Welcome back

There are long to-do lists when starting a new church, but some of the instructions are quite simple. One of the first "rules" is this: Join stuff.

I must confess I've never been a big joiner, but if you want to meet people and let them know about this new church you're helping to start, you've got to be a part of groups. So I started joining all kinds of groups, including a running club. Even though I've been a runner most of my life, I've never joined a running club preferring, instead, to be solitary when putting in my miles. But I showed up one Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. and stuck with it. It wasn't easy. People already knew one another so I felt like an outcast initially, but I kept showing up and people eventually started talking and getting to know me. Last summer, I started in with the group again, but a few weeks into it, I had some changes to my schedule and I couldn't go for a few weeks. Then we went on vacation. And then it just felt awkward to go back. Would they remember me? It was easier just to go back to my solitary running ways.

How similar this is to our faith lives! We get into the groove of prayer, worship, community connection, but something throws us off and other things take priority and we start wondering whether God or a church would even want us back or remember us. Frankly, we'd rather bypass the awkwardness and just put our faith on hold.

Which is why the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)--as familiar as it may be to some--is always a great passage to read and reflect on. A wayward son insults his father, leaves home, falls on hard luck, debates a return, and comes home. And when he does, there are no questions from the father and, as far as I can tell, not much awkwardness. There is only embrace.

If you wonder whether you can ever return to faith or church, read that story. And hear God's resounding answer: Yes. Always.