one of the few regrets I have Tez is that I actually don’t have the tape of the very last sermon I preached. I actually knew that I would be disappearing during the week and would never be allowed behind a pulpit again.

Imagine that…..knowing you get one last chance to say what you really really believe.

I preached from this passage.

Matthew 25

31″When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34″Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37″Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

41″Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44″They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45″He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46″Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

i think that i picture my church just as it is right now. God is the focus. Community is our goal and growing is a bi-product…

i love it

I feel safe

It feels like home

I am content and yet challenged

Its weird i feel more free in church, and able to be me, since coming out than i ever did when i was in the “closet”. I had to walk away from God, come back to God and then some great changes in church…

… and now I just love it! It is a place where i feel like all can just be.. ya know??!!

Many churches/pastors/leaders care only about how much is in the offering, how many bums were on seats that sunday and how many ‘dedicated their hearts to God’ or ‘rededicated their hearts to God’. They do not look into people’s lives. They want microwave christians. They do not have the patience, the know how, or the care factor to go on a long journey with people in their congregation. They want instant results/instant changes in people’s lives.

My observations as a former “bum on the seat”:

This is too often proven true, and appears to be the direct downside of large congregations. When a congregation gets too large, it has to either: 1- break down into smaller but linked groups, or 2- become an institution first and a community second (or unfortunately last 🙁 ). Option 1 only seems to happen after option 2: Denominations form, consisting of many churches. One christian belief I have retained is that God wants us to be a community, not an institution.

Apparently the early christians simply had small gatherings in homes. I believe this method allows for much more community – everyone would know everyone, and leaders could be pastors rather than businessmen.

40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

could this verse be easier to remember and act on in a smaller group?

The most memorably enriching church experience I’ve had was actually a small group meeting, not the sunday service. It was the only memory I can now look back on and think “this is how i think church should be”: 😀 One body, many parts 😀

Welcome QueenEsther to F2B 😀

A welcoming church as you are, would be so good and is so needed, I dont recall when Jesus ever said that only a certain criteria is allowed to hang out with Him and other Christians 😯

figment wrote

Apparently the early christians simply had small gatherings in homes. I believe this method allows for much more community – everyone would know everyone, and leaders could be pastors rather than businessmen.

There is something in that I believe, Im not against mega churches but small groups/small numbered church and a sense of an “accepting” community certainly appeals the most.