Pastor’s Message for September 2023

Friends, we’ve got a bit of an issue on our hands—our reputation as Christians isn’t exactly great. Not individually, perhaps, but when you look at us as a whole, it’s clear we’re struggling in the image department. The problem is simple: we’re not really loving the way we’re supposed to. Our actions are muddying the message we’re trying to share. You don’t have to dig deep to see this. Just search “How Christians Treated Me” online, and you’ll find a bunch of quotes like the ones above. I could have filled pages with similar stuff. And if you ask people who aren’t Christians what they think of us, get ready for a reality check. Our reputation is that we are two-faced, judgmental, angry at anyone who’s different, not-so-nice, and holier-than-thou. The world is watching, and honestly, they’re not all that impressed. Can we blame them? We’re not exactly shining brighter than the rest of the world.

Christianity seems to have forgotten what it means to actually be a church community. What I mean is, we’re not just straying from our path; sometimes our witness is tainted by our judgmentalism, our actions are often loveless, and in some ways the world sets a better example than we do. Why go through the trouble of showing unconditional love and grace to bring someone to Christ when we can just use force to make them listen to us? Why listen to others when we can just assume we know better? We’re in this mess because we’ve stopped rising above the world’s way of doing things; we’ve become a mirror image of it. We’ve gone from being the church to acting like any other social club.

But here’s the good news: we’ve got everything we need to change this. It’s all right there in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. It’s time to break free from the world’s mold. Remember: we are the church! Think about your love. Is it any different from the world’s version? Does the way you treat others show the compassion of Jesus? Your actions speak volumes about your understanding of Jesus’ message.

So, let’s cut to the chase. If we’re not showing Jesus’ love through how we treat our neighbors, then what sets us apart? There are plenty of other clubs out there doing good deeds. If we want to turn our reputation around, we need to step up. Let’s be the ones who show a love that’s radical, transformative, and different from what the world offers. Let’s prove through our actions that Jesus’ love is alive in us. Our reputation is ours to build, and it starts with each of us making that change. Remember the words of John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

God love you, and so do I,
Pastor Jim