Being on Sabbatical for the past three months, I thought it best to start our year with a talk about Southbrook's Purpose and Identity.
Luke 15 teaches us two truths that speaks to Southbrook's heartbeat. God Actively Seeks the Lost and our need to Embrace the Mess.
Just as God searches us out, it is our desire to seek out those who don't know Him. Just as Jesus embraced the mess of those he connected with, so too should we. Southbrook continues to be motivated by the fact revealed by the most recent census data which shows that there are 1 million unchurched people in a three county area...
How can we seek out those who do not know God?
-Open our eyes to the opportunities God regularly sends us
-Look for common ground
-Live our faith -our actions often speak louder than our words
-Invite someone to Church - statistics show one in four will come along!
I have attended churches that put on a facade of perfection, and never felt like I belonged. Many have shared similar church experiences. I would much rather we be authentic and transparent, then pretend we have our acts all together...
So are you willing to have the same heartbeat for those who do not know God -as God does? Are you willing to embrace the mess of those around us, for a chance to tell them about Jesus?
I am and I hope you are too...
-Any questions or comments, leave them below.
Thanks to Erin P. for creating this image after hearing todays sermon.
