The Broken Bride
Redefining the Church
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During one evening, as I was reading her these verses for the umpteenth time and looking at the cute little bear images that accompany each page, something occurred to me that never had before. Not on one page of this children’s book is there a picture or painting or illustration of Jesus. Instead, there are images of a little bear family doing everyday things. A momma bear and papa bear reading the Bible for the first time with their little one, fishing for the first time, checking on the chickens, painting Easter eggs with a small sign in the kitchen that reads, “Bear with each other and forgive [in bold letters],” baby bear playing and sharing with the neighbors, singing, dancing, baking and sharing (again) the cookies with the friends, and then camping, walking, and finally carrying each other home to snuggle in bed finishing the chorus “Yes, Jesus loves me!” And for the first time, I realized what this little children’s book is illustrating: us (you and me albeit through a bear family) sharing the love of Jesus with all of those around us. Not Jesus walking and singing these verses to little ones, but us. You and I empowered by the Spirit and enamored by the love of Christ fellowshipping and sharing, “Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves you! Yes, Jesus loves us! The Bible tells me so.” And this is the illustration of Jesus. I guess He was in there after all.
I know this may seem like a lot from a children’s book, but doesn’t this speak volumes about how difficult we make scripture? We have managed to misrepresent, misspeak, misinterpret, and just plain miss the mark on the word of God. Pastors and leaders have become superfluous and winded concerning God’s word in direct relation to opinion, politics, the purse, and agenda. We preach Jesus but fail to show Him, fail to walk like Him, fail to love like Him, and fail to be His bride.
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About the Book
The Americanized church culture as we know it is broken, hurting, and missing our greatest responsibility: to love God and love people right where they are. We have become more invested in the superficial needs of man rather than leaving the four walls and becoming the bride.
Using the realities of life and conversations, The Broken Bride explores our need to get back to basics in Christ and revolutionize how we daily think of church and people to mend the broken bride. In this reflection, author and pastor Loni M. Stankan helps redefine the hurt church into the divine definition of the bride of Christ as the father intended.
Filled with wisdom and advice from living and walking the faith with other believers, Stankan challenges your perception and role of the traditional American church. She encourages Christians to rise up from the megachurches to megacommunities filled with love and grace rooted in the love of Christ and unified in one mind and one spirit.
About the Author
Loni M. Stankan has been on a journey with Christ through everything from marriage and parenting, to teaching, to writing, and to pastoring. She believes God is a God of detail and impeccable timing. She loves developing beautiful relationships, watching God build his kingdom, Jesus, and has a passion to see the church rise up and wise up in love and service as the bride of Christ. Stankan and her husband, Jeremy, have three children.