All for One.

Our political views are vastly different.
And she thinks marriage is archaic.

I tease her about her "potty mouth."
She, in turn, mocks my "Jesus aura."

I'm pretty conservative in my views on a lot of things.
She's.....well.....not.

But, she's a young Mama who loves her babies like I love mine.  And here we are, unlikely friends.

Thanks to many of us - with good intentions, I am sure - her view of Jesus equals judgment, and her view of Christian equals jerk.

Has there been any washing of her feet?
Has there been any journeying side by side?
Has there been any empathy - any grace -  or only stones thrown?

And yet, she loves freely.
She treats everyone fairly.
Her playdates are all-inclusive invites.
At work, she takes each person at face value; and she understands the concept of "team."

As I watch her, I am increasingly convicted by this "unsaved" friend of mine; and I wonder if I have ever contributed to her jaded view of Jesus.  Have my actions or words with fellow "brothers and sisters" ever caused confusion for this friend who is looking on?  So, I find myself being forced to look inward and ask myself some pretty difficult questions...

I wonder what would happen if we "Christians" played this game of life as well as she does?

How much healing could happen if we forgave each other just as easily as we take offense?

What potential for greatness could there be if we viewed each other and our ministries as a team sport as opposed to a competition?

What good could Christ do through us if we focused as much on bridge building as we do on pointing out each other's flaws?

How healthy could we become if we spent as much energy on edifying and encouraging our pastors as we do on week after successive week kicking them while they are already down?

Might there be far less "walking wounded" Christians limping through life (with battle scars inflicted by their very own brothers and sisters, no less)?

Could there potentially be far more "seekers" looking on and finally actually being able to understand what true Christianity is supposed to look like?

Is it not true that so often in life we are tired and defeated with no energy to go on another day - not only because of the battle that is raging with all of the world around us -  but so much more so because of the kicking and the biting and the crushing wounds that we are continuously inflicting upon each other?

In these recent months, we have been humbled and healed by little country churches who have welcomed us with open arms and courageously supported our more "edgy" church ideas. We have been honored and embraced by pastors who have invited us into their sanctuaries to share how we do mission. We have sat down for coffee with pastors who exemplify "team" to the fullest by advertising other churches on their own home page knowing that their fellowship may not be the perfect fit for everyone.

We have been watching and experiencing the bridge building extended to us from our brothers and sisters time and time again, these past few months.  And we have seen and felt firsthand, the healing, the encouragement, the empowering, the validation, and the hope that comes from such loving acts.....

And this is exactly what we want to be about.

So, in the course of these past few years, if we have ever posted the "does not play well with others" sign above our door - we apologize - and we are taking it down.  If we have ever in-validated a ministry that might be going about mission a little differently than we go about ours - we are sorry.  This is not how we want to play this game of life.

Kingdom Mission is a team sport, and thankfully God takes great pleasure in using "the weak and based things of this world" to carry out His Story (I Cor. 1).  Since we are all beautiful messes in the first place - how much more do we truly need each other?  And how much more does the world looking on need to see unified love and forgiveness fully and freely given and received amongst ourselves? 

It's all about Him, in the first place - is it not?  Only always about Him.
So, if we are able to boast about anything at all - it can only be "In Him" alone - I Cor.1:31.
If anything good comes from anything that we are doing - it's only because of Him.
The ministries that He's entrusted into our care - they are His.  They're not ours.
And they are most effective when they are lived out in the concept of "team."

So, we thank you friends.
Thank you for your love and your support of us.  Thank you for humbling and growing us.  And thank you for journeying with us on this team sport of Kingdom Mission.  If there is any way that we can support and encourage you in your ministries, please let us know.

Because of Jesus...always, only because of Him...
All for One.