Taking Grace One Step Further

In many circles, it seems there's been a shift over the past few years where the church & Christians in general are doing less judging & more loving. It's been great to see the movements of grace & mercy that used to be more condemnation & exclusion. It's making a difference in people's lives & the church at large. But I believe we need to take it even one step further…

We're doing better at offering mercy & grace, love & compassion to the drug addicts, adulterers, the wanderers, the liars…..to all of "THEM". You know people who aren't in the church, who don't know God really. But what if the liars, the cheaters, the drug & sex addicts are one of US? What then? Isn't this "amazing grace" & "unconditional love" for all?? Even when it's our pastors, our children, our friends, our teachers, our mentors. I think the church as a whole has some work to do when one of our own falls, wanders, struggles, questions. We have got to remember we are all flawed, we will all mess up, we all deserve & are in dire need of the mercy and grace & love of God…no matter if we've never known God before or if we have known him our entire lives. His blood was shed for ALL of us. His forgiveness & crazy love is for EVERYONE no matter what. 

I've talked to many people who are Christians but are struggling with life, relationships, addictions, doubt. They say the last place they would ever come to for help or confession is the church. They fear & have seen too much judgment, exclusion & ignorance take place when someone in the church has messed up or is undone. They feel like they'll go back to church when they can pull themselves together, have figured out what they believe or are happy & on a good path once again. What?!? This is not how it should go. We the church, the body of believers should be the ones that people turn to in these times. Let's start offering this amazing grace & radical love to each other in the church as much as we do to those outside the church and watch what happens. We may find that our churches become places of authenticity, freedom, & true healing.