The Church's Identity Crisis

The Church at large is in the middle to a huge identity crisis. Some want to be vogue and do their best to express love and acceptance while not being offensive to those of other opinions. At the same time, there are some that would say the church must take a firm stand and confront the new cultural norms.  

In the midst of our crisis, I am struck by how Jesus was able to maintain a clearly defined moral standard and yet care in such a way that those who were violating the code were still drawn to Him. What was it about that kind of love that made it so effective? 

 We all know that our closest and most valued relationships are the ones that teach us the most about ourselves while at the same time adding to and changing us. We want to be a church that provides a fertile ground for people to discover God and grow in their relationship with Him. We believe that vital part of personal growth is provided through relationship with fellow believers and that together we are stronger than we are alone. All the while, if we are growing in our relationships with God and our fellow believers but lose sight of the needy around us, our message to the world would be lopsided and discreditable. We want to share the truths we have learned and experiences we have had so that the world will have hope and would seek to know our Savior.  

There is plenty of room for the church to be contemporary, but this should in no way diminish that we are a holy people. At the same time, our spiritual message must also be relevant. What good is a message that cannot be implemented in life? We are not perfect but we are getting better day by day. Christ is our example. We are in pursuit of Him and in the process are being changed to be more like Him.