Common Ground - Daily Inspiration

 Let me come back to where I started—and don't hold it against me if I continue to sound a little foolish. Or if you'd rather, just accept that I am a fool and let me rant on a little. - 2 Corinthians 11:16-21 MSG

Do you ever get turned off when something seems a bit too "churchy"? I've always been of the opinion that the church community could do a better job of reaching those unchurched masses. Sometimes I think we scare off more people than we attract. Our honey can taste like vinegar to a regular person that doesn't attend services on Sundays.

If you don't currently go to church, you're not used to those people who shout "Amen!" and "Hallelujah!" when the pastor shares a compelling point or scripture. If you're anything like me, you're used to how the secular world gets the masses to buy clothes, movie tickets and everything from lawn mowers to storage units. They make a cool/funny commercial that shows their product in the most compelling and sparkling light. It's the type of light that makes us want to go out and buy whatever it is because we need that RIGHT NOW!

Wouldn't it be cool if people flocked to church like that. If someone said, "I had to come to church today because I know I REALLY NEED IT!" That would be, in the words of my choir director, awesome.

I think we need to treat church in that way. We have to show those we want to attract that it is really honey we're serving and not vinegar. And this honey is the best honey in the world because it gives us a new life.

I recently tried to hand our invite cards to our Easter service to people at my work, people who probably never had one stray thought about going to church on Sunday. To them it's just another day. Of the three people, the first one gave me a frosty look and the cold shoulder. He didn't attend church and never would. The other two each laughed nervously and said they might burst into flames if they passed the threshold of the building.

So, how do we reach these people who would rather watch television shows about vampires and read books featuring every type of paranormal creature? I don't really have an answer but I wanted to throw the topic out there and see what spilled forth. Do you have a great idea that will compel the so called normal people of the world? If you do, leave me a comment, I'd love to know your take on the subject.

My prayer for you today is to be tolerant of those unchurched masses, those people who are nothing like you. Give them honey when they spew vinegar and try to find a common ground with them. Invite them to YOUR Easter service and see what unfolds.


You've forced me to talk this way, and I do it against my better judgment. But now that we're at it, I may as well bring up the matter of visions and revelations that God gave me. - 2 Corinthians 12:1 MSG