Freed from church walls

Too often church buildings become a place of walls. There are those who are “in” and those who are “out.” Our identity and belonging is easily assigned to the church we attend. The early church wrestled with belonging. Some argued, “I belong to Apollos” or “I belong to “Paul.”(1 Corinthians 1:12)  We all belong to Christ. I am freed from church walls to see the face of Christ in the unexpected. I am freed from church walls to discover that God is at work in the community all around me. I am freed from church walls to join in God’s work.

Freed for Re-Building Community

Though I live in the United States, the streets are not made of gold and I have yet to discover the land of milk and honey. Where I live and serve as a pastor, God is calling us to rise up for justice, restore hope, and re-build community. Significant poverty, unemployment, lack of transportation, vacant homes and violence shape the daily lives of people.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit and vision of Isaiah 58:6-12, I am freed by the love of Christ for the purpose of re-building community.