Kick Excuses to the Curb

It’s easy to make excuses during new situations. In fact, if we’re honest, excuses keep us from attending church all the time. “I had a bad church experience,” “I don’t want to go alone,” “I don’t know what to expect,” “My children might not like it,” “Sunday is my only day off. “ Unfortunately, those excuses also keep us from making connections and building a community of people to experience life with.

“I didn’t want to take my children to a formal church like the one I grew up in,” Laurel Beard said. “This was keeping me from plugging into a church.”

Laurel heard about Access Church from her brother. “My brother and I have similar style and taste, so I decided to join him at Access and give it a try.” Laurel immediately liked the casual and comfortable atmosphere. She loved the way technology was used to enhance the experience. Andy Stanley’s video messages were relevant and applicable.

Laurel decided attending “Starting Point” with her husband would be a great next step for them. It was an opportunity for her to see that, at Access Church, she would never be pushed to do something she wasn’t comfortable with. “It was such a welcoming environment without any uncomfortable activities or expectations,” she said.

Building community has been difficult for Laurel because one of her children struggles with separation. This has kept her from fully immersing herself in community through Access, but it has not discouraged her from trying. She is working with Fia Cronin to get involved in a Strategic Service opportunity that fits her family’s needs. She will soon be volunteering with the administrative team since that is something she can do at home.

Hopefully Laurel’s story will illuminate the need for all of us to kick excuses to the curb and allow God to weave our story into the story of His church.