I have sincerely apologized many times to many people in my first two years as a pastor.  I am learning to be a better leader, teacher and communicator and learning all that in a church plant that grows this fast is quite the character microwave.  It hasn’t come without bumps and bruises – and where I mess up, I try to be as humble as I can in asking for forgiveness and then moving on.  No, I’m not a perfect example, but you bet I do my best to keep my conscience clear.

However, there are things we do that I will never apologize for.

Some Christians have come and gone who worship a certain style. They can’t see the substance of what God is really doing here and instead of saying “Wow this is great, but we may move on to a better fit” which would be great – they instead attempt to engage me on a level that suggest our style is wrong and we’re too focused to reaching those far from God.   Here’s the reality: Some have been brought up in a church environment that doesn’t reach out at all.  So being introduced to a church style that reaches out in ANY manner seems “too focused.”  Where for us, it’s part of our DNA and part of the basic commands of Jesus.  So for that:

I’m not sorry.

I never set out to specifically offend certain Christians with our mailers.  The language we use is meant for the 90% who’ve had bad run-ins with church environments.  They never once claim all churches are like that.  There are GREAT churches in this town of different styles that totally are on board with us and what we do.  But some Christians just WANT to be offended and make a fuss, acting as if it’s a personal letter to their specific church.  The mailers aren’t intended for you, so:

I’m not sorry.

“Your services are more like a rock show.”  You bet!  Thanks!  I can’t think of a better person in the universe than Jesus to throw a fun, party-like experience for week after week.  I get that you might like something stylistically different and that’s TOTALLY okay!  But when you wave some anti-concert banner as if it’s a detrimental judgment on our style, please move on.

I’m not sorry.

We have to avoid sounding spiritual for the sake of sounding spiritual.

Someone totally disconnected from those we’re trying to reach might think this is no big deal, but if common surveys are any indication, it’s one of the biggest barriers people have for even wanting to give any church a shot.

There is no reason to worship an outdated style of language – no matter how spiritual you think it makes you sound.  All you really do is alienate those you claim to want to reach.

This is why we don’t title a series “The Theology of Relational Sanctification,” but rather “I Want a New Marriage.”  Same content.  Same learning how to follow Jesus better, but gettable.

I think that’s where many Christians who grew up in church really have a hard time.  They left some other faith environment thinking the way to be spiritual is to use big theological terms and sound as academically lofty as possible.  This was all under the guise of being “deep.”

What depth can you really achieve with someone if they aren’t even willing to get in the pool because your language is abstract?

Jesus defined depth as DOING the will of God.  Doing what God wants us to do.  Not just knowing.  And definitely not knowing it in a language style nobody uses in your house, your work and in non-church life.

Keep it simple.  And remember simple is not shallow.  Simple is not simplistic.  If our first two years are any indication, simple is the catalyst for true life depth and transformation.

When you feel the most inadequate, you are in the perfect position to be used by God.

We are a church full of imperfect people.  But when we embrace our imperfection, we also simultaneously embrace God’s perfection and begin to understand that God will use what we bring to Him, not because we’re spiritually qualified, but because we willingly made ourselves available.

Just look at Jesus’s main followers.   They weren’t the most “qualified” or perfect religious people according to the culture.  They were mostly illiterate, some hated and some simple fishermen.

But through them, Jesus accomplished his history-defining three-year ministry.

And now it’s time for us.

In 2012, make one of your resolutions to STOP caring what others think of you and please an audience of one.

Bring your best and let God to the rest.

I wanted to write a big post about all the awesome things God did in 2011 at EastLake.  But instead, let’s have the church write it.

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