How exactly do you "have church"? and what makes it significant enough to make that exclamation?

Those were my thoughts until I "had church" myself.

I've "had church" in our auditorium on a Sunday morning. But I've also "had church" downtown Clearwater sharing a conversation with a homeless family. I've "had church" at a park with a few people from my small group. I've "had church" reading updates about a friend's ministry far from Clearwater.

I've come to realize, in my experience, that "having church" has very little to do with where I am and sometimes not even what I'm doing. But, it has everything to do with what God is doing through people.

When I can look in the eyes of another person and see them sharing God's love by putting someone else's needs above their own I've just experienced church. When I hear the stories of someone helping someone else bear an extra heavy personal burden I experience church. When I see lives that are improving because of the love and care of people around them I "have church."

I think that "having church" has a lot more to do with listening closely to God, asking Him to show me where He is at work and how I can be involved, and just "being the church" to others.

So, this Sunday as we prepare our hearts for leading in church, let's also prepare our hearts to "have church"!