if you don't like the weather.......wait a minute, it'll change

man i tell ya, iowa is friggin nuts when it comes to any sort of consistency in weather patterns. the past 3 days have been quite humid, especially at night (which is one of my biggest pet-peaves, i hate trying to fall asleep when its humid). however, today it was dreary and maybe peaked at a little above 50 degrees; it was like it went from summer to late fall over night. now, don't get me wrong, i'm surely not complaining about the weather today as dreary, cool days are just about my favorite type of day; i just wish it would be a little more consistant. anyway, despite the cool, breezy evening, i was able to enjoy a rousing game of disc golf with some friends.

now to the subject i really want to talk about.......well, at least continue to address. i've been thinking more about some of the ideas that i wrote in an earlier entry about how the church needs to adopt more of a "bar environment". i've gotten some feedback from a few people saying that they agree with things that i have brought to you all; it seems like this idea is really striking a chord with people everywhere, from here in iowa to lovely Paris. so, the more i've thought about this whole thing throughout this week, the more i think that the whole bar example is merely a parable for the real truth: people desire to be in a place where they know they are accepted, no matter what. as Ben M said in a conversation i had with him the other day, when people go to a bar they aren't bombarded with condescending stares; they aren't directed, when they enter, exactly what they should do, how they should do it, and who they should do it with.....they simply show up and hangout with friends and strangers in a safe place. crap...why the frick aren't people flocking to the church because of these reasons instead of a bar? i think to answer that question would be both hard and quite simple, so i'm not going to answer it, i'll let you do that within yourself. so, what do we do from here? well, i was reading some value statements set forth by this minstry in Seattle called The Apostles Church. i read something on that site that was the exquisite mixture of simplicity and life shaking complexity (now, i know what i am about to write is scripture, i just can't remember the specific reference...sorry):
Christ came not to condemn the world, but to save and reconcile it

let that really soak in for a minute........i tell ya when i read that passage, as i have done many times in the past, something clicked within me. how do we relate to all people? you treat them like Christ treated them: with love, patience, and understanding. why do we think its our job to condemn the world when out Lord and savior didn't even think that? the time of judgment is a sure thing, don't get me wrong. but that is a time far from this current reality we live in and it certainly won't be carried out by us. people go to bars because they know they will be accepted. we must, those of us who are part of the body of Christ, adopt this as our banner to a lost and dying world. we must be Christ to all, loving them, accepting them, not condemning them.....thats not our friggin job. our only job is to love (love God with all we are and love all people as ourselves. i hope you don't feel weird about this, but Kate, i know you are reading this. i know many times, Christians have been extremely judgmental towards you and i'm sure all you've seen from those who profess the name of Christ is anything but love; i want to apologize for that. that isn't Christ, that is selfish man getting in the way of Christ being shown. Christ is who we preach and it is Christ who we must live out. when man fails, which he does so well, we must all look to Christ, He is the one we have our faith in and who holds our lives. we really have to stop feeling so self-important and self-righteous, we are only alienating the very ones God loves and cares for. who the hell cares if someone smokes or drinks or cuses or lives with their boy/girlfriend, thses are not reasons to keep people out of the church, these are reasons for us to love them and walk with them on their journey. if God waited for us to clean up our act before we came to Him (like a lot of Christians seem to think people should do), none of us would ever get close to God.

i pray for the sake of those around us who are hurting and lonely that we put on the mind of Christ; that we learn from His example and love all people, all the time, no matter what. to quote the masters of pop music, The Beatles, "all we need is love"...........friggin right.