BELONG BEFORE BELIEVE

There has been a long standing concept of you have to have it all together before you can serve or be part of a church. I never really understand that. The Bible is full of people with messed up lives and if the apostle Paul still felt like he had a long way to go, then so do we. We have seen the opposite of this concept at The Journey as well. We have given people the space to process their questions and explore a relationship with Jesus. Many people come for a long time before they even believe. Many people feel part of our church before they believe...they feel like they belong here. This has made some interesting and challenging dynamics. We have people who serve in many areas that are still in process. You might see someone in the band or welcoming you at the doors...they might feel like they belong before they even believe. Life is a journey...it's organic. Not everyone takes the same steps in the same order. We have to set some boundaries - like leaders or people who teach the lesson in journey kids need to have an established relationship with Jesus - but we will continue to live with some tension in this area. So invite someone to serve with you. It will open conversations about God and it can help them take their next step towards or in their relationship with Jesus.