I’m a huge Pinterest fan and I love pinning quotes. I love quotes that are motivational, quotes that brighten your day, and most of all quotes about God. While pinning away, I found a quote that really made me think. It’s about the church and the people that make it the place it is today.

Church isn’t a museum for good people. It’s a hospital for the broken.

When I first came across this quote all I could think about was how true it is. Many people think that only good people go to church and unless they are good too, they aren’t invited. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

We are far from perfect. Every Sunday, we acknowledge that fact in what we say and do during the service. We confess our sins, the commandments we have broken during the week. We ask God for forgiveness. In our confession we say, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9

We are part of the church because we need healing. We can only find forgiveness, the healing of our souls, and restoration of our relationship with God in Christ.

Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. – Matthew 9:22

When we gather with our congregation we worship, we give thanks, we praise our redeemer. Our Lord Jesus Christ has taken all of our sins away from us, has healed us. We are convinced of this because of the scriptures we read, we are assured of this in the sermons given each Sunday, and we celebrate this in the hymns we sing.

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works for service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-13

Don’t ever think that churches are museums for good people! They are gathering places where miracles take place, people are forgiven, cared for, loved, baptized, and all healed. Churches are hospitals where God serves His people and heals the broken.

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from the wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your heats into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.– 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5