People can find fellowship in a bowling league. They don’t need a church coffee hour for that. ¶
People can get a good meal at countless restaurants in town. They don’t need a church potluck for that. ¶
People can hear good music at any number of local venues. They don’t need a church worship band for that. ¶
People can join civic groups if they want to get involved in politics. They don’t need church politics for that. ¶
People can volunteer to serve with charities of all sorts. They don’t need church service events for that. ¶
The one thing the church has to offer — that which we must pour every last ounce of our energy into offering — is the unconditional love and grace of God through Jesus Christ. If all of our other events, programs, and ministries are not mere overflow from this one thing, they are nothing more than a ruse, a clever ploy to increase our numbers for our own self-satisfaction and ego gratification. ¶
If we offer — consistently and constantly — the grace we ourselves have already received, if we do not hoard this treasure among treasures, we won’t have enough room to hold all the people who just desperately want to be loved. Unconditionally. ¶
Stop competing with the world on their terms. We can’t win that battle (though we will be dreadfully disappointed if we ever manage to do so). Grace is simultaneously our most powerful weapon and most peaceful path to restoration, and in the end, grace is all we have. ¶
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