When you think of the Church, dozens of words come to mind. Some of mine are community, family, worship, discipleship, prayer, learning, and preaching.

Does the word grace come to mind for you?

We associate Jesus as the giver of grace, but what about the people who follow him?

I believe the Church community should be a place where grace overflows. We forgive one another, we offer second chances, and we are never quick to judge.

That is not to the exclusion of discipleship. We still expect people to grow, connect, and serve. We teach and expect people to learn about faith while applying it to their lives. We call people to live out their commitment to Jesus with seriousness and conviction.

But when they fail, misunderstand, or allow themselves to be deceived by evil, the primary reaction is to offer grace. A big part of being a follower of Jesus is not only our willingness to grow in faith but also in grace. Part of why we live in community is to hold each other accountable; the other part is to have support in our struggles. Both of those working together make the Church a unique group meant to help people on their journey of faith.