1 + 1 + 1 = 3

June 6, 2009

I know what you’re thinking. No, it doesn’t take a math whiz to figure this out. 1+1+1=3 is simple arithmetic. Did I insult you by giving you this information? Hang with me for a minute, and if I didn’t insult you already, I’ll run the risk of doing so with my explanation for this illustration. Not on purpose, but it’s really pretty simple.

August 30th is coming up fast, and that’s the date of our first service for Beachside Community Church! Have I mentioned before how excited I am? I’m excited because I really believe we have so much opportunity to reach the unchurched of this area. I still can’t believe the Lord is allowing me to be  a part of what He is doing here. It’s amazing!  We have the opportunity to start with a clean slate as we create irresistible environments for our friends. We have an opportunity to BE the CHURCH and not just go to church, and God has brought together an AMAZING group of people to lead this effort. But… (here’s where my mathematical wizardry comes in to play)

We’re creating a new church because we believe something different is needed to reach the unchurched of the Emerald Coast. There are plenty of places for church people to go to church on Sunday. We don’t need just another church. We need a church that UNCHURCHED people will want to attend. We want to create INCREDIBLE environments that are engaging, relevant, and helpful. So in order to have a different result, we have to have different parts because we all know that the sum of the same parts is the same result- everytime! 1+1+1 will always equal 3. Here’s the point:

If we…

… spend time with God the same
… use our time and talents the same
… trust God with our finances the same
… care for the poor the same
… love our neighbors the same
… love our enemies the same
… love those we’ve never met the same
… invest in our unchurched friends, neighbors, and coworkers the same
… view the Church the same
… view God the same
… obey God the same
… expect things from God the same

Then we can be sure of one thing: We’ll be the same kind of church.
Here’s my question: What does God desire for YOU to do different?

1+1+1+(God)= ?    I’m not really sure, but I can’t wait to find out!

-Shaun

Comments