Church Without Walls

Maggie

LGBTQIA+ Person of Faith

Quote

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

-Matthew 18:20 (NRSV)

Devotion

I used to think church had to look a certain way. Pews and steeples, organs and offering plates, people dressed in their Sunday best nodding along to sermons that never quite made room for people like me. For a long time, I believed that if I couldn’t find Jesus in those spaces or if those spaces couldn’t find room for me, then maybe I was the problem.

But then I discovered that some of my most sacred moments happened around kitchen tables. At Pride festivals where strangers became family. In group chats at 2 AM when someone needed to know they weren’t alone. In coffee shops where we parsed out theology and trauma in equal measure, trying to figure out if there was still a place for us in this ancient faith.

Jesus’ promise in Matthew 18 is beautifully simple and radically democratic. Two or three people. That’s it. Not a building, not a denomination, not a 501(c)(3) status or a professionally trained clergy person. Just a handful of people showing up authentically, carrying Christ’s name—which is to say, carrying love—into the space between them.

For those of us who’ve been told we don’t belong in “real” churches, this verse is an invitation to stop waiting for permission. The Divine shows up where people gather with open hearts and genuine presence. God inhabits our chosen families, our support groups, our found communities. Christ is present in a Trans woman’s living room where friends gather for movie night, in the Queer couple’s backyard during Sunday brunch, in the nonbinary person’s book club discussing theology and fashion over glasses of wine.

We don’t need a building to be the church. We already are the church: whenever we show up for each other, whenever we create space for authenticity and grace, and whenever we refuse to let anyone worship alone.

Reflection

1. Where have you experienced Christ’s presence outside of traditional church settings?

2. Who are the “two or three” people in your life who help you encounter the sacred?

3. How might you create or nurture a space where others can experience belonging and divine presence?

Action

Reach out to one or two people who have been part of your spiritual journey: friends who’ve walked with you through doubt, questions, or transformation. Invite them for coffee, a walk, or a video call. Tell them what their presence has meant to you, and if it feels right, share a simple prayer or moment of gratitude together.