Things I wish I had said

In a recent sermon I quoted Dave Benson who had quoted Rob Bell,

"if you don't like diversity you are not going to like heaven." Then I went a step further and said "If you don't like diversity you are probably not going!" I got a letter from someone this week, with these words:

I've never considered myself racist, was "taught" to love everyone the same and have tons of black friends, but recently I found that my judgment of other" was put to the test. Well . . . in your blunt way one Sunday you said, "If you don't like diversity, you probably won't like heaven very much . . . in fact, if you don't like diversity, you may not MAKE it to heaven." Well, Phil . . . I have to tell you that was God speaking to me directly and after some time in deep prayer, I made and continue to make major changes in the way I see and love others . . . it was such a feeling of relief and a great step toward being more like Christ. I've shared that statement with others and hope that we can call take it to heart.

I had prayed and prayed that the church

I was serving would be more a reflection of the 

diverse community in which we live and those prayers are coming true. 

How did it happen? By the grace of God. 

By being intentionally inviting to everyone. 

Strangely this was one of the keys: 

By inviting Neighborhood Associations to meet at the church

in the sanctuary, welcoming those folks and inviting them to come back. 

I can trace the growth of our church in these subdivisions to the time of these first meetings. 

Some churches see this as a chance to charge for the use of the building, 

my prayer is that is will be seen as an opportunity to reach the community for Christ.