Witnesses always gather around us on Sunday mornings, beginning with our distant relatives in the faith like Abel, Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, and on through all the apostles with their Christian friends.

We cannot generate feelings of wonder, especially amidst all the pastoral hubbub of Sunday mornings, but we can think about where it is we are standing, what extraordinary, holy things we say and see and touch.

Personally, I never found Sundays to be peaceful, but they do offer a unique kind of rest.

Sometimes even good shepherds get distracted by ministry staircases and such and forget to see the beauty of Jesus right there in our own congregations. Part of good pastoring is helping our people see Jesus in the alcoves of our fellowship.

A certain wealthy man summoned a building contractor and told him he wanted to enlist his services in building a home. This wasn’t just a house; not even a mansion. It was a palace. No expense would be spared. But when the rich man began to describe the materials he wanted the contractor to use his astonishment turned to bewilderment.

Our church buildings and programs don’t tell the really good stories. You have to dig a little to discover the important stories beneath the surface of our songs and suppers, our affection and history. Take the little house ekklesia, Bethlehem Fellowship, way back in our history. It started with just three people.