There is a song by Matthew West named Truth be Told that always gets me when I hear it. There is one line that really strikes home, ‘The sign says “Come as you are” but I doubt it, Cause if we lived like it was true every Sunday morning pew would be crowded.’ I really believe that the culture at Flatland Church is one that truthfully says “Come as you are”. We want to love others right where they are but we also love each other too much to let each other just stay where were are. We desire to move to the center, together. But we have so much more to do.
’But didn’t you say the church should look more like a hospital. A safe place for the sick, the sinner and the scarred and the prodigals’ the song continues. We have a great calling to be that kind of place. We need to be a church that welcomes all, teaches everyone, and calls all of us into a deeper relationship with Christ. We are a spiritual hospital, one that brings healing through the blood of Christ.
Of course, we have to accept the truth be told, we are all sinners, we all need healing, we all need Jesus. ’There’s no failure, no fall, there’s no sin you don’t already know. So let the truth be told.’ Jesus accepts us right where we are. The truth be told, Jesus knew everything about us before our birth. He died for our sins, before we came into this world. Yet He accepts us right where we are. He calls us to have the same attitude, and accept others right where they are, showing them Christ through our testimony, through our love, through our sacrifice. No better way to see the beast thrown down but to bring others to Christ. Let’s Move!
Pastor Bart challenged us all: write down our testimony so we can be better prepared to say it.
Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah. - Revelation 12:10
