I attended a funeral recently that reminded me what the Church is supposed to look like.
It was the celebration of life for Pete Cavendar. What made the service so memorable wasn't a polished eulogy. Instead, one by one, his grandchildren stood up and shared stories. Some had prepared a few thoughts, others spoke off the cuff, but as I listened something became obvious. Every one of them thought they were Granddaddy's favorite.
As I listened to his family members lovingly remember him, I caught myself thinking. I wish he were my grandaddy too so I could be part of that family. That this is exactly what Jesus intended His Church to be, a family that loves well and compels others to want Jesus because of how we love one another.
Showing the World God’s Love
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God... Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:7, 11-12)
Think about that. No one has seen God, but people can see His character through His children.
That's what I witnessed at Pete's funeral.
Those grandchildren weren't talking about theology. They weren't explaining doctrine. They were simply describing a man who consistently loved them, and through that love they caught a glimpse of the Father's heart.
Jesus prayed something remarkable in John 17. He asked the Father that His followers would become one, "that the world may believe that You sent Me." We often think miracles are what convince people Jesus is real, and certainly God still heals and works powerfully today. But Jesus Himself pointed to something even greater.
Our love for one another.
The world should be able to look at the Church and say, I want to be part of that family.
Honestly, that's exactly what I found myself thinking during that service. Watching those grandchildren laugh, cry, tell stories, and honor their Granddaddy made me think, This is what people are looking for.
People are hungry for family.
They're looking for a place where they're known, valued, and loved. They want someone who notices them, believes in them, and makes them feel like they matter.
The Church should be that place.
Not because we've built better programs, but because we've learned to love each other the way Christ has loved us.
John continues,
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear... We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:18-19)
Everything begins there. We don't manufacture love. We receive it. We allow ourselves to be convinced that God truly loves us, and then that love begins to overflow into the lives of others.
Forgiveness
Sometimes the greatest act of love is simply forgiving those who have wounded us. The cross made that possible. Jesus bore our sin so we could release the sins committed against us. As His love matures in our hearts, we're no longer defined by our wounds. We're free to love people—even imperfect people—the way we've been loved.
When that happens, the Church becomes something the world can't ignore.
Imagine a church where every person who walks through the doors leaves feeling like Pete's grandchildren did—that somehow they were seen, known, and deeply loved.
Imagine neighborhoods where believers consistently serve one another without needing recognition.
Imagine businesses run with integrity, families marked by forgiveness, and friendships defined by faithfulness.
That's the witness Jesus envisioned.
My prayer after attending that funeral is simple: may the people around us experience the love of God so clearly through our lives that they don't just believe the gospel is true—they want to become part of the family that lives it.
