Dean Inserra

Last night we had a lot of fun hanging out with some Well folks at Po Boys and then seeing Matt Long do an acoustic set at the Coffee Pub. While we REALLY push our folks to form relationships with unchurched friends…it is also important that we have connection events like we did last night.

I also had the chance to have three separate conversations with people who are not in Church. All three loved the fact that we meet on Sunday night because they hate having to get up early on weekends.

Meeting on Sunday evening was really a no-brainer for us. I believe that one of the primary reasons people in my generation are not in Church is because they don’t like getting up in the morning. They are out late Saturday night and know an early Monday wake-up for work is just around the corner. Sunday is the day to sleep till noon.

I know that to the “churched” person this sounds like such a stupid reason. Keep in mind that many people who are not in Church are not believers at all. They do not have the conviction to gather with believers (because they aren’t…hello), so while we might roll our eyes about something that sounds as simple as when a service might start….they think it is perfectly rational to sleep in.

When we first started, we heard from a lot of our folks who were already believers that not having a Sunday morning gathering would feel “weird.” I basically told them to get over it and think about the person who isn’t here yet. Our folks are used to it now, get the big picture of why we do it, and love it. So do I…preaching at night is so much easier for me than in the morning. I have had the time to drink mountain dew.

Our community group was awesome last night. We are watching Rob Bell’s Nooma videos followed by a discussion. While we do not agree with Rob on a lot of things…the videos give us great things to talk about.

Last night we discussed and attempted to define a “disciple.” Something that has happened in evangelicalism across the board is that being a disciple is often defined by what you know. Discipleship=Information.

This is so far from the Gospel. Obviously, gaining knowledge is essential to being a disciple…but throughout the New Testament we see Jesus calling people to come and follow…not just go to lunch and have deep spiritual discussions.

Here is the problem: we are fine with Jesus as God…however, we struggle with Jesus as man. We like to think that Jesus as God can stay in the stained glass while we worship on Sundays. We are cool with that.

Jesus as man? That is way too messy for us. He calls us to follow…not just learn more and more info about Him. Follow to obedience, connecting with people who are far from Him, etc. It is so much easier to just attend Bible studies, sing songs and hear sermons.

I am working on a message for the One Prayer series we have coming up at the Well. On June 22nd I will be preaching Lord, Make Us Dangerous. I will be speaking at the Fellowship of the Hills in the morning and at the Well that evening.

Here is what I can’t get off my mind: When did Christianity become a safe religion that protected us from the world? I am convinced that a believer can thrive in the culture without selling out to it.

I think about Daniel…captive in a land that was not his own…thrived, yet never compromised.

I think about Joseph in Egypt…hostile to everything that he knew…thrived, yet never compromised.

I think about Christ.

Everywhere he went…people listened. The religious crowd couldn’t figure out why he was friends with these “sinners.” He even sat down at the table to eat with them. He turned his community upside-down. Never compromised.

Obviously these three examples had their share of trials. Daniel was thrown to the lions.

Joseph was locked up in jail.

Christ was crucified.

Safe?

I often say that one of the most important discussions Christians can have together is– what does it look like to be in the world but not “of it?” Our citizenship is in heaven, but God has us living on earth. It is almost like we are between two worlds..one that is here and one that is yet to come.

How do believers handle this “in between” life that we live?

1. Hide from it: We have Christian schools, radio, fast-food (Chick-Fil-A), softball leagues, bookstores, and coffee shops. etc. None of those are bad in themselves, but we can be so deep into the Christian sub-culture that we might as well not even be on earth.

This is not Christian.

2. Become like it: Part of this discussion is that we must acknowledge that there is a distinction between the Church and the World. We are never called to give an inch on the fact that our allegiance is to Christ right NOW and to the world yet to come. A believer who lives a life of sin..is in the world and of it.

This is not Christian.

3. Live in it: Jesus Christ came into this world and He lived in it. He was with the people…from high society religious folks to the messy. He influenced the culture where he came to live. He never gave an inch on who He was…NEVER. He never sinned. He honored the Father and loved the people.

This is Christian.

He modeled it for us.

Today has been a great day of just hanging out with my family and friends. Tommy was in the pool with Uncle Todd and Sarah all day and I read, watched TV, ate a great lunch, and chilled with Krissie, Jovanna, and Sarah Scruggs. Fun stuff.

Everyone needs to have days where they just take a breather and chill. No plans, no agenda. Just chill. It has been great.

I really enjoyed the Well last night. I was a little nervous about preaching through Proverbs 31…but I think it worked out okay.

We are starting a new series next week called, “One Prayer.” We will be discussing the importance of Tallahassee Christians being unified in our calling to reach Tallahassee.

I am so sick of churches seeing each other as competition! We might as well be McDonald’s and Wendy’s across the street from each other. So…somebody leaves your Church to go somewhere else. Heaven forbid! Will the Kingdom of God continue?

I have a personal policy that I will never talk someone into staying. There are many people in Tallahassee that have been to at least 4 churches in 5 years! I don’t have time to worry about that. There are other good places in town. You can stress over those who leave or stress over those who haven’t come yet…I thank God that the people who are part of our Church family are on board and want to see the city reached.

Our competition is darkness.

Thomasville Road Baptist, and The Fellowship of the Hills will take part in this with us. I am pumped!