Church.

I’ve mentioned before how I fell out of love with church in my twenties. I couldn’t relate to what the pastor was saying, or I didn’t like being yelled at, or the most recent one…my pastor was a trump supporter. I used to get into disagreements with my dad because he insisted that I needed to go to church to have a relationship with Jesus and that’s just not the way I felt about it.

Enter Pastor Phillip Anthony Mitchell from 2819 Church in Atlanta, Georgia. I discovered him as most people do…on TikTok…and felt as if he was actually speaking to ME. He does not hold back at all, and to some it can seem intimidating, but to me, it felt refreshing. He didn’t only preach about the loving, giving part of Jesus, but the (scary) truthful, part about what will happen if we don’t find our names written into the Book of Life, and get turned away.

We can’t go our entire lives, only focused on the fun bubbly parts of the gospel because there is more to it. The Bible mentions hell quite a few times…as in…complete separation from God, “a gnashing and gnawing of teeth,” aka somewhere I absolutely do not want to go. That is what is awaiting unbelievers and people who haven’t placed their full faith in God. That’s what Pastor Mitchell preaches. He preaches what is in the Bible and encourages us to read for ourselves. He preaches about the necessity of community and has even said that if we can’t become attending members at his church, we can be “Digital Disciples” but we also need to find a church home.

I used to faithfully attend and even volunteer as a greeter at Gateway Church. My daughter would go to children’s church every Sunday too. This happens to be where I found out my pastor was a trump supporter but even worse…he was recently convicted of having inappropriate relations with a minor…and had to step down. The church went through a complete overhaul and is now under new leadership…however, during that time, I had zero interest in trying again.

But, God.

I moved somewhere that was close to a different location of Gateway, and I would drive by all the time telling myself that I would be attending soon…I just wasn’t ready yet.

One day I decided to just give it a try. It had been at least four or five years since I last went and had been feeling convicted.

There’s something different about praising God in a church. The Holy Spirit definitely descends and fills you up. Singing and praising along with other members and then receiving a word feels like an amazing refresh. My kids love it too.

My husband believes in God, but he does not like organized religion, so he doesn’t go with us. He grew up attending Church of Christ, and…if you know, you know.

I still pray for him every day, that he will have an encounter with Jesus and be so encouraged and filled with love, that he will be the one leading us to church and leading us to Him.

One day.

I say all this to say; many people have been hurt by the church. They had a bad experience, or they heard something they didn’t like and never went back, or the leadership is questionable. We are not trees…we can move. There are so many to choose from. I am still working up the courage to get involved again, but for now I truly do enjoy going again. I watch Pastor Phillip, and I attend with my kids, and I feel so full.

Praise God.