Missional Service Softball Style

It was a 95+ degree day in Macon today - a great day for softball - huh? For some it was. I joined Andy and Angela Solomon today at Central City Park for - I think - the Catfish Classic Softball tournament! The tournament folks let Andy and Angela set up tents right where everyone enters and leaves the park. There are a couple of tables under 1 tent that hold 3 large coolers filled with ice and water. On another table you can find sun screen, bug spray, pain reliever, bandages, and even some kids coloring pages and sidewalk chalk. People walk by and are invited to fill their cups and bottles with cold water and help themselves to anything else that might be needed. Andy and Angela talk with the many, many people who come by the tent. Some people ask why they are there. While I was there with Andy and Angela 1 guy asked if they were there to invite people to church - I was curious as to how Andy and Angela would respond - I was thrilled to hear Angela say, We're just here to love on you. She pulled a small piece of paper from a stack, on it was a verse from Peter. He read it, then told us all how thankful he was that we were there. There are a few Mabel White Bapt Church brochures on the table, but no one was beat up about coming to church. I was amazed at all the positive talk and all thanks that the ball players and families gave us. Andy and Angela have true missional hearts - they want to live like Christ and love their culture. Their aim is to establish relationships through their service and love and share the gospel with those in need. A great day, seeing God work through Andy and Angela and seeing a couple use something that they enjoy and are passionate about as an opportunity to share Christ.

How Do You Want to be Remembered?

I am completing a questionnaire from Macon Magazine for the upcoming article. One of the questions asked was, "How do you want to be remembered?" I'm not sure I ever really thought much about that. I could think of many things
1) A great husband
2) A great dad
3) A great friend
4) A godly man
5) A great motocross rider

As I have thought about this over and over, Hebrews 11:6 has come to mind - Without faith it is impossible to please God... I think that might be it - I want to be remembered for having a radical faith. I want to pass that on to my children, and my friends. I think that a man with radical faith in Jesus Christ is going to be godly, is going to be a great friend, a great dad, and a great husband. A person with radical faith in the promises of God will will point people to Him. A person with radical faith in His provision will glorify His name. And it seems, according to Hebrews 11:6, that God is well pleased with that person.

That is my prayer today - God, make me a man of radical faith in You. Help me to not question Your promises of future grace. Help me to be satisfied in all that you are for me in Christ - right now, and all that You have promised to be forevermore. Amen

A Few Shots Inside the Capitol Theater

For those of you who have not been into the Capitol Theater, here are a few shots taken by the very talented Meagan Mc.

Important Dates and other stuff

Just a quick update on a few things.

1) I have added "Important Dates" on the right bar. I will keep it updated with info dates to keep us all together!

2) I have added several "Prayer Gathering" dates as important dates. These will be time that we can gather together to pray for New City and for a new city! The 1st Prayer Gathering will be held in our home (unless I get a response greater than our home can hold). Prayer gatherings will be from 7:00 until 8:00 on Tuesday evenings. If you are going to attend the prayer gathering - please let me know in advance. You can e-mail me to let me know.

3) Some of you have asked about giving to New City - yes we already have needs! In fact, I just put $1,000 down to reserve the Capitol for our monthly services. There are other needs that will include nursery and children's ministry stuff as well as signage. I will be talking with the Macon Baptist Association about establishing a designated fund for New City Church - I'll pass on the info when I get it. A praise - we got our first cash donation today!

4) I will be starting an e-mail list - I know, I already should have! So, let me know if you want to be added. I will use it for updates, prayer requests, praises - general NCC community info stuff. Let me know by sending an e-mail!

Six Degrees of Separation

Last night I get an e-mail - my first thought, is this a joke!? My second thought, I think I know who God used here! Six degrees of separation is the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries.

So here's the e-mail:

Hi Keith,We are pleased to tell you that you have been chosen as a Macon Magazine 2007 Young Leader. If you are familiar with our magazine, you know that each August we choose "Five Under 40" young leaders who we feel are successful professionally and are giving back to the community in significant ways. They are people who we, and other leaders, feel will be leading our community over the next 10-15 years.Congratulations! We are so pleased that you have been chosen. We will need to schedule a photo session with you and the other young leaders and we will send you questions to begin the interview process very soon.Please call us or let us know you received this and we will get the process started.
Thank you for all you do for Macon, Jodi Palmer, co-owner and
publisher
Macon Magazine Inc.
2208 Ingleside Avenue
Macon, GA 31204

Here's another boast on God! Incredible, isn't He.

Boasting on God

Here are some things I want to give praise to God for today in regards to the plant:

1) We - the family - are on a short holiday. We are in North Ga for a few days away. Driving up after church yesterday I received our 1st call from someone who saw one of our fliers - cool because there haven't been many put out in stores or shops yet.

2) I checked e-mail today and had received a note from someone who had just heard about the church plant. In his e-mail he was very encouraging and supportive for the steps we have taken. He also added that he would be praying about how God might desire him to be involved in New City's start, but he would definitely like to help us financially.

3) A very good friend dropped a new lap top off at my office today. He ordered it, loaded, got ready to roll, then said we could settle up when things were up and running with the new church, no hurry.

4) Scott Park, the guy who designed our logo and built our web site, told me that he had spoken with someone at Georgia Public Radio. They would like to do an interview in the near future - not so much about the new church, but about the church planting movement under way all across the US.
Scott also said he thought we might be able to line up some other media interviews closer to our start date.

5) God has moved and continues to move the desire of my family's heart toward this plant. My wife and children have said they are ready for the new church to start.

6) A few days ago Amy and I were eating out with Elijah. Ivey and Robby were doing things with friends/camp. Amy had been having a couple of those "questioning" days - you know, how will we make ends meet? are we sure we really need to do this right now?... When we left the restaurant there was a short note on our car - 3 simple words and a signature - "Trust His Hand." Amazing.

It seems that with every step we take, God has made straight our path. He is providing for us in ways that only He can receive the glory for. That's what I want too - for this to be sooooooo crazy that only He could do it! Look for more bragging on God posts in the near future!

Must See - Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

I picked up the link from Bob Practico's Sojourn blog. Good stuff from Piper.

With and For our City

I had lunch today with 2 families now committed to joining us as we start New City. A very exciting time - God is always so good to provide for our needs. One of the many topics we covered today was what can we be doing right now - we're ready to go! I was reminded of a conversation that I had yesterday with a shop owner near the Capitol. I introduced myself and told the owner of the Off Broadway Deli what would be coming in September and asked her if there was anything that we could do for her.
Can you bring some business? she asked.
As a matter of fact, maybe I can.
If you are reading this and are here in Macon, and you want to help New City impact the city of Macon - eat downtown! That may seem silly, even unspiritual - but it's not. In order to impact our city and reach its people, they must know that we are with them - in the daily routines of life; with them - in their city. They must also know that we are for them. We are for their businesses, for their well being, for their daily good as well as their eternal good. What better way to say, "hey, we're here - we're with you, and we're for you," than to eat in their restaurants, tip their employees, and shop in their stores. Tell them you are from New City Church. Tell them, and show them you care. Who knows what door might open as a result - you might just be surprised!
(click here for more on being With and For our city)

Guilt by Association and Being Missional

Growing up I remember being told that people often make decisions about you and your character based on who you associate with. It is true. Guilt by association we call it. Sometimes this causes us to withdraw from people and places out of fear that we might be associated with them and thus be guilty as they are - our character, our reputation, even our "witness" is destroyed. I remember as well, receiving that teaching in the church. "Don't go to places like that," or "don't hang around people like that or your Christian witness will be destroyed."
There may be very good reasons to be careful of where we go and who we hang out with - but our "witness" is not one of them. In fact, if Jesus is our model, and the New Testament teaching our guide - then the opposite is true.

Consider Jesus, our model:
Who did Jesus hang out with? Tax Gatherers, Harlots, literally a couple of thieves...
Where was Jesus seen? Having meals with the dreaded, despicable, lowly sinners; at a wedding party turning water into wine because there wasn't enough to go around. He was known to touch those believed to be cursed by God and heal them - even those who were unclean.
In Matthew 11:19 we read, The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
Jesus didn't ruin His "witness," that was his witness! He came to those who needed him, not those who didn't. He came to seek and save the lost.

Consider Paul's writing in I Corinthians 5:10. Let me set the stage. There was gross immorality going on in the church. The people of the church knew about it and were even arrogant or prideful of it. Paul tells them that it needed to be addressed. He told them that such an immoral believer should be "delivered to Satan" and should not be associated with. I wrote you a letter, Paul said, and told you not to associate with such immoral people. Then verse 10: 10not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
That reminds me very much of Jesus' prayer in John 17:15, I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil."
Paul said, don't associate with those in your church who profess Christ, but live as if they don't - the immoral, covetous, idolatrous, drunkards... BUT it seems quite right that association with the "world" outside of the church takes place.
Paul's approach seems to mirror that of Jesus. So should ours.

In light of this, with Jesus as our model, and the apostle Paul (and the NT) as our guide - I should think we would desire Guilt by Association, not flee from it - that is Being Missional - not for sake of a label, or a name to be achieved (look he's "a friend of sinners") - but for the sake of the Gospel, the good of people, and the glory of God.

That is why our vision at New City Church reads:
It is our dream that New City church downtown be a people engaging its culture at work, at play, and in worship.
We dream of a church that shapes culture, not runs from it or chases after it.
We dream of a church that celebrates the arts and looks for creative ways to engage our culture, a church willing to cross traditional lines and take significant risks to bring Jesus into the public square.
We dream of a church whose people are a multiplying movement of disciples of Jesus Christ, disciples who look like Jesus, love like Jesus, live like Jesus.
(for more on New City's Mission and Vision)

Process v/s Programs part 2

I am having a continuing e-mail discussion with a friend, Greg. Greg was asking some questions about discipleship and what it might look like at New City Church (NCC). I thought I'd share some of the conversation...

I wrote:

Discipleship is not a program it is a process. As to NCC’s discipleship – it will take some months (maybe years) to get to the place where we can really get things going but ultimately what I see is something like this:
Level 1 discipleship – Sunday Morning Gatherings; other missional gatherings (like theology in a pub)
Level 2 Discipleship – Home Groups
Level 3 Discipleship – Home Group leaders identify and spend additional time with future leaders from their home groups
Level 4 Discipleship – Leadership training (something like Bible Study Methods, OT survey, NT Survey, Basic Theology,
Missiology)

The idea is to take people through a growth process (as the Holy Spirit prompts and moves in people’s lives). Some may enter the process at a pub and become a future campus pastor – others will likely enter with NCC at a point further down the road
It is all about process – From Becoming - to Being – to Building

Greg Responded:

Tell me if I’m right in this contrasting of “program” versus “process”:
Programs carry the connotation of “optional,” whereas “process” connotes something we all are involved in.
Programs can easily lose focus on why they exist, processes are well-integrated with their mission.
Programs can be completed, the discipleship process is continual.
Programs can be bought with cold cash, processes involve people in relationship
Program sounds almost dictatorial (or at least top-down), whereas process sounds like the responsibility is on the individual, thus they are more like participants.

I hope this might be helpful to others as we dialogue more about New City.

While You Were Out...

The announcement finally came yesterday. It is now congregationally official - the church officially knows that a plant is coming. I have had a couple of conversations with members today, curious about the new church and my move - positive conversations that will, hopefully, be positive for Mabel White and New City.

Camp!

Today Ivey left for camp - her first week longer without mom (that's Ivey, 2nd from left - the one with the yellow arrow pointing to her!). Ivey is my princess. When I arrived in the "baggage claims" area of the ATL Airport, I saw Amy, Ivey, Elijah, and Robby all waiting. Normally Elijah or Robby would be the first to run to give me a BIG welcome home hug. This time Ivey beat them to it! I couldn't believe it! Ivey ran to me with open arms and gave me one of the biggest hugs EVER and told me Happy Father's Day - that made it one.

Wedding Day...

We all headed into Boston for a tour of Fenway Park this morning...cool park, incredible history.

From Boston...

I decided to take a break today. The wedding visitors from Ga, Al, Ks, and Fl are all headed to the city of Boston today for tours. Life has been really busy this year, so though it would really be cool to see old Boston and spend the day with Jacklyn's dad who has been here all his life, I decided to rest, read, listen to sermons, and pray today.
As I type I am listening to a sermon by David Thew at Sojourn Church in Huntsville, and I just read another blog by Timothy Cowin - here's a blog blurb:

The missional movement is a return to the understanding that as Christ Jesus came to earth as a missionary, full of the power of the Holy Spirit, drawing near to people to serve them in love and compassion, so the church is also sent into the world. A missional church is a Spirit-empowered, sent people, who penetrate the culture with their loving presence while communicating the gospel in relevant ways.

I am thankful for this day of rest, reflection, and I pray a sweet communion. Boston can wait.

Boston Bound

I'll be headed to Boston early in the morning to perform a wedding for a good friend - I guess, 2 good friends - soon to be Zack and Jaclyn Williams. It will be fun, but I always hate leaving the family - and now the excitement of everything going on with the plant!

Contextualizing the Gospel

"To communicate the gospel one click too legalistically or too lawlessly--and to over or under adapt to the culture--is how a ministry becomes ineffective." Tim Keller

Read a great article today!

Continuously Amazed

I am continuously amazed with God's provision. I know on the one hand I shouldn't be - look at the stars on a clear night and know what you see is not even the tip of an unimaginably enormous universe of stars - and each one is named by him, was created by him, and hangs as it does by his amazing power. On the other hand that is exactly why I am so amazed - why would a God of such immense proportion bother with me?
Every day's provision is a testimony of his grace and mercy and of his lovingkindess, but these days leading up to the church plant are truly incredible. At every turn God is making straight the path; he is providing before I even know of a need. And he does so in ways that blow my mind - I met yesterday with a guy who knows everyone in Macon - today his wife called and is going to be promoting the new church and asked for additional information... I have no idea what God is doing there! Today Amy and I met 2 ladies - their families are looking for a place to plug in - a place like New City. We need someone with children's ministry experience - can you guess the area that their hearts beat for? Yeah - children's ministry.
Amazing, humbling
Why would a God of such immense proportion bother with me?
Maybe because its not really about me, but his immenseness.

Religion and the Gospel by Mark Driscol

Had to post this... credit to Mark Driscol.

The Difference between Religion and the Gospel

Religion says, if I obey, God will love me. Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.

Religion has good people & bad people. Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.

Religion values a birth family. Gospel values a new birth.

Religion depends on what I do. Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.

Religion claims that sanctification justifies me. Gospel claims that justification enables sanctification.

Religion has the goal to get from God. Gospel has the goal to get God.

Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin. Gospel sees hardship as sanctified affliction.

Religion is about me. Gospel is about Jesus.

Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key. Gospel believes that being honest is the key.

Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God. Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus' work.

Religion sees Jesus as the means. Gospel sees Jesus as the end.

Religion ends in pride or despair. Gospel ends in humble joy.

Homepage is up

Just got an e-mail that our web site is up - at least the homepage is up. WOW. Thanks Scott Park (and Lindsey Brown)...more to come.

Check it out - www.newcitydowntown.org

Process Driven, Not Program Driven

Some random observations and statements...

Life is a Process.
Becoming Christ-like is a Process (being transformed from glory to glory)

New City Church will be driven to help people in the process of the Christian life - becoming followers of Christ, growing to be more Christ-like, and ultimately helping others in the same process.

New City church will not be Program driven. We will not be a church who has something going on for everybody. Programs too often stand alone as things we add to our lives. Things like - discipleship training, or Sunday school, or RAs and GAs, or men's groups, or women's groups. It isn't that the programs are bad, it is that often as stand alones, they end up serving no great purpose.
We have many people who have been a part of the discipleship program for years - they faithfully attend Wednesday night discipleship. But because this is a stand alone program they are no more Christ-like today than they were when they started. As a program, discipleship teaches people about all sorts of stuff - biblical, theological . . . we end up knowing a lot, but because this program is not connected to anything else, that's about all that ever happens - we learn more stuff.

As a process driven church, New City will not have many programs. We will fight to maintain simplicity. Simplicity means fewer programs with more intention. The intention being, help people come to Christ, grow in Christ, and help others do the same. We will focus on the necessary functions of worship/community/discipleship/service. Our large gatherings on Sunday mornings will be a time of worship and discipleship. We will sing songs of praise and adoration to our great God, hear testimonies of His work in the lives of His people. we will take of communion and witness baptism.
But, the majority of our process will take place in Life Groups. Life Groups will be small groups that meet throughout the city and surrounding areas. Life groups will have an element of worship as Christ is the central figure in all that the group does. Each Life Group will form a small community where the Christian life is done together. In Life Groups the message from Sunday will be rehashed and opportunity will exist for questions, answers, and personal application. Each life group will be responsible for forming a downtown ministry partnership to serve in our community. These groups will be led (I pray and will work to see) by Christ loving, missional people who understand the vision of New City AND who understand that life is a process. Ultimately these small groups will be mixed with people on various stages of the Christian life journey - each helping the other grow and reach others.

This simple process will lead us to see our mission fulfilled over and over again...
We exist to see the Gospel transform everything within our reach - ourselves, our church, our city, and the world.

New Town meets New City (2)

Just got back from meeting Mike Ford with New town Macon. We had a brief but very good meeting. Mr Ford said that he was very excited about the church coming to downtown Macon and thought that "this will work." In a previous post I listed some areas where I thought New Town Macon might help us:
Publicity / Marketing - they have a 3,800 address e-mail data base and will announce the coming of New City immediately and again closer to September
They also have space in the 11th Hour that we can use to advertise
Contacts - Available for whatever we need
Facilities - a great source for whatever our future needs might be
and perhaps even financial support. - some financial assistance is available. Mr Ford has $2,500 authority, more than that would require a special meeting and approval.
Mr Ford also made a work room available to me as an office anytime I am downtown and need it. He also said that there is frequently funding available that he may be able to work into our community service projects. New Town will be a great resource and there are many ways we might work together in the future.

Form and Function

We have started a new Wednesday night discipleship class entitled What We Believe About the Church. It will be 7 weeks and cover topics such as mission, government, ordinances, nature, and pictures of the church. I kicked us off last night with What is the Church? As I looked at the church in the epistles I was reminded of the various forms that the 1st century church took. The very first church was birthed with THOUSANDS of members and continued growing - that was the Church at Jerusalem. Then Paul mentions this in Romans 16:2-5 -

2I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. 3Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house.

There in Scripture we find a mega and a mini! The thousands strong church and the house church. Two very different FORMS. I am sure that in between those two were churches of all sizes who met in all sorts of places. The particular form that the church takes is never really an issue in the New Testament. The church is a gathering of Christ followers - believers in Him. Where it meets and how large or small it is doesn't seem to matter.
What matters is its FUNCTION. Does the church function as it should? Function does not include style of music, congregation size, preaching/teaching style - those are forms. The essential functions are found in Acts 2:42-47 - Worship / Community / Discipleship / Service (which includes gospel sharing). Does our gathered community of Christ followers Worship? Do we have a place where community (real community, doing life together community) takes place? Is there a process that grows our community spiritually, helping them to be more like Christ and build other followers of Christ? Are we serving our our families, community, our world? Those are functions.
It seems to me that we often get so bogged down in preferred forms that we completely lose sight of the necessary functions.

Coming Soon to a mailbox near you...

(front view)....................(back view)

Here's the final product. This will be printed for mail out and placement in area shops and stores beginning the end of June (mail out 2 weeks prior to 1st service). There is no way the quality of this thing comes through on my blog - it is really incredible. Great work Glenn Grossman! Let me say, I absolutely recommend Glenn!

New Town meets New City

Friday I have an appointment with Mike Ford. Mike is the President and CEO of New Town Macon. New Town Macon is working on the revitalization of the downtown area, bringing in new jobs, and increasing downtown residency. New Town could be a great help to New City in a number of ways:
Publicity / Marketing
Contacts
Advice
Facilities
and perhaps even financial support.
Pray that our meeting goes well - Friday, 3:00pm.
(Check out their site for some really cool pictures of the downtown Macon area)

Forming a Missional Community - MX Style

A couple of years ago a few of us who rode mx together decided to use riding to reach a generally very unchurched and unsaved sub-culture - the mx community. We hooked up with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) as they were trying to reach this community. David Smith is our FCA MX Georgia track side minister - below is a slide show he put together. Great work David - be Christ to the MX community.

Christ, our Missional Model

Be imitators of me, Paul writes in I Corinthians 11:1, just as I also am of Christ. The greater context of this verse is perhaps summarized more in the words of Jesus, than in the words of Paul. Jesus said, the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10). This entire section in Corinthians, going back at least to chapter 9, is primarily about seeking the lost with the ultimate goal of their salvation. Paul wrote in 9:22b I have become all things (a Jew, under the Law, without the Law, weak) to all men, that I may by all means save some. I believe that what Paul meant was that he engaged these different peoples right where they were - speaking their language - sharing in their cultures and customs. Paul identified with all sorts of people with the aim of sharing the gospel and seeing some come to Christ.
Paul was obviously not the first missionary to use this method. It was the method of Jesus, Himself.
Jesus took on the flesh of humanity, was tempted, and suffered in order to become a merciful and faithful high priest, and to make propitiation for our sins, and come to the aid of us who are tempted (Hebrews 2:14-18).
Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He came seeking. He sought the lost at wedding feasts where participants drank wine. He sought the lost when he approached tax collectors, whores, prostitutes, fishermen, businessmen, adulterers... He sought the lost in the discounted diseased. And yes, he sought the lost in synagogues and in debates with religious leaders.
I believe Jesus' approach was the model for Paul's approach and should be our model as well - to be with people, right where they are (though not partaking in their sins) and to be for the good of people and their ultimate salvation. We should be all things to all people in the same manner that Jesus was. That means that we engage people where they are - at wedding feasts drinking wine, at tax collectors houses, and dining with sinners. It means that we love prostitutes and adulterers, fishermen and businessmen - we love them all for their good and for the sake of the gospel.
Being missional means being relevant - but not for the sake relevance - for the sake of the gospel, and Christ is our model - becoming all things to all men that he might save some.

I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. As You sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. John 17:15,18

Beautiful...

A slow, steady rain has been falling since late morning - beautiful.

Drawn to Romans 10:1

After the concert Thursday night, after the kids were in bed, in the quiet of the late night I was drawn to Romans 10:1. Paul, speaking of his Jewish people wrote: Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I have prayed for my city and could say that I have wished for the salvation of these people - but something changed Thursday night. As I read this passage, something pierced me as it never had before. I have cared for people - I have prayed for people - but suddenly my heart's desire and prayer is for the salvation of the people of my city - the bar tender at the Capitol and others that I have met there. My city is filled with people who know about God - who know the name of Jesus - who may be religious... but have no personal, intimate relationship with him - people who are in need of God's grace - people in need of salvation.

God is changing my heart.

A NON - Missional Moment

Last night was New City's first opportunity to serve the downtown community - the folks at the Capitol Theater asked if we could put some volunteers together to help with the Rush of Fools concert (I had a great time having lunch and spending the day with the Fools). We had 7 volunteers. The Fools having 2nd Street Pizza

The people at the Capitol were thrilled - this was (I believe) their 1st Christian band and the turn out was really good - everything was going well and then it happened. The Capitol sells alcohol - they have a bar. A woman at the concert approached the bartender (who was working her butt off selling cokes and waters) and told the bar tender that she could not believe that they would have beer in their glass doored coolers at a Christian concert. The bar tender (as I am told) was dumbfounded and then hurt. She pulled one of the Capitol's board members aside and told him what had happened and asked if SHE had done something wrong. One of our volunteers was in the area and overheard the conversations that followed.

Here is a great example of a NON missional, NON incarnational moment. A self-righteous "Christian" who has a great opportunity to BE Jesus Christ to a likely unchurched and unsaved bar tender blows it by being outspoken on something that clearly Scripture is NOT outspoken on! Or maybe I misunderstood the 1st miracle of Jesus - maybe he actually approached the wedding party, condemned them for drinking wine and then turned the wine into water!?!?!? Is that WWJD in action?! Needless to say, I was angry and sad. Angry that the bar tender was hurt. Angry that this woman would say something without regard for the person that she spoke to. I was angry that our churches teach such crap! And all of that made me sad - sad for the state of Christianity. Sad for the unsved and unchurched who have to see and hear this false gospel called idiotic legalism. I made sure that before I left I thanked every bar tender and server at the Capitol for their hard work and I prayed for the bartender and others who heard the conversation. This morning I pray for the woman who has such a sad misunderstanding of the gospel and what it means to follow Christ.