We love gathering with our local church.

Over the last few years, I began to realize that in my early 20s, in my hope to see a scattered church, I lost sight of the need for a gathered church.  This was a key theme that I grew in during my time serving with our Tacoma Soma family.

My undervaluing of the gathering was in part connected to a rightful frustration, with a Sunday-centric understanding of who the Church is, but in an unhealthy form.  It was in part connected to a desire for the church to be the church everywhere and everyday, not just the 1.5 hours we get together and sit in chairs.  I still do believe that the gathering in some way should be a huddle after which we all break to get back on the field of mission.  But to say that’s the only reason we gather, or even the main reason we gather, is simply not true. The gathering of the local church is so crucial, and so precious!

In Nitra, our three missional communities gather every Sunday morning to worship our King, to be edified by Christ-centered preaching, and to respond to the preaching of the word in prayer, giving, and communion. Much more could be said.  But that’s reason enough. And it’s reason enough to repent of my former thinking. Which I have, together with Soma Tacoma, in fact.

Part of my repentance for me personally was tied to undervaluing of preaching of the word.

In Nitra, we have a rotation of four regular teachers and preachers plus two more that visit often.  I preach about every three to four weeks, which is new fore me.  My love for God’s word has grown.  My desire to grow as a preacher has grown.

If you care to see where we’ve been and to listen to some preaching (in Slovak) then listen up HERE.

We gather in a cool space inside the old city, inside the castle walls, where the catholic bishop resides.  More on that here.