So here’s how the story goes… I got connected to a young man from my hometown through social media. We started talking about life in Portland and somewhat out of the blue he said, “To be truthful I’m not very religious, but maybe I’ll come check your church out sometime.” My gut reaction was, “No! This is a bad idea! If you come, you’ll think the Christian church is dull, old, kinda boring, and maybe even pretentious.” What I actually said was, “You are more than welcome to come visit anytime. And it’s a pretty progressive church. But I’ll be honest- we don’t have a lot to offer young adults…”
The thing is, this interaction has sparked a lot of serious reflection.
Here are 5 thoughts on this experience:
- I have a desire for people to have a positive experience of church. I’ve talked with enough young adults who have had terrible experiences in the church or with church leadership, and I hope to change that. I want the Church of Jesus Christ to be for others what it has been for me: safe, welcoming, grace-filled, loving, challenging, supportive, and comforting. Continue Reading…
