We're not accepted at church.

(John 3:17-21)
The young woman cutting my hair started the conversation with a familiar question to me, "are you off work today?" As a pastor, I "work" Sunday through Thursday. We have Friday and Saturday as our weekend. It never fails when I'm out and about that I am asked that question. It's given me a great opportunity to strike up a conversation about being a pastor. On this particular day, my heart was grieved, however. After explaining my involvement in the church, she responded, "We're not accepted at church." The young woman had three earrings in each ear. Her boyfriend was a nice man but according to her "looked like a thug." They didn't fit in.

3:17 (NLT) God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

How tragic! As believers we are the church. As believers our responsibility to God is summed up in two commandments: Love God and Love Others! Even Jesus Christ did not come "into the world to judge the world." The verdict has already been announced:

3:18 (NLT) There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

The world has been judged and found to be without God, and without excuse. Our role is not to judge because the verdict has already been rendered. Why pile on? Our role is to reach the world for Him so that their sentence can be overturned.

Our conversation continued as we discussed my earring. That's right, I'm a pastor and I have an earring. I'm not an ordained minister. I'm a retired computer executive that was called into a minstry vocation to come alongside a church that is committed to connecting with people and to experiencing LIFE together in Christ. But, even last night at church, someone asked, "So, what's up with the earring?" Is it really such a big deal? We worry or get hung up on things that don't matter while people are lost, without Christ and headed to an eternity separated from God. I continued to share with the young woman that it was sad that many churches miss the example of Jesus who connected with all people. He was seen as someone who connected with society's less desirable. I continued that our Sr. Pastor's wife had several earrings in each ear as well and was a drummer in our contemporary worship band. We're a relational church and we care about people.

Her reply, "That's sounds like a church we should visit."

How tragic if we judge and reject people. Jesus came to serve and to save ... not to judge. The judgement has already been cast. Now is the time for connecting, rescuing, and experiencing LIFE in Christ.