Being who you are…

I have debated about posting about this subject but I have never backed down from saying what was on my mind whether it makes me look like a jerk, weak, or a wuss. This is a hot button issue with me at this moment and I almost have not written about it at this time. However I want to get it off my chest so a public internet page that a lot of my church, friends, and people I don’t know read seems like the private place to do that. ☺

Since day one of pastoring Ridge Stone Church I have had people who have tried to change me into something I am not. We started with a core group of people who freaked out when they found out I was not going to be exactly like the Lead Pastor of the church we came from. They were constantly trying to change me. We have a constant stream of church planters in our services and for the most part, many of them freak out after attending our church and seeing our emphasis on the unchurched and connecting with them. This last Sunday we had a person visit our church from one of the churches who has done a lot for us. These people were so offended by something I said that they caused a scene and left the service. Today that pastor who I GREATLY respect called and I could tell he was a little frustrated with me.

We actually talked about this in our staff meeting Tuesday. We talked about IF we (the church) should change and tone things down. We could knock a little edge off and without a doubt grow…from other Christians. Bigger offerings, Bigger attendance….sounds like a no brainer.

However we begin to think about:

• The couple of lesbians couples who come to The Stone because they feel welcomed even though they know where we stand.
• The man who is a self-professed atheist but serves on our set-up team and is so close to accepting Christ. He has never been in church.
• The man at the gym who is so unchurched that he didn’t even know how a church service works. Oh yeah he knows now because he has been there the last two weeks.
• The people who have attended church sporadically for years, yet now attend every week and serve.
• The lady who was at the office today helping with stage curtains who is so on board with our church because several of her neighbors who would never attend church with her in other places, will attend here.
• The Salon owner who literally brings half her salon with her every week.
• All of the people who can finally invite their unchurched friends to a church because they know they will be welcomed and hear God loves them.

On and on we could have went with stories like this. We then begin to think of those who have had problems with us being us. It has been Christians from other churches, pastors, and planters. Not our target.

We concluded we were going to continue to be who we are. God has really been dealing with us lately on this subject. Ed spoke at the conference over and over about being who you are because you are the best you.

I’m thank God that our people get the vision for Ridge Stone and they allow our staff to be who we are because they know who we reach.