I want to begin this morning by sharing something that happened a couple of weeks ago. As many of you know, Brian Parsons recently underwent major surgery to remove a tumor from his head. When I visited him last time, we had a great time together. He is healing well, and his follow-up treatment is going well. During our visit, Brian kept saying how awesome this church is and how much it has meant to him and his wife, Kay, during this time.

Now, Brian can talk non-stop for over an hour—until Kay gently reminds him that I probably need to go. To be clear, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to his moving stories. He just couldn’t stop expressing how awesome this church is and how much it has cared for him and Kay. He talked about how much they enjoy being part of this community and how blessed they feel. He even shared how he has been telling every nurse and doctor about us, inviting them to come because, in his words, our church is awesome.

Listening to Brian, I couldn’t help but think, “Yes, we do have an awesome church.” This is a place where deep relationships are nurtured. It is a place where we forge bonds through welcoming smiles and hugs on Sunday mornings and through the countless calls, emails, texts, and notes that keep us connected throughout the week. It is a place where endless hours are spent organizing ministry activities, preparing worship services, and engaging in shared moments of Bible study and prayer. This is a church where love is lived out in real, tangible ways.

But let’s take a step back for a moment and ask ourselves, “What really makes a church awesome?” Is it something we should even strive for? We are comfortable with terms like “faithful” or “fruitful” because we see them in the Bible. But “awesome”? That might sound like pride to some.

Let’s read Acts 2:42-47 to explore this together,

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

When we hear the word “awesome,” we might think of something impressive, inspiring, or extraordinary. But in the context of our faith community, being an awesome church is about embodying the heart of Christ in a way that transforms lives and impacts the world around us.

The passage we just read from Acts gives us a powerful glimpse into this by telling about the life of the early church—a community that was vibrant, loving, and filled with the Holy Spirit. What made this church so awesome wasn’t merely the miracles or the growing numbers but their unwavering commitment to living out their faith in every aspect of their lives, so much so that they had “the goodwill of all the people.”

One of the key aspects of the early church was their devotion to God’s Word and prayer. The early believers were deeply connected to the teachings of the apostles and to prayer, recognizing that a strong relationship with God was the foundation of their community. This is where their awesomeness began. They understood that being an awesome church meant being grounded in Scripture and constantly seeking God’s guidance.

Does this sound like our church?

But an awesome church doesn’t stop at devotion to God alone. The early church also exemplified a spirit of generosity and service. They shared what they had, ensuring that no one among them was in need. Their generosity wasn’t just a good deed but a powerful testimony of their love for one another. Being an awesome church means looking out for one another, meeting needs within our community, and serving both within and beyond our congregation.

Does this sound like our church?

Authentic fellowship and unity were also hallmarks of the early church. The believers met together regularly, sharing meals and their lives with glad and sincere hearts. This wasn’t just about socializing but building deep, authentic relationships that united them as a family. An awesome church is one where people truly care for one another, and relationships are built on trust, love, and mutual respect. This is the kind of church where everyone knows they are welcome, where everyone can belong.

Does this sound like our church?

As the early church lived out these principles—devotion to God, generosity, and authentic fellowship—their witness and growth became undeniable. The Lord added to their daily number those who were being saved. Their witness was powerful because it was rooted in a genuine experience of God’s love and power. When we, as a church, live authentically, others are naturally drawn to the life we share in Christ. An awesome church doesn’t just maintain its numbers; it grows in both spiritual depth and influence, impacting the world around it.

Does this sound like our church?

Yet, we must also be cautious not to confuse worldly greatness with godly awesomeness. We have seen stories like Circuit City. Circuit City had the highest stock market return over a 15-year period. But then, almost out of nowhere, Circuit City declared bankruptcy. They went from good-to-great…to gone.

Furthermore, we have seen churches like Mars Hill rise rapidly. If you have listened to the podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, you may know that many of those interviewed talked about a toxic and abusive environment within the leadership. Sincere and caring people left hurt and broken because of how badly they were treated. However, the vast majority ignored it for a long time because of their success in growth. Mark Driscoll, the pastor, likened the ministry to a bus: “You either get on the bus or you get run over by the bus. But the bus ain’t gonna stop.” Does that sound like good, kind, loving leadership? Today, Mars Hill doesn’t even exist.

These stories remind us that being big, famous, or even outwardly successful doesn’t equate to being awesome in God’s eyes. Instead, Jesus taught that true awesomeness is rooted in goodness, love, and faithfulness. He summed it up perfectly in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

Matthew 22: 35-40,

[O]ne of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 28: 19-20,

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Here, Jesus calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to go into the world making disciples, teaching them to obey everything he has commanded us. These aren’t just good ideas; they are the very essence of what it means to be an awesome church. To God, something is only awesome if it is good. And goodness, as Jesus defines it, is always motivated by love and by how it contributes to the wellness of others. So, being an awesome church means that we don’t keep this goodness to ourselves but extend beyond the walls of our church to impact the world around it. Just as Brian Parsons has shared the awesomeness of our church with everyone he has encountered during his recovery, we, too, are called to share the goodness of God with those who have yet to experience it.

Are you willing to take the awesomeness we experience here beyond our walls and into the world? Are you willing to share the goodness of God with those who have yet to experience it? Our call is not to seek greatness as the world defines it but to be good in the way God defines it—through daily acts of love and service that reflect Christ’s heart. For example, I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a not-so-great place, and God used someone to stir me up to love and good works.

For this, an awesome church is a two-way street—actually, it is a multi-lane highway—where ministry flows in all directions, with everyone helping and encouraging one another as we go. Helping someone come to faith in Jesus, encouraging a brother or sister in their faith when they don’t feel they can go on, sowing seeds of God’s Word into young hearts, praying with a discouraged friend, serving the church’s mission in any number of ways, sharing new ideas for ministry—these are all examples of the awesomeness that happens here and things you can do, too. Sometimes, we might think we don’t have much to give, but God views small things as great when given from a heart of devotion and love to do good. Don’t discount what you have to give just because it doesn’t seem “big” to you. This is what will continue to make our church awesome, not just for ourselves but for those we are called to reach. Be awesome.

So, I ask you all again: Are you willing to take the awesomeness we experience here beyond our walls and into the world? Are you willing to share the goodness of God with those who have yet to experience it? As Christians, we don’t really have a choice. We can ignore this calling and be unreliable, but Jesus was clear when he asked us to love God, one another, and those who don’t yet know him. We are on a mission to share his teachings and his goodness with the world.

Let us commit to being an awesome church by being a good church, a church where love, generosity, and devotion are lived out every day, impacting not just us but everyone we encounter.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the awesomeness You have blessed us with this church. We thank you for the ways you are moving among us, shaping us, and guiding us to reflect your love and goodness. Help us to carry the goodness we experience here into the world, sharing it with those who need to know your love. Empower us to be an awesome church, not by the standards of the world, but by your standards of goodness and love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.