Notes to My Siblings

Contrary to popular opinion, you do not need... -A Sunday -Music -Lights -Sound equipment -Ample seating -Live streaming -Money -A bulletin -Christianese -A pastor All you need is... -2 or more people -God The activity that we commonly label as "church" and attach all kinds of baggage to is simply 2 or more Christ-followers meeting together with God to worship the Him, seek His face, know Him more, and encourage each other. Read Acts if you don't believe me. We could "have church" hanging off a cliff. Upside down. With our heads in the ocean. Seriously. [Sidenote: you could pray that God would remove my cynicism. Sorry. But on the bright side, isn't it awesome that you need literally no external stuff to meet with God?!??]

As ISIS makes the headlines and splashes their gruesome images across our media platforms for all the world to see, it's nearly impossible for me to think of THEM... ...as people . I see a human form, garbed in black, doing evil, evil things. But I don't see then as a human. I see a monster. And yet. They are people.  They are people. People who desire to know something bigger than themselves. Don't we all? But. They have chosen the wrong big thing. When people are so sold out to the Evil One, in my mind, I write them off from receiving the grace of God. But that's the thing. No one is too far to be brought to the Lord. No. One. In Matthew 5-7, Jesus re-introduces the heart of the Law of God. Anyone who hates his brother is guilty of murder.   It's about the heart. Just because I've never physically killed anyone doesn't mean I've never murdered according to God's standard. No one is too far to be made new. These men (and occasiona