Yesterday, Perry Noble referenced this verse found in Deuteronomy 23:12-14. It reads...
"Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. 13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. 14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you."
I love the stuff that's in the Bible. I read those verses and had a couple of thoughts.
1. Most churches are full of crap. I know too many churches that are consumed with building projects, dying in committees, and more concerned about politics than leading people to Jesus. That's crap. There are too many Christians that will travel across the planet on a $3,000 mission trip and never invite the person that works in their office to church (which is free). That's crap. There are too many church people that say they are friendly places, but then stare at the guy or girl who isn't dress right when they come to the service. Oak Leaf does not have an official position on whether or not alcohol should be sold in Bartow County, because we don't think that politics and morality is going to save anyone. We want people to start following Jesus, not just change the day they get drunk.
We are not going to be the church that says we care about our community and then do nothing about it. We're not going to say that we want to reach people and then spend all our money making sure the women's ministry has enough Beth Moore DVD's or the guys are properly outfitted for their camping trip and the kids have enough cotton candy to eat. We are going to accomplish our mission and vision...not get sidetracked on other good, but not great projects. We will not become a church that is full of crap. Dig a hole, and keep that stuff outside the camp.
2. People CAN bring their crap to church. I admit that I do not have much patience for church politics. I don't want to put up with a bunch of church people trying to feel important. I DO, however, love the fact that we are a real church for real people. People that often have real problems. I love the fact that you don't have to be perfect to come to church. Jesus hung out with sinners and prostitutes. He spoke to an adulterer when everybody else wanted to stone her. He didn't just hang out with these people to leave them in their crap, but He started where they were and love them too much to leave them there. If a pregnant teenager can't come to church and find grace and hope, then were can she go? The church is just as much for her as it is for me. The guy that cheated on his wife and feels bad about it...he's welcome. The gay guy...him too. Same with the guy that can't The church is not made up of a bunch of perfect people who listen to organ music in their Jetta's and wipe their behind with toilet paper blessed by the pope. This church is made up of a bunch of people that have problems and people that are dealing with crap.
Of course we don't want to leave people there. I wouldn't let my babies keep wearing a dirty diaper. But I love them even when they poop in them.
Cool your jets buddy...your gonna get an ulcer.
Posted by: Sir Antonius | March 24, 2007 at 06:41 PM