Love Beyond the Church Walls

I love the Church. I love the people, the worship, the sense of belonging that comes from gathering with other believers who share the same faith and passion for Jesus. But something’s been tugging at my heart, again — and honestly, it’s hard to ignore.

I know so many Christians who are deeply involved in church life — serving, leading, attending Bible studies, volunteering, showing up every Sunday — and yet, their entire circle consists of other Christians. They’re surrounded by believers, and that’s a beautiful thing . . . until it becomes a bubble.

It hurts my heart to see how easily we can insulate ourselves.

How we can fill our calendars with church events, yet have little time for the people Jesus came to save — the ones who don’t know Him yet.

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

— Mark 2:17

Jesus spent time with the unchurched.

When we read the Gospels, we see that Jesus spent time with people the religious crowd often avoided — tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, and outcasts. He didn’t water down truth, but He led with love. He saw the brokenness in people not as something to avoid but as an opportunity to bring light and healing.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

— Luke 19:10

But we also need to walk in wisdom. If you’re a new believer, or if you know you have certain struggles, addictions, or tendencies that could easily be triggered, it’s important to guard your heart. Not because God isn’t powerful enough to sustain you — His strength is more than enough — but because we’re human, with free will, and we don’t always make the best choices when we put ourselves in compromising situations.

Jesus ate with sinners, but He didn’t join in their sin. He entered dark places without letting the darkness enter Him. As we follow His example, we need to stay rooted in prayer, Scripture, and community — making sure that when we step into those spaces, we’re bringing light, not absorbing shadows.

I wonder . . .

If Jesus walked the streets of our towns today, who would He spend time with?

Would He be at the potluck… or sitting with the one who didn’t feel welcome there?

We’re called to be salt and light. Jesus said,

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

— Matthew 5:14

Light doesn’t belong in storage — it belongs in the darkness, where it can be seen.

If all our light stays inside church walls, the world remains dark.

If all our salt stays in the shaker, nothing gets seasoned.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

— Matthew 5:16

Our mission isn’t to isolate from unbelievers; it’s to influence them through love, humility, and truth. That means inviting the neighbor who never goes to church for coffee. It means being kind to the coworker who mocks your faith.

It means sitting with the hurting instead of staying safe in our circle.

This isn’t about guilt — it’s about remembering grace. Because at some point, someone reached out to us. Someone loved us enough to reflect Christ before we even knew His name.

Some of us were introduced to Jesus by our parents at a young age — we were blessed to grow up surrounded by faith and truth. Others met Him later, through a friend, a stranger, or a moment of deep need. However it happened, someone was willing to step out, speak up, or simply live in a way that made us curious about the love of God.

“We love because He first loved us.”

— 1 John 4:19

And now it’s our turn. To love as we’ve been loved. To go where comfort ends and compassion begins. To be willing to reach the ones who haven’t met Him yet — just like someone once did for us.

The Church was never meant to be a hiding place; it’s a launching point.

We gather to grow, and we scatter to shine.

Let’s be the believers who carry Jesus into the everyday places: the grocery store, the classroom, the gym, the break room, the park bench.

Because faith isn’t meant to stop at the church door. It’s meant to walk out with us — into a world that’s aching to see what real love looks like.

“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

— Mark 16:15

Let’s Pray:

Lord, soften our hearts toward those who don’t know You yet. Help us see them the way You do — not as projects, but as people deeply loved and worth pursuing. Break down our comfort zones and use us to reflect Your kindness and grace in a world that desperately needs it.