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God's Family in the Local Churches
Although I grew up in a local church near Chicago, Illinois, it took a cross-country move to help me realize that I could experience God's family in the local churches. During my senior year of high school, I was faced with the decision of what college to attend. In choosing a school, I not only looked for the best biology programs, I also kept in mind the cities which I knew had local churches. Eventually, I decided to attend the University of California in San Diego. I had never visited Southern California, and I didn't know any of the people in the local church in San Diego. All I had was a business card with the phone number of a brother in Christ in San Diego which was given to me by another brother in Chicago.
After the first week of classes in San Diego, I decided to call the brother whose phone number I had. In Chicago, I knew all the believers in the local church pretty well, and they knew me. But here in San Diego, I thought of myself as a complete stranger, and I didn't know what sort of welcome to expect, if any. Nevertheless, I called the brother, and, a short time later, he arranged a ride for me to the Sunday morning meeting.
That Sunday morning was my first experience meeting in a local church in a different city. All the thoughts I had of being a stranger were completely obliterated. The believers there took me in as if I had grown up in San Diego, welcoming me to the meeting, taking me out to lunch afterwards, and arranging for grocery store runs for me after the Sunday meetings. I realized in that first meeting that God had a family, and that I was a part of it no matter where I went. I was experiencing the reality of God's family meeting with the local church in San Diego.
After this first meeting things only got better. I was studying hard and working in a research lab, but the meetings with the local church were the focal point and joy of my college life. Although my studies and work were important, I began to realize the role the local church in San Diego played in my life. It was such joy to meet with them, and it was in these meetings that I really began to learn how to love the Lord Jesus Christ in a intimate and personal way. I just loved the Lord more and more, and this caused me to get up early in the mornings to pray and to read His Word. I also started to love the other believers more and more. I couldn't wait for the meetings, whether the college meeting at the house of a brother near the campus, or the meeting of the whole congregation in San Diego each Sunday morning. My desire to be with the other believers was so great that I even moved in with several other brothers. Actively being a part of God's family in the local church was the best thing that happened to me in college and it made college not only an experience in itself but an experience of Christ.
Ben Gallarda | Back to List
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