Saturday, September 25, 2010

What if every church was a "Love Shack"?


"The church should be the place where the incompetent, the unfinished, and even the unhealthy are welcome. I believe Jesus agrees."
-- Mike Yaconelli

What would happen if every church was truly a "Love Shack"? A place where broken, messed up people knew that they would come and get loved on. A place without judgment. A place where the dirt of life was truly welcomed and embraced. A place where it's okay to be truly transparent. A place where people with everything sat next to people with absolutely nothing. A place where healing happens. A place for people who have given up hope to find hope again.

There is something amazing about love. It's contagious. People are drawn to love. Love encourages. Love moves mountains. Love removes pain and hurt. Love transforms. Love brings life.

I love going to the Port Orange VFW for karaoke on Friday or Saturday night. The song I always like to sing is "Love Shack" by the B 52's. It's a song that I call a "dance floor filler". All it takes are the first few notes of the song and the dance floor fills to the brim.

Wouldn't it be great if there was so much love in our churches that people filled the dance floor? So contagious that they were drawn to it? So encouraging that people couldn't wait for the first few notes?

I'm not very objective but I've found a church like that. It's the Messy Church. I like going to the Saturday night service at 5pm. I've found my "Love Shack". Thank you God. Thank you Ray and Susan Kelley.

"The mess of our lives and our crippledness -- is what most qualifies us to be chosen by Jesus." -- Mike Yaconelli

4 comments:

  1. Great tune, great author. It's so awesome to find a place where you know you belong. Thanks, Mike!

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  2. Awesome. Not sure I wanted the song stuck in my head for the rest of the day, but that ship has sailed. I still love you though, Mike.

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  3. I love it man. I'm glad you found a great community. There is absolutely nothing like it. I've been in an amazing community for 3 years and I can sometimes take for granted how difficult it can be to find.

    And to echo Jason, the earworm has officially embedded itself into my head.

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