As I sit at my computer the morning after the closing General Conference ceremonies in St. Louis, I’m so grateful for my Adventist Church family and what it stands for.

The Bible uses three metaphors to describe God’s church—family, body, and bride—because they are so easy for us to identify with. In each metaphor, God is the central figure. He is the Father of the family, the Head of the body, and the Bridegroom of the bride. There is no such thing as a perfect family, body, or bride. And because we—all slightly irregular, dysfunctional, and wounded sinners in need of God’s grace—are the church, it’s not perfect either.

Even if you are new to the Adventist family, you may have discovered that fact already. Every church has its purifiers and unifiers. Purifiers are what Karl Haffner calls "decaffeinated finger pointers," whose mission is to point out family flaws. Those who criticize the church are essentially saying, "I love You, Jesus, but I can’t stand your family. I love You, but your wife is ugly. I accept You, but I reject your body." Don’t let Satan, the "accuser of our brethren," succeed in drawing your eyes away from Jesus, our only perfect example.

Unifiers don’t hold grudges or listen to finger pointers. Their mission is to foster fellowship, unity, and peace. They see difficult family members as opportunities to develop loving characters. They know family members can disappoint you, treat you badly, and be difficult to get along with, but they take the Bible seriously when it says, "You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others" (Colossians 3:13 NLT).

Speaking to the diverse, global Adventist family in St. Louis, Jan Paulsen, newly re-elected world church president, said, "I have a word of caution to anyone who is looking for bad grapes in the church: only God can safely grade people." Paulsen appealed to Adventist churches to open their doors—to be inclusive, not exclusive. "It is important to understand God is not owned by any one people, even by the people He calls His own. I want Adventist churches to be known as houses of prayer for all people," Paulsen said. "I want the Adventist family around the world to be known as a compassionate family."1

Ellen White wrote in 1902, "We should remember that the church, enfeebled and defective though it be, is the only object on earth on which Christ bestows His supreme regard. He is constantly watching it with solicitude, and is strengthening it by His Holy Spirit" (Selected Messages 2, p. 396).

I have a little verse written in the back of my Bible that says, "If every person in my church were just like me, what kind of church would my church be?" Let’s make our church a safe place where all people are accepted and loved. And let’s stand up for the bride, for God loves her and gave Himself for her. Jesus says, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples" (John 13:35 NLT).

Ann Fisher writes from Walla Walla, Washington.

1. Source: Adventist News Network