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The Spiritual Discipline of Gratitude for the Church: 5 Ways

The Spiritual Discipline of Gratitude for the Church: 5 Ways

Last updated on: December 1, 2024 at 6:06 pm by Jeff McLain

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The Spiritual Discipline of Gratitude for the Church: 5 Ways 2024-12-01T18:06:34-05:00 Jeff McLain

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Gratitude for the Church Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.

As we reflect on the Thanksgiving season, we find ourselves thankful for many things – our families, homes, and vocations, to just name a few. Recently, I blogged about the role of gratitude in our work, worship, and the spaces where we live and play. Gratitude in every area and arena of life is important. This is also an appropriate time to express gratitude for the church. I am thankful for the church in all its diverse shapes, sizes, forms, rhythms, traditions, convictions, and ways of gathering. As followers of Jesus, we’re called not only to be thankful for the church but to love it, because Jesus Himself founded it, commissioning it to be His hands and feet in the world. Without love for the church, we lack the foundation necessary to call it to growth, change, or renewal. We cannot change what we don’t love.

The Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos is inspired by the simplicity encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 4:11—living quiet, devoted lives in a noisy, complicated world. This pursuit of simplicity has not only changed how I live every day, but it has led me to be part of a smaller and simpler church community of Jesus followers seeking to live differently, and I am deeply thankful for that (but it’s not without its challenges). I believe that cultivating a discipline of gratitude is especially meaningful for those of us leading and participating in smaller, close-knit congregations, as it helps us stay connected, committed, and grounded in our shared purpose.

Learning to love the church in all forms.

I haven’t always loved the church. My spiritual journey began as a disillusioned event promoter and spiritual wanderer. Yet over time, as I followed Jesus more closely, I realized that loving Jesus also meant loving what Jesus loves—which included the church. I have experienced many aspects of the church. Personally, I am a reflective continuist who began as a disillusioned event promoter and spiritual pilgrim. I consider myself a critically thinking, open-minded evangelical with mostly orthodox convictions. Along the way, I’ve journeyed from an upbringing in fundamentalism to a long spiritual pilgrimage through the Vineyard Movement, drawing from various theological influences. I’ve embraced Quaker disciplines and discovered shared convictions within Anabaptism. While I may not find a “home” in every church, nor share convictions with them all, I am deeply thankful for the church and much of its expressions and history. That hasn’t always been the case for me, but the more I taste and see that the Lord is good, and the more I witness the diverse ways church communities reflect God’s character, the more my appreciation grows. There’s a story of C. Peter Wagner and John Wimber visiting various churches during their time at Fuller Seminary. As they stepped into each unique context, their hearts expanded with love for each church, sensing God’s presence and purpose in its distinct expression. If I remember the story correctly, Wimber often remarked that Wagner would exclaim in each context, “I love this church; I could make my home here,” and I find myself growing in a similar way, learning to see and love the beauty in different church communities.

Gratitude for the church is a spiritual discipline.

Expressing gratitude for the church is more than just a good practice; it’s a spiritual discipline modeled throughout the New Testament. Paul consistently demonstrated this in his letters, beginning with his heartfelt thanks to the church in Ephesus: “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:15-16). Similarly, in his letter to the Philippians, he encourages them by saying, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy” (Philippians 1:3-5). In Colossians 1:3-4, Paul again expresses his gratitude for the faith and love demonstrated by the church in Colossae, acknowledging their love for all of God’s people. To the struggling Thessalonians, Paul roots his entire letter in gratitude, culminating in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3: “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” Here, Paul showcases his thankfulness for their faithful work and steadfastness. Even when addressing challenges, like those in Corinth, Paul opens with gratitude: “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:4).

This pattern of modeling gratitude continues in Romans 1:8, Philemon 1:4-5, and is embodied by the early church, who gathered with “glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46). Paul wasn’t expressing gratitude to flatter these churches (though honey does catch more flies); he was modeling a spirit of collective thankfulness, encouraging them to be grateful for their community. Gratitude realigns the church, unifies believers, and fosters an awareness of God’s work in our lives and communities. Through gratitude, we become more attuned to God’s presence and purpose in our lives and our church communities. Again, I will say, expressing gratitude for the church is more than just a good practice; it’s a spiritual discipline modeled throughout the New Testament.

Gratitude Leads To An Expectant Future

I am deeply grateful for the church in all its diverse shapes, sizes, forms, rhythms, traditions, convictions, and ways of gathering—but that doesn’t mean I’m always content with it as it is. In fact, the more grateful I am for the church, the more appreciation and love I develop for it. In fact, the more I love and appreciate the church, the more I long for it to grow into the fullness of what Jesus envisioned. Love fuels this desire for change. This deepening gratitude fuels my desire to see it thrive and fills me with hope for its future. Gratitude shifts our focus from limitations to possibilities, fostering a sense of expectancy for what God can do in and through the church.

Paul models this balance beautifully. In his spiritual discipline of being grateful for the church, Paul consistently models gratitude for the church while maintaining an expectant vision for its future, encouraging believers to grow in faith, love, and perseverance. Paul’s letters balance thankfulness for their current faithfulness with a hopeful call to greater maturity and unity in Christ, reflecting a posture of both appreciation and anticipation. He appreciates, but in his appreciation, Paul raises the bar. Reflecting on the church with gratitude leads naturally to envisioning its future with hope.

Five Practical Ways of Cultivating Gratitude for the Church

Perhaps loving the church and being grateful for it isn’t always as easy as it seems it should be. Yet, I believe Paul demonstrates that gratitude for the church (globally and locally) is a spiritual discipline—one that involves being thankful, expressing that gratitude, and lovingly challenging the church from a place of deep appreciation. In our pursuit of cultivating gratitude for the church, I offer five practices to help cultivate gratitude for the church.

Pray for and Celebrate the Global Church. Find a church community around the world that stirs your compassion. Discover the unique witness of your chosen community, and pray gratefully for its unique witness, recognizing how God is working through their context and challenges.
Pray for and Celebrate the Unfamiliar. Choose a church movement different from your own—maybe even one you struggle to understand or find yourself opposed too. Research it, pray for it, and celebrate how even in its shortcomings, it has a way of enriching the global church in ways your own community might not.
Pray for and Celebrate Your Church Community. Set aside time each day to thank God for specific aspects of your church—its leaders, members, and even the small joys. This habit deepens appreciation and strengthens your connection to your faith community.
Speak and Celebrate Your Gratitude Publicly. Like Paul, express your gratitude openly. Write notes of encouragement, thank those who’ve made an impact, or share publicly on social media what your church has meant to you. Your words can contagiously inspire and uplift others.
Challenge with a Grateful Heart. Before offering critique, ensure your heart is filled with gratitude. Share your hopes for growth and impact from a place of love and appreciation, inviting others to dream and pray alongside you. Gratitude fuels positive change.

Closing Thoughts

Gratitude for the church cultivates love, and love cultivates gratitude. We cannot change what we don’t love, and we cannot love the church without recognizing its God-given role as Christ’s hands and feet. Gratitude must be a spiritual discipline that reshapes how we engage with the church. We cannot change what we don’t love. By fostering a heart of gratitude, we not only honor what God has done but also open ourselves to what He is doing and will continue to do. Paul’s letters demonstrate this beautifully—balancing thankfulness with an expectant hope for future growth. Likewise, our gratitude for the church, with all its diversity and imperfections, inspires us to remain committed and hopeful for what lies ahead. This Thanksgiving season, let us remember to be thankful for the church—its people, its mission, and its impact—knowing that our gratitude can ignite a vision of hope and transformation.

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About Jeff McLain

Through 'Lead a Quiet Life,' Jeff McLain explores his pursuit of simplicity in a tumultuous world as he serves as the Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission and as pastor at River Corner Church. Jeff's commitment to Jesus as been shaped by an unconventional journey from activism to hitchhiking, is reflected in his academic pursuits and throughout his involvement with various initiatives. Residing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jeff, along with his wife and three daughters, embraces family moments outdoors, while his love for baseball, boardwalks, beaches, and books adds depth to his vibrant life. You can read more about the author here.

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