Lone Ranger Christianity?

Screenshot 2019-06-15 at 2.50.26 PM“I am a Christian. I just don’t go to church anymore.”

“I don’t have to go to church in a building to worship. I am closer to God when I am on the beach, the mountain trails, or in nature.”

“Saul, Saul. why do you persecute me?“

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4-5).

Saul had never met Jesus. How could he have? By the time Saul was persecuting the church Jesus had already ascended to heaven and was no longer even on planet earth!

How could Saul be persecuting Jesus? Jesus wasn’t even around. And, besides, Saul was persecuting Christians and the church, not Jesus.

The church is the body of Christ. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a part of the body of Christ – the church.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS AND NOT BE A PART OF HIS BODY, THE CHURCH.

No local expression of the church represents the whole of church. However, every local congregation is a local expression of the whole church.

No. No local congregation is perfect. Every local congregation is flawed because she is made up of flawed people.

But, Christ is present there. The local church is a legitimate and Christ-ordained expression of who we are supposed to be as the body of Christ.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a part of Christ’s body and community. It is impossible to do solo Christianity. There is no such thing.

How God Views Sin

God views sin as a sickness and illness that needs a cure, not as a crime that needs to be punished.

Many of us have a wrong and twisted view of God, for we view him as a wrathful God who wants to punish sinners.

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Imagine a hospital room where a small child is dying of an illness sitting with her dad. What parent on planet earth would ever look at his own child dying of an illness and declare, “Shame on you!”

No parent would ever do that.

And this is exactly how some view God. This misunderstanding is a gross perversion of who God is. This is the devil at work to twist the love and character of God.

It is true that God hates sin. God hates sin because it’s killing his children. So God sent his Son to die for our sins, so that whoever should believe in him will not perish but have ever lasting life.

Sin is a disease and illness that needs a cure. That’s the gospel. That’s good news!

So, listen. Listen real good. God loves you!

Greeters – The First Impression of God’s Welcome

Screenshot 2019-05-27 at 4.24.23 PMWithin the first three minutes after a guest or visitor has entered into our parking lots they have already decided whether they like the church or not, whether they will return or not.

Three minutes!

The pastor hasn’t even had a chance to say hello.

First impressions matter. First impressions absolutely matter.

Few ministries are as important as greeters. The greeters set the tone for those visiting our congregations. Greeters of the first face guests encounter. Greeters are the first impression guests have of the welcome and grace of Jesus Christ.

I share the story Nicky Gumbel (the Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton, and the founder of Alpha) about the important role greeters play.

Aged thirty-three, Barbara Claphane came to live in London. She decided she was going to look for a church. One Sunday morning, she arrived at HTB. The young woman who was welcoming people at the door smiled at her and asked her name. Because of that smile, Barbara came back the following week. When she walked in the next Sunday the same person said, “Hello Barbara!”

Because the person on the door remembered her name, she decided that she was going to come back every Sunday. That was in 1947. From then on Barbara came almost every Sunday until she died, soon after celebrating her 100th birthday. She made a huge impact on the life of HTB (including running the finances of the church for many years). I wonder whether the young woman on the door had any idea of the difference she made by remembering Barbara’s name.

Greeters, you are the first impression people will have of the welcoming face of Christ. Thank you for your amazing ministry!