in the sense of corporate gatherings of Christ followers. I think it ought to be the most exciting, most enjoyable, most challenging, most convicting, and most affirming hour of the week."

I (Mike) couldn't agree more!