Getting our Teeth

The little church that I pastor just passed it’s 6 month anniversary.  We are a church b0rn out of a painful labor that has relaxed into the joy of new life.  There are abundant signs that God is blessing our experiment – new guests, growing resources, fifteen small group Bible studies, and a general ethos that fluctuates between an appropriately modest joy and just outright, childish fun.

Now something happening – the thing that usually happens to 6 month olds.  We’re getting our teeth.  We’re starting to grow into a thing that’s going to be able to influence the world, shape things, have a voice.  The evidence – there are 18 baptisms coming to Real Life between now and Easter.  This means that people are making life-changing decisions to follow Jesus, from young kids to grown ups.  We’re seeing people change direction in a life-changing way.  This is what growing churches are supposed to do.

Most churches in America go months, or even years, without baptisms.  The passion to reach lost people for Jesus passed long ago, and they’ve settled into routines that keep the already converted happy.  You would think a clear reading of the life of Jesus would cure this, but they keep reading it and nothing changes.

A church should look like a ship that’s just weathered a storm at sea – the entire crew is tired, everyone’s telling the story of how it happened, and the floor is soaking wet.  Join us in setting sail at Real Life…we’re gaining steam.