Church – Carl Bliss

October 5, 2016

The way Jesus made connections

Jesus told the fishermen, Simon and Andrew, that he would make them “fishers of men”.
Jesus told Nicodemus, the man who found his identity in his lineage, that he needed to be “born again”.
Jesus told the woman at the well, that she needed “living water”.

The leader could borrow those terms and try to apply them… or the leader can follow the example of Jesus and find a way to connect God’s story to that person’s story, in a powerful way.

In our talk about being “Born Again”, we can miss a powerful example about communicating to someone at their place of greatest need.

October 23, 2010

Is “Safe for the Family” Where We Really Want to Be?

I am a Dad. I want to protect my kids. I want them to retain their innocence.

When we go to church, we place them in a safe environment, with adults who deeply love them.

Many of my friends, for many good reasons, have serious reservations about putting their kids in public schools.

For the sake of my children, I live in a safe neighborhood.

I want to keep my kids safe.

But I wonder, sometimes, if we need to be prepared to sacrifice the “safety” of our family, for the sake of the Gospel.

In children’s ministry, am I willing to open my door to those rowdy kids from the neighborhood who put holes in the classroom wall?

In youth ministry, am I willing to tackle some difficult conversations with my students?

As a dad am I willing to let my kids see the depravity that they were born into?

As a family are we willing to engage, with my kids, in a neighborhood where the people don’t look like our family?

As a church, are we willing to be frank?

As a media publisher, are we willing to give up the promise of being “family friendly” to allow the community to create conversation that can move the Gospel forward?

I want to protect my kids, but the time is too short, and the message is to urgent for me to make that my top priority.

And my kids… need to know that.