2025.06.22 | The Church Is Full of People Who Don’t Belong — And That’s the Point

September 23rd, 2025
by Hope Community

_{^{This blog is based on the sermon from June 22, 2025.}}

If the church were only for people who had it all together, I wouldn’t be here.

I used to think faith was for the polished and put-together, the ones who never missed a Sunday and always had the right answers. So when I showed up at church years ago, carrying more questions than confidence and more doubts than doctrine, I wasn’t sure there was space for me.

I still remember sitting in the back row, unsure if I was even allowed to sing the words on the screen. I didn’t grow up in church, and I didn’t know the right words or when to stand or sit.

This Sunday, Josh’s words echoed in my heart:

“The church is full of people who don’t belong. None of us belong. I don’t belong.
There’s no in-group, because apart from the cross, we are all in the out-group.”

This week’s message from Acts 15 reminded me why I’m still here. Because the gospel isn’t about proving we’re good enough. It’s about trusting that Jesus is enough.

The early church wrestled with the same question we still ask today: Who’s in, and who’s out? But God had already answered it. He welcomed Jew and Gentile, clean and unclean, rule-followers and rebels… all by grace, not by merit.

And He still does.

There’s no in-group in the kingdom of God. Not at Hope. Not in Heaven.

We’re not accepted because we checked all the boxes.

We’re welcomed because Jesus already did.

So if you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in church…

If you’ve stayed away because you didn’t think you were “church material”…

If you’ve ever looked around and wondered, “Am I the only one who doesn’t get it?” …

You’re not alone. And you’re exactly who grace is for.

There’s room for you here. Not because of what you’ve done. But because of what Jesus has done… for you, for me, for all of us misfits and mess-ups who still get to call this home.

I’m so grateful Hope has been a place where grace gets the final word, and where I’m reminded each week that I belong, not because of what I’ve done, but because of who Jesus is.

If this resonates with you, we’d love for you to hear the full message.

Catch the sermon on our YouTube channel, and know this: there’s room for you at Hope.