Have you ever been somewhere and thought to yourself, “Something just seems off”? For instance, maybe you were at Chick-fil-A and the cashier didn’t say, “My pleasure.” Those two words are so woven into the culture of Chick-fil-A that it feels strangely out of place when you don’t hear them.

In Romans 15:4–7, Paul paints a beautiful picture of the church using words like “hope,” “harmony,” and “welcome.” But as we compare that picture to our own experience, we may find ourselves thinking that something feels off. We read about the hope Jesus gives, but do we feel hopeful? We see the harmony Scripture describes, but are we experiencing it? We hear that we’re called to welcome one another, but is that reflected in the culture of our church?