Does church short change believers?

I've begun re-reading Mark's gospel in preparation for preaching the second half of it in the Autumn.  As I read I came across familiar verses, "there is no-one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and the gospel, who will not receive a hundred fold now in this time... and in the ages to come eternal life."  I then ended up discussing just that very idea later in the day with someone else.  And it got me thinking, Jesus says those who count the cost and give up those things, specifically family, will be blessed with his family.  The church is God's means of fulfilling Jesus promise to those who pay that price.

That is a staggering statement, an amazing promise.  But are we failing in keeping it?  Are we short changing people who have given up to follow Jesus?  I remember a conversation with a friend of mine not long after he got married having been a single professional for a long time.  The biggest difference was all the invitations they as a couple had to come over for a meal which he had never received when he was single.  That testimony shows us a huge problem if that is replicated in the church.  We are not being God's family to those who have left family, or moved away from family, are estranged from family, or have no family.

Having someone round for a meal is not the answer, it is just symptomatic of the problem, though inviting a wider range of people would be a good start.  The bigger issue is to do with generosity and hospitality, with love and reshaping church to be family.  We need to reshape our picture of church and our very British values and view of our homes.  Our family is our church, that means we are to be doing life together, that means we should be in and out of each others homes, not just on special occasions but in the mundane.

This is especially vital with single people who may feel they are missing out on a family.  Invite them to share in family mealtimes, in family days out, in life.  As a family, as their church family be their brothers, sisters, and children.  Do the same for students, for the widowed, the elderly, the single, the teenager, and the divorced, in fact make that your norm no matter who its with.

Can you imagine the attractiveness of a church that rediscovers this call to be family?  The witness to the wonder of the gospel as people share with their non-believing friends the joys and struggles of their church family which they share in and where they are loved, welcomed, and valued.  The opportunities to grow in grace and love.  The strength of relationships and increase in possibilities to speak the truth in love to one another across societies normal boundaries.

Would it create a church with no narrowly defined specific need groups?  No singles ministry, no twenties and thirties group, no seniors bible study?  It may change that it may not, but it would certainly ensure that those groups didn't divide church.  That church was a big family rather than a collection of small families.

Jesus envisages church as a blessing, as a family, as inclusive and welcoming and loving.  Dare we allow the church to be anything less?