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Today, with all the turmoil that is so prevalent in our culture and our communities, people are seeking a light in the darkness to help them find their way. They’re looking for answers to questions about their purpose, their struggles, their future and the unknown. They’re searching for peace in an uncertain world.

But do they know that such peace can be found in their local churches? Do these seekers truly know what it means when we tell them the church is there for them? Jesus called us to be a “town built on a hill” so that His church would be visible—not unreachable. Do our friends and neighbors in need think of church as a distant institution — or as a place to belong?

Early on, local churches were central to the successful functioning of our communities. They were a place not only to worship, but to socialize, celebrate, mourn and support those in need—to come together for more than Sunday sermons.

If a family was facing challenges, they knew they could count on their church to help them get on their feet. If a young couple was in need of support for their struggling marriage, they knew they could turn to their local minister. From charity bake sales and weddings to funerals and support groups, churches created a hub for people to help, heal and celebrate one another in day-to-day life, even as they practised their faith and shared the gospel.

Over time, however, there has been a change in how people engage with the church. Part of this shift been caused by the move from the smaller, close-knit communities of the past to more distant, fractured neighborhoods and large, impersonal cities. Another factor has been the overwhelming busyness that fills our lives and the lives of our friends and neighbors, pushing church from a priority to just another task on the to-do list that can, unfortunately, be put off when things get too hectic. And still another factor has been the change in how churches themselves engage with the people around them. In short, a distance has grown between people in our communities—and between our communities and our churches.

And it’s up to us to change it.

Now, more than ever before, the people of the world need to be reminded that they matter to God. That through the doors of our churches lies a place where they will always belong. When we show them they are welcome, when we bring people into the church, we can begin to knit our communities back together and create a sense of fellowship that can heal our hurting culture.

It’s time for all of us to ensure our churches are a sanctuary for each person who walks in. To make our churches a place where everyone feels safe. To show people that here, they will find themselves in the arms of a loving God who has always known them—even when they may not have known Him. In doing so, we will show them the light they have so desperately been seeking and begin to change our world for the better.

How do you begin? It’s as simple as an invitation. In Ephesians, Paul wrote that Christ has uniquely equipped His followers to speak the truth in love and build up the body of Christ. So, seek out your friends, family, neighbors—even strangers—and invite them to come to church on National Back to Church Sunday. Let them know that it doesn’t matter if they’ve simply lapsed in their attendance or never been to church before. They will be welcomed with open arms and they will find that they, too, have a place to belong.