Maybe It’s Time to Come Back to Church
There are a hundred reasons why someone stops going to church.
Sometimes life just gets busy.
A Sunday gets missed. Then another. Before long, months have passed.
Sometimes it’s more complicated than that.
Maybe you had questions you didn’t feel like you were allowed to ask.
Maybe somebody in a church hurt you.
Maybe life changed. A relationship ended. You moved. Your family changed. You started working weekends. You walked through grief. You struggled with addiction. You made choices you’re not proud of.
Or maybe you’ve never really been to church at all.
Whatever your story is, we want you to know something:
You are welcome at Open Arms.
You don’t have to get your life together first
Sometimes people tell us, “I need to get some things straightened out before I come to church.”
But that’s not how Jesus works.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus met people right in the middle of their lives. He ate with people other religious folks avoided. He welcomed people carrying shame. He listened to people with questions. He touched people everyone else kept at a distance.
They didn’t transform their lives so they could come to Jesus.
They came to Jesus, and He transformed their lives.
That’s still what He does.
You can bring your questions
Maybe you’re not sure what you believe anymore.
That’s okay.
Faith isn’t pretending you don’t have questions.
You don’t have to walk into Open Arms already agreeing with everything. You don’t need a theology degree. You don’t need to know the Bible.
Come. Listen. Ask questions. Meet some people. Discover Jesus for yourself.
Your questions don’t scare God.
If you’ve been hurt by church, we understand why coming back is hard
Churches are filled with imperfect people, and sometimes people hurt each other.
Sometimes that hurt is serious.
We aren’t going to dismiss it or tell you to simply get over it.
But we hope the failures of people won’t keep you forever from encountering Jesus.
If you’re willing to try again, you can take it slowly.
Sit in the back.
Listen.
You don’t have to tell anybody your whole story.
Just come and see.
You don’t have to pretend here
Our purpose at Open Arms is:
Real people helping people become more like Jesus as a family.
The first two words matter.
Real people.
We’re not interested in creating a room full of people pretending they’ve got life figured out.
We believe Jesus restores lives.
And restoration means there had to be something worth restoring.
So bring your story.
Bring your family.
Bring your questions.
Bring your struggles.
Bring your hopes.
Come as you are.
Maybe this Sunday is your Sunday
Sunday, September 20 is National Back to Church Sunday, and we’re inviting Bradford and the surrounding communities to join us at Open Arms Community Church.
If it’s been ten weeks, ten years, or you’ve never walked through the doors of a church before, you’re invited.
You don’t have to promise us anything.
You don’t have to sign up for anything.
You don’t have to know what comes next.
Maybe you just need to take one step.
We’ll be here when you do.
Back to Church Sunday
Sunday, September 20 at 10 AM
Open Arms Community Church
71 Congress St., Bradford, PA
