Story time:

Story time:

My wife and I first attended Summit 13 years ago. There was a small coffee bar in the foyer and the church bulletin was well-designed and glossy. There were video trailers before the sermon.

I was offended.

I was thinking of my old church in New Haven, CT.
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It had no money. The church bulletin was printed five minutes before service by the church secretary. We rented space from a SDA church.

"That's a *real* church," I thought to myself. "Not this Joel Osteen stuff."

But we stayed for the service.
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The worship songs were theologically rich, and I still remember the sermon. Trevor Atwood preached on adoption from Ephesians. He had adopted two sons internationally, and he preached the glorious doctrine of our adoption as sons of God.

"This isn't Joel Osteen." I thought. 3/

I asked the campus pastor to have coffee. I explained my concerns: "Why does the church look so fancy? Why couldn't this money be given to the poor?"

Pastor Brad explained. "Our church used to look much more modest. But in the South, when a church looks poor, it's because 4/

the members don't care about church. They keep their money for themselves. A nice-looking church is a way that we make people feel welcome and show that we take church seriously."

(Brad was sent out from Summit ~10 years ago to replant a church in downtown Baltimore) 5/

That gave me pause. "What if *I'm* the one focusing on externals?" I thought. "What if *I'm* being just as superficial as the guy who won't come to church because the chairs are uncomfortable?"

Three days later I had a seizure and was rushed to the hospital with a brain tumor 6/

Pastor Brad (whose church I had attended 1 time) visited me in the hospital. Nurses who were Summit members prayed with me. That Sunday, they showed our family picture during service and prayed for us as a congregation. The deacons painted our kitchen. This was John 15 love. 7/

The bottom line is that externals are secondary.

We can and should ask whether the externals are biblical and wise. But wherever the gospel is preached and the Christian life is being lived out, we should rejoice. 8/8