It Is Good To Be Uncomfortable

This morning I am going to type for a little before I come up with a title. I had one last night, but I forgot it.

I got to visit the future site for C3 last night. I am excited to think about the all the new possibilities that the move to the theater will bring.

It's funny, last night we (Andrea, Amanda, and Ariel) were talking about how our church has opened doors to a whole new variety of people. Even people we might have "burned at the stake" a few years ago because of their lifestyle. I ask myself, "Who will show these people Christ's love?" Before I would have been appalled to think "these" people could be in my church influencing my children. But, like I said.....Who will show them Christ's love? What church will these people go to? Am I expecting first for these people to be saved by some street missionary, before they are allowed in church? Or a seminar on how to act in church or the right and wrong things to say when you first start coming. No, of course not.

A while back I read something that Ed Young said at a conference about members feeling uncomfortable at church. Actually here are a couple of the comments that freaked me out when I first read them.

• "The moment people stop leaving is the moment you stop leading."
• "Every time you go to the next level, people will leave." Both staff and volunteers.

I thought there must be something wrong with this thinking if we are chasing good Christian members away. I now understand, because I was one of these negative people who misunderstood C3's vision.

It is not about me. I am excited to be a part of a church who has a desire to reach unchurched. I am glad that we don't have the same predictable service every Sunday. I am excited thinking about all the new people who have walked in the doors in the past year. It just goes to show how many people in the community were searching for a new church home......but may not have walked through the doors with the Baptist name on the sign. I can't tell you how many people I have invited in the past who wouldn't come the minute they find out I go to a Baptist church. I trust Orlando has enough Baptist churches for people wanting a Baptist church.

So in closing, I am glad that I was uncomfortable with all the changes. I needed a wake up call. I was way to comfortable with church and forgot about what God has called me to do. True joy comes from being in God's will for your life. I have to tell you.....I haven't ever experienced anything like this. I now know why when I saw my friends go through the meat grinder and attacked for trying to do what God called them to do......I saw joy. I saw the excitement in their lives. Peace has come!!!!!!