Those People

Did your mom or dad ever tell you to stay away from those people- whoever those people were at the time. Maybe it was the neighbor's down the street that had the loud all night long parties. Maybe it was the kids at school who were always in dentention. Maybe it was the homeless man with a sign on the side of the road at the exit ramp. You know- those people.

It is striking that those people are the very people Jesus hung out with in His day. They were the sinners, the tax collectors, the fishermen, the prostitutes and other ilk: you know- those people. Christ said he came for the sick, not the healthy. I think it is those people in our contemporary culture that God calls us as Christians to hang out with, have relationship with, and present the Gospel to. If we are indeed Christ's hands and feet today then it makes sense that the church would be doing this.

During my time of assesment and training before planting a church, my coach Jim Griffith said that church planters need to be the kind of people who hang out in the smoking section. I thoguht that was right on! He then asked us how many friends we have that are not Christians. Ough, my toes began to hurt!!

May we all spend a little bit more time hanging out with, having relationship with and presenting the Gospel to those people in the smoking section.