News:  There will be a gathering this Sunday, April 19, 5-7 at 2701 Bridgeton Place, Chapel Hill. Anybody is welcome as we continue to plan for launching this new Church.
What’s going to be distinctive? My wife, Libby is a dental hygienist, and she is actually more than that. She’s a counselor, a friend, an advisor, a cheerleader to her patients. She’s a super hygienist – not just interested in plaque, but in people’s lives. (She works for a super dentist, too, Dr. G.. I have the crown to prove it.) Libby really likes and loves her patients – except for me – apparently I’m not such a good patient. She complains that she has to fight my tense lower lip, and I breathe through my mouth fogging the little mirror, and I wince when she makes my gums bleed. But,  she really loves her other patients, most of whom she sees every six months.
Recently, one was asking her about what was going on in her life. I don’t know how he managed while she was scraping away. She replied, “My husband is starting a church.” “What?!?!,” he asked. Immediately came the question, “What will be distinctive about it.?” This question was a kinder way of asking, “Aren’t there enough churches already?” – with an ‘Ugh’ in the subtext.
She began to explain that this church is meant to connect with people who have some interest in God, but find religion irrelevant or worse. The patient responded that she had just described him, and he said that he would like more information.
There are a ton of great churches in our area. Libby and I have visited many of them in the last three months, and we are excited about what’s going on. There are some churches that are hot, exploding with growth, incredibly exciting – reaching people. Frankly, no one needs our new thing to show the area how church should be done.
But, if there is any way to open the door for someone not connecting to God, wouldn’t it be worth it? I’ve met several church planters who have just moved here who have the same dream, creating a new door for people.
Our plan? To invite people who may feel far from God to be part of creating the door. Jesus invited some totally irreligious people to be part of his team to open the first door. Read through the Gospels and see how many people who seemed totally disqualified for God-stuff became the best examples of faith. (Matthew 8:5-13)
We want our church to read like the Gospels, where the last become first.
Check us out this Sunday if any of this connects with you.