Let's All Up and Move

This week Jamie and I are playing in Magnolia Ar, Monday through Wed.  We got to the church monday afternoon and no one was there to let us in.  so cassie, jamie, and i sat outside on the stairs in the nice afternoon breeze.  

only a few seconds after sitting there we heard an awful yelling of nirvana songs.  we looked across the street to see what looked like a "mentally ill" person pacing back and forth screaming the words to nirvana.  (which i' not mad at)  

about ten minutes of listening to this obviously disturbed man singing, the youth minister shows up to let us into the venue.  we asked him about the guy across the street. he told us that his name was billy and billy was a crack baby.  he is probably our age..mid twenties or so.

cassie asked if billy had ever been to their church.  The youth minister tells us that he did a few times but that he was a distraction to other people and couldn't sit still.  then he proceeds to tell us that the other neighbors throw parties "making noise and sinnin' " so they are LOOKING FOR LAND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO BUILD A NEW CHURCH!!!

the day that we start moving our churches away from the sick and lonely and dying is the day that our churches will become the sick and lonely.  Christ came for the sick. Christ came so that Billy could find the peace that he longs for.  Christ came so that Billy could find that love that his parents can't give him. Christ came to heal those people of their addictions.  

enough of that... we went into the church.  they had the old school board on the wall that says how many people came to church last week and how much money they tithed.  last week there were 18 people at church.  here's an idea...invite billy, his parents, and the drunks across the street and you could double the size of your church.  Maybe even share with them the story of grace...then we'll see some revival!