I have just spent time in a very wet English Lake District with folk from St Stephen’s Church Preston on their weekend away. A great mix of people from almost 0-90+ – just what church is meant to be. There is no theology of ageist, niche-marketing Christianity in the bible. Anyone, any age, any sex, from any social strata can join.

A weekend in the Lakes is always great. Being with a church, with people who love Jesus and are doing their best to walk with each other in Him is a taste of heaven.

We have been led to believe that heaven is getting away from it all; a turquoise sea with an empty white beach and no people. God’s picture of heaven is quite different! It is a community of His people, from every tribe and language and people and nation in a city so huge it is well over a thousand miles cubed! It is a bright, brilliant, bejewelled, radiant with the glory of the presence of God city, full of His people.

Being with a bunch of people struggling pupa from cocoon like, to become a beautiful butterfly or bride…well it was just a taste of heaven.

PAG