On becoming a new family.

Outdated. Irrelevant. Manipulative. Controlling. Boring.

These are some of the descriptors many in our society use when talking about organized religion or the Christian church. Whether it’s news of another scandal or questions about the perceived impact, many are apathetic, skeptical, or even opposed.

Others, who may be more sympathetic to religion in general would feel the organized church is unnecessary—that spirituality is a journey best done alone. This often sounds like “I’m spiritual but not religious.”

But even within the church, the reasons people identify for being part of a church can be good, but somewhat lacking. Some come looking for community. Some come looking for a spiritual experience. Some appreciate church primarily for its positive social impact. And others come to instill good values or morals in their kids. All good things that (hopefully) you find in church today, but these reasons aren’t enough to sustain a life deeply rooted in the church.

What happens when the community doesn’t come together like you hoped it would? Or what happens when a church that does a lot of good in the city also harms someone unintentionally? Or what happens when all those years of instilling good values don't result in the kids you hoped to raise?

The truth is, we need a more theologically rich and robust understanding of why the church matters than simply good vibes, good coffee or even good community, as important as that is. Thankfully, we find it on practically every page of the story of scripture, if we have eyes to see it.

Here’s how many people understand the metanarrative of scripture:
1) Creation 2) Fall 3) Redemption 4) Restoration

This is a helpful paradigm, but it’s incomplete. Because in this framework we jump from “Fall” in Genesis 3, to “Redemption” in Matthew 1 with the story of Jesus, and conveniently skip over 926 chapters of the Old Testament—or the majority of the Bible. And then we wonder why nobody bothers to read the Old Testament anymore.

So what is it exactly that we’re missing in those 926 chapters? The slow formation of a community, set apart by God, in order to bring blessing to the whole world. This is the backdrop for the entire Old Testament. It’s God, entering into a covenant with an ordinary and peculiar people—starting with Abram who eventually become the Israelites—in order to form them into people of blessing. It’s why we get all those strange laws, and why the Israelites wander for 40 years, and why God cares so much about themes like justice, idolatry and obedience.

Put it another way: God’s deep desire is to see people flourish in every sense of the word but the way he chooses to accomplish this is through an ordinary, messy group of people learning to live like family.

Why does this matter? Because when we jump to the New Testament we find the same pattern. Yes, Jesus fulfills the law and the promises, and does what the Israelites always failed to do. But he also continues with the same strategy God has always had: the formation of a distinct people group who learn to live like family and in doing so, become people of blessing.

Jesus calls twelve disciples to him, just like the 12 tribes of Israel. He gives them the sermon on the mount like the Israelites receive the law on Mount Sinai. At his last supper he talks about a new covenant in his blood, not the blood of an animal. And then he commands his disciples to go and be his witnesses, and make more disciples, which is what we see throughout the rest of the New Testament.

Here’s the point: Church is much more than a social club, or a place of good values, or a shot of inspiration and good coffee to inspire us for the week ahead. For reasons none of us can understand, the way that Jesus chooses to reveal himself and accomplish his redemptive work in the world today is through his covenant people, or what we now call, the church. The church is the vehicle for the world to know Jesus.

In the same way God was forming the Israelites to be a people of blessing, the church is like a new spiritual family, where God is forming us into his image for the flourishing of others. You don’t accidentally become more like Jesus. Nor do you become more like Jesus alone, with you and your airpods. The primary place you become more like him is in the context of a church family.

By belonging and committing to do life with a group of people you may or may not always like or want to spend time with. By worshipping together, and confessing your sin to one another, and bearing one another’s burdens, and forgiving one another, and sharing your resources, and challenging one another, and submitting to one another, and eating together, and making awkward small talk, and laughing at that one person’s jokes even though they’re not funny or borderline inappropriate.

All of that—the good, the bad, the hard, and the messy parts of belonging to a church family is how God forms us into his image, and in doing so, forms us into people of blessing. More than any sermon, community event, or building, our world needs people who look and live and love like Jesus. Our city needs people who look and live and love like Jesus. Our city needs the church in every sense of the word.

This is the story we’re invited into. It’s why church matters in 2026, and it’s what we’re aiming to cultivate at Garden Church.