messy_christianity

Funny thing about Christianity is that no one is born into it. Ever think about that? No one in this room has been a Christian their whole life. And even if you and your spouse are Christ followers, when it comes to having children you can't "green slip" them into Christianity.

In my weird off-beat way I often refer to being a Christ follower as "being in the Jesus Club." A club is something you join, something you commit to. In this room now lot's of people are in the Jesus club. Some may be fuzzy to whether you're IN it or not. Some of you know you're NOT in but for reasons you can't explain, you're curious about it & that's OK.

Just like the one girl on the phone in the drama who didn't have anything good to say about Christians or church, there are people we know; in our neighborhood, or at work, or in our family that have ZERO desire to even be in the Jesus club.

It's like this: before people join a club (Country club, Elks, golf club, euchre club, Harley club etc) they look at it's members the people in the club; they look at who they are, what they do, what they're about. They look at them from a distance before they even think about joining.

If a club is "snooty" & you dig snooty people, then you're into it; if not, you're repelled by it. If the people are very "down to earth" and you dig that vibe, then you're into it. If they like what you like, if they value what you value, you're into it.

And when we talk about the Jesus Club there are clearly two opposite views of it; one view is an INSIDE look and the other view is from the OUTSIDE:

1. The INSIDE view is people who have grown up in a healthy church where God was moving and people were living what was talked about on Sun. It was a community of people who were REAL with each other; people who didn't pretend to be something they weren't. It was a place where God wasn't some "story book" figure but a REAL part of people's lives.

People like this think, "Why doesn't EVERYONE want to be a part of this? What would keep anyone from getting out of bed to experience THIS? I cannot understand how EVERYONE doesn't want to be in the Jesus Club!?"

Towards the end of the drama, we got a sense that the girl (left- Lindsay) had been part of a church like this for a while.

2. Then the OUTSIDE view of the Jesus Club is from people who didn't grow up in church. Or maybe the church they attended didn't quite function like God intended it to be. They see church as a place where people say one thing on Sunday and do another on the other 6 days of the week. They see church as a place where people put up a "polite front" to each other never really revealing who they really are.

And people like this think; well, like this girl (right Christy). When talking about the Jesus Club they use words like "hypocrites." Maybe they've seen more than one televangelist get in trouble for financial wrongdoings. Maybe they've seen far too many news clips of "angry" Christians with scowls on their faces carrying signs protesting this or yelling at that.

Or like in the drama, maybe the person on the OUTSIDE of Christianity simply has some friends who go to church but who still live a pretty "messy" life; may they just aren't very good examples of what a Christ followers is.

"I don't think I want to be part of that. I know I don't have it together but at least I'm not a hypocrite going to church on Sunday and acting like I do." ///

Hypocrisy is funny deal. Clearly it repels people outside the church (duh!). AND it tends to stir up people INSIDE the church as well.

And it's not said in a spirit of GLADNESS or appreciation that this person's actually IN A CHURCH (which it SHOULD be!!) But the spirit of the comment is little cynical or smacks a tad of being "holier than thou."

It's as if after we come to church for a while we may be tempted to make comments or observations of people who aren't as "together" as we "think" we are ;-)

And like I said when I started, none of us were born as Christ followers, so all of us are in the NEVER-ENDING process of being less like our old self and more like Jesus. And because we're all in-process, it's easy for us to point out faults in others who are a little further behind our own growth curve. Let me show you what I mean.

And here's an interesting sidebar: Have you ever noticed that the things that tend to fire us up in other people; the things we CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE are the things that we tend to struggle with ourselves? Ever notice that? (Personally I HATE that about myself!)

"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye, when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."

Here's my paraphrase of this verse; it's like Jesus is saying: "Don't be the Jesus police! Why don't you worry most about the stuff you and I both know YOU need to work on. Just steer clear of hypocrisy, ok?"

From this verse we pick-up on the reality that even a couple thousand years ago, even when Jesus was there to be an "in-the-flesh" example for Christians, (just like now) all the Christ followers didn't have it all together either.

And notice in this verse, Jesus isn't alarmed that each of these Christ followers had some kind of wood in their eye; some kind of problem in their life. Jesus doesn't seem alarmed that neither of these two people had it 100% together. It's as if he acknowledges that it's normal for humans to have unresolved stuff going on.

Now check this out: In the book of Matthew 28:19 ppt there's this "little" cornerstone piece of Christianity called "The Great Commission." A "commission" is a "command." It's not called the

The Great Commission is Jesus Christ's parting shot. He's been crucified, put in the tomb, been raised from tomb and returned. These are his LAST WORDS to us. A person's last words tend to be pretty important. It's what's dearest to their heart, it's what's most important to them.

Jesus says, "Hey, you people with everything from sawdust to a Sequoia Tree in your eyes; go hang out with world-followers and help them to become Christ followers." He says, "Yes, YOU, I know you're flawed, I know you're not perfect, but go make disciples; it'll be OK, trust me!" /// ppt title

Christianity is messy because it's made up of flawed people. Not one of us is perfect yet we're all called by the Great Commission to bring people into the Jesus Club...

We're called as imperfect examples to bring other imperfect people into the perfect presence of God. Churches are full of a bunch of people who stumble, fall and make messesand in the midst of our imperfection we try to recruit world-followers into becoming Christ followers. Now that sounds messy to me! (say amen!?)

You and I try really hard to live a God-honoring life. We try hard to be who God wants us to be. We try hard to live a life that lines up with Scripture. But when you look at Scripture and the people God used, there's a theme.

In the Bible, the people God used had: character flaws, moral failures. They were stubborn, hard-headed, not-so-bright, disobedient, murderers, prostitutes, slaves.

So the next time we start to get goofed-up because of the splinter in someone's eye, or the next time we start to get judgmental about who-knows-what, let's just be real clear that there is NO passage in the Bible that resembles this:

"Then Morgan of Kokomo messed up so badly that even God Himself didn't know what to do and so God's plan of reconciling people to Himself came to an abrupt end." 1 Morgalonians 3:1 *

Hear me on this: There are plenty of verses encouraging us to do our best, to be "salt" and to be "light" in our communities, to be good examples of the God that we follow. Our lives are supposed to shinethat's the idea we see all through the New Testament.

But think upon this: Throughout the Bible as we see all the people of God blow it, God's plans never cease. Throughout all the human failures, God continues to be God and His agenda will not be denied because of something that you or I do.

There's no Scripture verse like this* because God is bigger than our failures. Our shortcomings won't stop God of the Universe. So when other people blow it, let's chill. Let's not be the Jesus Police.

And when your friend blows it (we all will) and you want to reach for the splinter in his/her eye, look in the mirror first. Check your spirit: ppt

Do you have room to talk? ppt "Hello pot, this is the kettle could I have a word with you in regard to your blackness?"

Is this a conversation God wants you to initiate? Or is this a convo that YOU want to have? ppt We humans have strong convictions, strong emotions, strong opinions. It's so important to when it's our own flesh reaching for our brother's splinter. /////

I want to shift gears a little & refer back to the drama for a few, especially the girl on the right. click here to read dram a

When some of you saw that drama you may have thought it was a little crass, "How could people really think that way?" You may think that only a small percentage of people have this kind of a view of Christianity.

Here's the "behind the scenes" story on that drama. I wrote it. I've written several dramas over the years and this one probably wrote itself quicker than any others I'd written. For a very simple reason: Those were things I had said as a teenager. That was a page out of the book of how I viewed Christianity as an OUTSIDER who didn't grow up in church.

Trust me, this is a common sticking point for people who have NO INTEREST in coming to church. If there's someone you know who won't even try Oakbrook one time, I'll bet you a coke that the "hypocrisy" deal is in their top 2 or 3 reasons for not WANTING to come.

OK, now imagine that you've never heard of the Dave Matthews Band ppt (this will be a stretch for some, not for others) And a friend is trying to tell you how good they are :

So you're like, "That sounds pretty cool. I can't imagine what it sounds like but sure man, I'd like to check them out."

Then later that evening your kid's middle school is having its fall concert. In the middle of it the music teacher for the 6th grade band steps up to a mic (feedback)and he says,

"Uh parents we have a "special" treat for you tonight. These fine young musicians have been working for weeks and we'd like to play for you the song, Ants Marching by the "David" Matthews Band. I really think you'll enjoy this."

And so you're like, "Eeexcellent! Jason Lee was just telling me about Dave Matthews a little bit ago! I can't wait to hear this!"

And then the 6th grade band starts playing and what you hear is, "Squeak, squawk, wrong note. There's no cool violin player, no cool guitar player who dances kind of silly while he plays, they DO have saxophones BUT it's not cool and after all of about 14 seconds you're like,

"THIS is what the Dave Matthews Band sounds like?!! This is LAME. Alright?! Hello?! This doesn't match up with what I was told. This is NOT cool. If this is what the Dave Matthews Band is like, then I think I've heard enough. Thanks! Check please!"

So when I was younger and hung up on hypocrisy in the church, what I was doing was watching people, I was watching the 6th grade band and I was saying,

"THIS GUY is what it is to be a Christian?! This doesn't match up with what I was told this is not cool. If this is what Christianity looks, sounds, and acts like, then I think I've seen & heard enough. Thanks! Check Please!"

So how do you know what the Dave Matthews Band is really like? (pause) You have to experience the Dave Matthews Band (DMB live DVD clip of Ants Marching)

I got from being a cynical seeker hung-up on hypocrites, to being a sold-out, full-on, take-no-prisoners Christ follower by listening to the real deal, by looking for Jesus Christ, not a 6th grade band. (pause)

"As He walked along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow Me,' Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.'" Mark 2:14

The truth is some of us have times in our walk when we don't play Jesus music very well. Once in a while our walk is more like a 6th grade band than the Dave Matthews Band.

And I want you to know that if right now if you're still not sure that you're in a relationship with Christ, that I'll do everything I can do to live a life that honors God and I hope and I pray that my life is an example to you.

BUT. You can't base your faith on me, or ANYONE ELSE. The only way you can really tell what Christianity looks, sounds, feels, and tastes like is to put your focus on Jesus. Jesus was the only example of someone who didn't stumble and didn't fall.

I say, "yes, you're right. Now can I tell you about Jesus? In addition to paying our way into heaven; God also knew I wasn't going to always play Jesus Music very well, so in the Gospels He documented His Son's life. If you look at HIS life in those books you'll notice Jesus had perfect pitch, perfect harmony and perfect rhythm."

The truth about people in the Jesus Club is that at one time or another we ARE hypocrites. Will want to live right, we want to be shining examples of God on earth, but we all blow it once in a while. We say one thing and when we least expect it, we do the opposite. Because all Christ followers are all in-process of being more like Christ and because none of us are prefect, Christianity is messy! (pause)

You and I are messy, but God loves us anyway. Jesus the ONLY ONE who never stumbled loves us anyway accepts us anyway. Jesus, the one Perfect One, allowed a bloody mess to be made of Himself all over a cross on a Hill. And from then until Jesus comes back, His blood covers all our messiness, now and forever. ////

So what do you and I do with this mess? ppt How do we deal with each other and how in the world do we make this messy "club" attractive to world-followers???

In a word, it's honesty. What that means is owning our shortcomings and not pretending to be something we're not. ppt

ALL people (in & outside church) are attracted to honesty. When we admit that we struggle in our walk, that builds a bridge to the other person.

In response, the world-follower says, "Wow, that's not what I expected. I may actually be able to relate with you.

"What is working in my life, what I've overcome in my life, all the good things in my life, are NOT because I'm cool and got it goin on. It's because of what God has done in my life. It's not that I am some great person, it's that I am adopted by a great God."



	< back Messy Christianity -morgan young 7.11.04 Funny thing about Christianity is that no one is born into it. Ever think about that? No one in this room has been a Christian their whole life. And even if you and your spouse are Christ followers, when it comes to having children you can't "green slip" them into Christianity. In my weird off-beat way I often refer to being a Christ follower as "being in the Jesus Club." A club is something you join, something you commit to. In this room now lot's of people are in the Jesus club. Some may be fuzzy to whether you're IN it or not. Some of you know you're NOT in but for reasons you can't explain, you're curious about it & that's OK. Just like the one girl on the phone in the drama who didn't have anything good to say about Christians or church, there are people we know; in our neighborhood, or at work, or in our family that have ZERO desire to even be in the Jesus club. It's like this: before people join a club (Country club, Elks, golf club, euchre club, Harley club etc) they look at it's members the people in the club; they look at who they are, what they do, what they're about. They look at them from a distance before they even think about joining. If a club is "snooty" & you dig snooty people, then you're into it; if not, you're repelled by it. If the people are very "down to earth" and you dig that vibe, then you're into it. If they like what you like, if they value what you value, you're into it. And when we talk about the Jesus Club there are clearly two opposite views of it; one view is an INSIDE look and the other view is from the OUTSIDE: 1. The INSIDE view is people who have grown up in a healthy church where God was moving and people were living what was talked about on Sun. It was a community of people who were REAL with each other; people who didn't pretend to be something they weren't. It was a place where God wasn't some "story book" figure but a REAL part of people's lives. People like this think, "Why doesn't EVERYONE want to be a part of this? What would keep anyone from getting out of bed to experience THIS? I cannot understand how EVERYONE doesn't want to be in the Jesus Club!?" Towards the end of the drama, we got a sense that the girl (left- Lindsay) had been part of a church like this for a while. 2. Then the OUTSIDE view of the Jesus Club is from people who didn't grow up in church. Or maybe the church they attended didn't quite function like God intended it to be. They see church as a place where people say one thing on Sunday and do another on the other 6 days of the week. They see church as a place where people put up a "polite front" to each other never really revealing who they really are. And people like this think; well, like this girl (right Christy). When talking about the Jesus Club they use words like "hypocrites." Maybe they've seen more than one televangelist get in trouble for financial wrongdoings. Maybe they've seen far too many news clips of "angry" Christians with scowls on their faces carrying signs protesting this or yelling at that. Or like in the drama, maybe the person on the OUTSIDE of Christianity simply has some friends who go to church but who still live a pretty "messy" life; may they just aren't very good examples of what a Christ followers is. And as they look at the Jesus Club form a distance it is SO easy for them to conclude: "I don't think I want to be part of that. I know I don't have it together but at least I'm not a hypocrite going to church on Sunday and acting like I do." /// Hypocrisy is funny deal. Clearly it repels people outside the church (duh!). AND it tends to stir up people INSIDE the church as well. Ever thought or overheard a comment like: "Wow, what's HE/SHE doing here?" And it's not said in a spirit of GLADNESS or appreciation that this person's actually IN A CHURCH (which it SHOULD be!!) But the spirit of the comment is little cynical or smacks a tad of being "holier than thou." It's as if after we come to church for a while we may be tempted to make comments or observations of people who aren't as "together" as we "think" we are ;-) And like I said when I started, none of us were born as Christ followers, so all of us are in the NEVER-ENDING process of being less like our old self and more like Jesus. And because we're all in-process, it's easy for us to point out faults in others who are a little further behind our own growth curve. Let me show you what I mean. After God has done some work in us, it can be a little too easy to have thoughts or make statements like: "I cannot believe that Bill doesn't even read his Bible on a regular basis." "I cannot believe that the White's marriage is still stuck in the same place it's been for years." "I'll bet that Sheila isn't even praying about it." "If the Wilburns were really serious about God they wouldn't be in this mess." "Ya know the problem with Seth & Joan? They're not living a Godly example for their kids to see." What other statements have you heard or said, that have a judgmental aroma to them? And here's an interesting sidebar: Have you ever noticed that the things that tend to fire us up in other people; the things we CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE are the things that we tend to struggle with ourselves? Ever notice that? (Personally I HATE that about myself!) Here's the antidote for hypocrisy & judgmentalism. Check out today's verse from Matthew 7:1-5 nlt ppt "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye, when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." Here's my paraphrase of this verse; it's like Jesus is saying: "Don't be the Jesus police! Why don't you worry most about the stuff you and I both know YOU need to work on. Just steer clear of hypocrisy, ok?" From this verse we pick-up on the reality that even a couple thousand years ago, even when Jesus was there to be an "in-the-flesh" example for Christians, (just like now) all the Christ followers didn't have it all together either. And notice in this verse, Jesus isn't alarmed that each of these Christ followers had some kind of wood in their eye; some kind of problem in their life. Jesus doesn't seem alarmed that neither of these two people had it 100% together. It's as if he acknowledges that it's normal for humans to have unresolved stuff going on. Now check this out: In the book of Matthew 28:19 ppt there's this "little" cornerstone piece of Christianity called "The Great Commission." A "commission" is a "command." It's not called the "Pretty Good Commission." Or "The Better than Average Commission" or "Take it or Leave it Commission" but the GREAT Commission. The Great Commission is Jesus Christ's parting shot. He's been crucified, put in the tomb, been raised from tomb and returned. These are his LAST WORDS to us. A person's last words tend to be pretty important. It's what's dearest to their heart, it's what's most important to them. And in his last words Jesus tells us to go out and get everyone we can into the Jesus Club. Jesus says, "Hey, you people with everything from sawdust to a Sequoia Tree in your eyes; go hang out with world-followers and help them to become Christ followers." He says, "Yes, YOU, I know you're flawed, I know you're not perfect, but go make disciples; it'll be OK, trust me!" /// ppt title Christianity is messy because it's made up of flawed people. Not one of us is perfect yet we're all called by the Great Commission to bring people into the Jesus Club... We're called as imperfect examples to bring other imperfect people into the perfect presence of God. Churches are full of a bunch of people who stumble, fall and make messesand in the midst of our imperfection we try to recruit world-followers into becoming Christ followers. Now that sounds messy to me! (say amen!?) You and I try really hard to live a God-honoring life. We try hard to be who God wants us to be. We try hard to live a life that lines up with Scripture. But when you look at Scripture and the people God used, there's a theme. In the Bible, the people God used had: character flaws, moral failures. They were stubborn, hard-headed, not-so-bright, disobedient, murderers, prostitutes, slaves. In short, they were messy. So the next time we start to get goofed-up because of the splinter in someone's eye, or the next time we start to get judgmental about who-knows-what, let's just be real clear that there is NO passage in the Bible that resembles this: ppt "Then Morgan of Kokomo messed up so badly that even God Himself didn't know what to do and so God's plan of reconciling people to Himself came to an abrupt end." 1 Morgalonians 3:1 * Hear me on this: There are plenty of verses encouraging us to do our best, to be "salt" and to be "light" in our communities, to be good examples of the God that we follow. Our lives are supposed to shinethat's the idea we see all through the New Testament. Ppt title But think upon this: Throughout the Bible as we see all the people of God blow it, God's plans never cease. Throughout all the human failures, God continues to be God and His agenda will not be denied because of something that you or I do. There's no Scripture verse like this* because God is bigger than our failures. Our shortcomings won't stop God of the Universe. So when other people blow it, let's chill. Let's not be the Jesus Police. And when your friend blows it (we all will) and you want to reach for the splinter in his/her eye, look in the mirror first. Check your spirit: ppt Do you have room to talk? ppt "Hello pot, this is the kettle could I have a word with you in regard to your blackness?" Is this a conversation God wants you to initiate? Or is this a convo that YOU want to have? ppt We humans have strong convictions, strong emotions, strong opinions. It's so important to when it's our own flesh reaching for our brother's splinter. ///// I want to shift gears a little & refer back to the drama for a few, especially the girl on the right. click here to read dram a When some of you saw that drama you may have thought it was a little crass, "How could people really think that way?" You may think that only a small percentage of people have this kind of a view of Christianity. Here's the "behind the scenes" story on that drama. I wrote it. I've written several dramas over the years and this one probably wrote itself quicker than any others I'd written. For a very simple reason: Those were things I had said as a teenager. That was a page out of the book of how I viewed Christianity as an OUTSIDER who didn't grow up in church. Trust me, this is a common sticking point for people who have NO INTEREST in coming to church. If there's someone you know who won't even try Oakbrook one time, I'll bet you a coke that the "hypocrisy" deal is in their top 2 or 3 reasons for not WANTING to come. Ok, so that WAS me. And THIS is me today, so what happened? Let me try to explain: OK, now imagine that you've never heard of the Dave Matthews Band ppt (this will be a stretch for some, not for others) And a friend is trying to tell you how good they are : "Mix of jazz, African, pop, rock, country, reggae EVERYTHING rolled into one" THE BAND!!: Dave Carter Beuford drums Boyd Tynsley violin Leroi Moor saxes Stefan Lassard bass So you're like, "That sounds pretty cool. I can't imagine what it sounds like but sure man, I'd like to check them out." Then later that evening your kid's middle school is having its fall concert. In the middle of it the music teacher for the 6th grade band steps up to a mic (feedback)and he says, "Uh parents we have a "special" treat for you tonight. These fine young musicians have been working for weeks and we'd like to play for you the song, Ants Marching by the "David" Matthews Band. I really think you'll enjoy this." And so you're like, "Eeexcellent! Jason Lee was just telling me about Dave Matthews a little bit ago! I can't wait to hear this!" And then the 6th grade band starts playing and what you hear is, "Squeak, squawk, wrong note. There's no cool violin player, no cool guitar player who dances kind of silly while he plays, they DO have saxophones BUT it's not cool and after all of about 14 seconds you're like, "THIS is what the Dave Matthews Band sounds like?!! This is LAME. Alright?! Hello?! This doesn't match up with what I was told. This is NOT cool. If this is what the Dave Matthews Band is like, then I think I've heard enough. Thanks! Check please!" So when I was younger and hung up on hypocrisy in the church, what I was doing was watching people, I was watching the 6th grade band and I was saying, "THIS GUY is what it is to be a Christian?! This doesn't match up with what I was told this is not cool. If this is what Christianity looks, sounds, and acts like, then I think I've seen & heard enough. Thanks! Check Please!" So how do you know what the Dave Matthews Band is really like? (pause) You have to experience the Dave Matthews Band (DMB live DVD clip of Ants Marching) "Oooooh. So THAT'S what the Dave Matthews Band is! Now THAT's cool!" I got from being a cynical seeker hung-up on hypocrites, to being a sold-out, full-on, take-no-prisoners Christ follower by listening to the real deal, by looking for Jesus Christ, not a 6th grade band. (pause) Dig this Scripture: ppt "As He walked along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow Me,' Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.'" Mark 2:14 Jesus said, "Follow ME." He didn't say follow the 6th grade band. The truth is some of us have times in our walk when we don't play Jesus music very well. Once in a while our walk is more like a 6th grade band than the Dave Matthews Band. And I want you to know that if right now if you're still not sure that you're in a relationship with Christ, that I'll do everything I can do to live a life that honors God and I hope and I pray that my life is an example to you. BUT. You can't base your faith on me, or ANYONE ELSE. The only way you can really tell what Christianity looks, sounds, feels, and tastes like is to put your focus on Jesus. Jesus was the only example of someone who didn't stumble and didn't fall. So when people say to me, "All Christians are hypocrites." I say, "yes, you're right. Now can I tell you about Jesus? In addition to paying our way into heaven; God also knew I wasn't going to always play Jesus Music very well, so in the Gospels He documented His Son's life. If you look at HIS life in those books you'll notice Jesus had perfect pitch, perfect harmony and perfect rhythm." The truth about people in the Jesus Club is that at one time or another we ARE hypocrites. Will want to live right, we want to be shining examples of God on earth, but we all blow it once in a while. We say one thing and when we least expect it, we do the opposite. Because all Christ followers are all in-process of being more like Christ and because none of us are prefect, Christianity is messy! (pause) You and I are messy, but God loves us anyway. Jesus the ONLY ONE who never stumbled loves us anyway accepts us anyway. Jesus, the one Perfect One, allowed a bloody mess to be made of Himself all over a cross on a Hill. And from then until Jesus comes back, His blood covers all our messiness, now and forever. //// So what do you and I do with this mess? ppt How do we deal with each other and how in the world do we make this messy "club" attractive to world-followers??? In a word, it's honesty. What that means is owning our shortcomings and not pretending to be something we're not. ppt ALL people (in & outside church) are attracted to honesty. When we admit that we struggle in our walk, that builds a bridge to the other person. In response, the world-follower says, "Wow, that's not what I expected. I may actually be able to relate with you. And in response, the Christ follower says, "Me too. I know exactly what you mean. Can we pray about it?" So we're honest about our shortcomings. ****call band up** And secondly, we're honest about what we DO have together in our life. (repeat) Here's a verse that's repeated several times throughout the Bible: ppt As the Scriptures say, "The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done." 1 Corinthians 1:31 or this paraphrase from The Message is pretty cool too: ppt That's why we have the saying, "If you're going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God." What this verse says is, "What is working in my life, what I've overcome in my life, all the good things in my life, are NOT because I'm cool and got it goin on. It's because of what God has done in my life. It's not that I am some great person, it's that I am adopted by a great God." Instead of me elaborating on this idea, we'll let this song do it for me. ppt Miracle of Mercy** -Steven Curtic Chapman, CD Heaven in the Real World If the truth was known and a light was shown On every hidden part of my soul Most would turn away, shake their head and say he still has such a long way to go If the truth was know you'd see that the only good in me Is Jesus, oh it's Jesus If the walls could speak of the times I've been weak When everybody thought I was strong Could I show my face if it weren't for the grace Of the one who's known the truth all along If the walls could speak they'd say that my only hope is the grace Of Jesus, the grace of Jesus But, oh the goodness and the grace in Him He takes it all and makes it mine and causes his light in me to shine And he loves me with a love that never ends Just as I am not as I do Could this be real, could this be true This could only be a miracle This could only be the miracle of mercy Wrap up & prayout top o'page email morgan <back