The First Church of Utopia

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by MrMasterMind

Perhaps you missed my" goal "point. We are commanded to be holy even as GOD is holy. As long as we are under the blood and striving toward that mark His righteousness is imputed to us. Even when we fall short.

Likewise local churches should aspire to an ideal like you described whether attainable or not.

Ah ok, sorry. I misunderstood.

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by Socialite

You are on a roll.

Maybe it's because I've been crying all morning. I've heard Bill Hybels say several times a simple statement...."There's nothing like the local church, when the local church is working right." I've had, seemingly, more than my share of setbacks, defeats, disappointments, and frustrations, but today, more than ever before, knowing fully well how much grace is both missing from "The Church" and needed in, "The Church", I'm re-energized to fight for it more than ever before.

[MrMasterMind]

Wish you didn't live so far away

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by MrMasterMind

Wish you didn't live so far away

Agreed. This could be solved by having you throw everything in a U-haul and head this way! I'll give you directions!

[MrMasterMind]

Originally Posted by notofworks

Agreed. This could be solved by having you throw everything in a U-haul and head this way! I'll give you directions!

Today that is more of a temptation than you could possibly imagine!

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by MrMasterMind

Today that is more of a temptation than you could possibly imagine!

Indeed, it could be temptation. Or......the voice of God!

[notofworks]

I know that typically, the way to kill a thread is to start posting Youtube videos. But this seems to fit. We're introducing this Sunday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we4p6GzcWIM

[Sam]

Originally Posted by notofworks

I dream of a church.




A church where we accept and embrace one another realizing we're all faulty and no one has an exemption from that.

A church where every single person is safe, regardless.

A church where depravities can be confessed without fear of banishment even if it's a leader that confesses the depravity.

A church that rushes to restore and love anyone who has failed, regardless of how great the failure and who did the failing.

A church that doesn't just wear WWJD bracelets, but lives out the concept.

A church where one would be anxious to attend the Sunday after one was arrested for the most embarrassing of crimes, knowing one would be smothered with love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

A church where neither a mocking or joking word would ever be uttered about those who have fallen, who are "different", who are hurting, who have hurt others...a church where no one laughs if the soloist forgets the words and goes flat.

A church that was more than a group of people that gather weekly and talk about God's power, but who live out God's power through the power of community.

A church where victims of crime and sin stand hand in hand with criminals and sinners, together realizing their need of God.

A church where we leave shaking our heads in amazement at the love of God rather than the greatness of the oratorical skills of the preacher.

A church where we rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those that weep.

A church that wasn't afraid to admit it didn't have all the answers but were always willing to hear the questions.

A church where it's okay to have doubt, because faith that has never passed through the filter of doubt, never truly becomes faith.

A church where the famous names we all know could have shared their struggles of the flesh and The Church would have helped them through their struggles rather than displacing them and punishing them and as a result, prevented their names from being in the headlines.

A church where never a finger is pointed at another in superiority.

A church that is actually just like Jesus.

That sounds like AA (Alcoholics Anonymous).

Maybe "the Church" could learn something from them?

[Sam]

Originally Posted by notofworks

You know, there isn't really a verse that gives us the "cut-off" point. But I don't know that we really need one. I don't think one was provided for us because it never comes up. The people I have seen smothered by grace have been the very ones who are so smitten with God and His mercy, that they are magnetically drawn to God more than ever!

I once sat in the office on a Saturday with two parents and their daughter, who was in the choir, who had been caught in the back seat of a car with a boy on a Friday night. Yes, they were doing THAT.

She was devastated. Broken. Embarrassed.

It was assumed that she wouldn't be doing anything in the church for a while but I strongly insisted that she stand in the choir the next day with her head held high, understanding that she was forgiven, restored, and on exactly the same level as anyone else in that choir. There was no way I could allow that choir to sing about God's grace the next day if it didn't have any grace.

Today, that girl is married with two beautiful children and a great family there was never an issue again. But had there been, we would have done the same thing again.

WOW, NOW!!!

That really touched me.

That reminded me of John 8:11

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by notofworks

You know, there isn't really a verse that gives us the "cut-off" point. But I don't know that we really need one. I don't think one was provided for us because it never comes up. The people I have seen smothered by grace have been the very ones who are so smitten with God and His mercy, that they are magnetically drawn to God more than ever!

I once sat in the office on a Saturday with two parents and their daughter, who was in the choir, who had been caught in the back seat of a car with a boy on a Friday night. Yes, they were doing THAT.

She was devastated. Broken. Embarrassed.

It was assumed that she wouldn't be doing anything in the church for a while but I strongly insisted that she stand in the choir the next day with her head held high, understanding that she was forgiven, restored, and on exactly the same level as anyone else in that choir. There was no way I could allow that choir to sing about God's grace the next day if it didn't have any grace.

Today, that girl is married with two beautiful children and a great family there was never an issue again. But had there been, we would have done the same thing again.

- singing Hallelujah!