God’s grace is sufficient

We don’t often emphasise our affiliation to Assemblies of God, but it’s important to know that we are a part of something that provides leadership, accountability, identity and support. The movement has always been a bit reluctant to view itself as a denomination, but sits better with the concept that it is a fellowship of like-minded local churches, autonomous yet connected in a common aim to reach the local community with the good news that Jesus saves!

I’ve been part of Assemblies of God for 25 years and it has undergone change;: national leaders have come and gone and the journey has not always been straight forward or smooth. In some ways, that mirrors every church that I can think of, including this one; some seasons are ‘blue sky and sunshine’ and others are more stormy. It’s inevitable that the local church has its highs and lows, after all it’s made up of people and, even in our common cause to live as followers of Christ, we come with a variety of personality types, backgrounds and views, and that makes for an interesting mix.

Church is by no means perfect, and it never has been. The apostle Paul hints at this in his letter to the Ephesian church, exhorting them to ‘be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you’. (Ephesians 4:32). It’s a clear and helpful reminder that journeying with people is sometimes challenging and requires us to tap into God’s grace. It’s uncomfortable to think that there will be times when people around me have to tap into that grace when they deal with me too — none of us is perfect but, thankfully, God’s grace really is more than sufficient!