If you weren't here this past weekend, you missed a great message from Pastor John. He talked about how so often God chooses the most unlikely people to be part of His story, and He rarely chooses based on the same criteria we use. If you missed it, I encourage you to listen here. Also, every week we have a handful of incredibly gifted volunteers who create our sermon based curriculum to help you take the weekend service and bring it home. It can be something you do with a group, your family, or on your own. No matter how you use it, this is a great tool to help you do something with the message. I have been using this curriculum over the past two years with my own small group. In doing so, I have found myself able to apply so much more from the weekend than I have at any other point in my Christian life. Check it out. Make sure you don't just listen to the message, apply it.
Another thing thing Pastor John mentioned this weekend, that you may have heard before, was a quote from a Pastor in Cedar Falls who once said something to the effect of, "Prairie Lakes Church will take anybody". It was obviously not meant as a compliment, but was definitely taken as one. We are intentionally that kind of church. I remember a moment early in my time on staff when I was talking with one of the police officers who attends here. He made a comment along the lines of, "I recognize a lot of these people". I chuckled at first and then realized that he had just given us a huge compliment. We are a church that welcomes people who are far from God. A Church that invites those among us who are the most unlikely people to come and be loved and encounter God. It's great to be at a church where that's the norm.
In spite of our reputation, my guess is we all struggle a little with this still. We have a tendency to judge based on things other than what God is judging on. So this week, ask God to open your eyes to the ways you struggle with that, and then do something about it. Invest in someone or invite someone who may seem a little unlikely (or a lot unlikely!).