What is Church?
Surfers say that the ocean is their church. It is where the stress of the world is washed away in the waves. It’s a place of good vibes where they are reminded of who they are— a pure being, a child of the divine. Surfers say that every time they surf, it is a baptism and a renewal of their soul.
Church is where your ego cannot lie to you anymore. You’re not what society labels you.
You’re not a WHAT— your job, your paycheck, your degrees, your looks, your achievements—
You are a WHO. You are the purest form of your being.
Church is where your soul finds itself again and again. And your soul returns to its original form— your childhood self.
Where Your Church Is
Weight lifters say that the gym is their church. Church is where you work out your karma. You pick up weight and you put down weight. You work out whatever is going in circles in your head and you just get a fresh perspective on your situation. You see what you didn’t see before. You get insight into your blind spots and you have a renewed vision of yourself.
You are not what you see in the mirror.
You are who you know to be true about yourself. The what that you see in the mirror can change in a week, a day, an hour, a year— but it changes because you re-create what you see in the mirror every week. Every time you pick up that weight— and every time you are in your church— you have another chance to change and improve your vision of yourself.
Gardeners say that their garden is their church. Church is where they touch the earth with their hands. Where they honor her body by grooming and beautifying her body. Where they take of her bounty and receive from her abundance. Every time they look at the earth, they see blessings growing from every surface. Church is where they go to realize that their blessings are flourishing.
Many people say that nature is their church because when you look at nature, it wants nothing from you. It is just there to offer you peace. To offer you compassion. It is just there— to love you.
Church is where they go to experience space… to breathe.
For some people, family is their church. No matter what happens out there in the world, you can always come home and have a place where you belong— that’s church. Where no one is going to judge you. You can be yourself. And you form deep connections with others.
Church is where you go to have community.
Church Is Where We Connect
Church is where we connect with ourselves.
With others.
With nature.
With the divine.
We call church “sacred” because it’s a place where we detach from the rest of the world and its harshness. And when God sees you sitting there… that you have come to this place that is your church…where you and God meet…
In a glade, by the ocean, in a park, in your living room, in your garden….
Whichever place serves as a sanctuary for your soul… will hold a special vibration for you and God.
Then that place, whether it is physical or virtual, like our community here on Zoom— is your church.
Church is your meeting place with God.
When God sees you sitting there, he’s like, “Hi.”
You’re like, “Hi.”
I once knew a man who’s church was a park bench. He and God would meet there every day and discuss his divorce. They’d just sit and talk over a cup of coffee— about what went wrong in his 30 year marriage. That was his church. It was where he met God.
For years afterwards, he would pass by that park bench and immediately feel calm just by being near that bench. It wasn’t just a park bench. It was his bench and God’s bench.
Whenever you spend time with God in one place, that place absorbs the energy of your communion with God. God’s butt, when he sits with you— leaves an imprint. Long after you both leave that space— the space remembers the holy communion, the interaction that took place between you and God. And it remembers it, for you.
Some people call this an energy imprint— like a foot print. You and God— once met on this park bench. Because of that, it’s special.
That’s what church is.
Church is where you go to meet God.
Your Soul Chooses Its Church
You may choose a particular church for yourself— but that might not be— where your soul feels connected. Your soul will let you know where it feels the most connected.
Surfers choose the ocean. That is where their soul feels connected to the divine.
Weight lifters choose the gym. That is where their soul re-connects to their highest vision of themselves.
Gardeners choose their garden. That is where their soul re-connects to their blessings.
Nature lovers choose nature. That is where their soul re-connects to peace.
Those who are alone in this phase of their life, choose community. That is where their soul belongs.
