Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Smoking Section


Shawn Lovejoy had a great post on Sunday about the "Lost Parties" they are doing at Mountain Lake Church. You can read it here. This is one example of what has been called "hanging out in the smoking section." That is just a way of saying hanging out with people most followers of Christ would never hang out with- you know "those people" who sit in the smoking section. It seems to me as Shawn rightfully points out in this post that Jesus hung out in the smoking section (with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes). I think he said something about coming not for the well but for the sick.

When I was seeking to find out all I could about the Massaponax and Greater Fredericksburg community when I first got on the ground to plant New Season Church one of my weekly stops was on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. to the bar at Pancho Villa Mexican restaurant for an O'Douls of course:). This was my sitting in the smoking section so to speak to get me out of my "Christian" bubble (surrounded by people who talk, think and act like me ((no I don't have fish on my car by the way))). There I was able to hear the stories of people who were just living and often struggling with life. I was able to engage a segment of the mission field I could not engage in meeting with school principals, civic and community leaders, and other church leaders.

The question for all followers of Christ is where will you sit in the "smoking section?" The studies say after becoming a follower of Christ you lose your non-Christian friends in two years. Wow!! You know mama said not to hang out with people who sat in the smoking section but Jesus said to indeed hang out and love them.

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