“I Don’t Trust Church Folk”

When my wife and I officially arrived in Spartanburg we attended an Easter sunrise service followed by Sunday school and an Easter Musical. We were exhausted from the move from Atlanta and decided to get a few hours of sleep. Upon waking we were led to walk the community near the church to mix and mingle and invite folk out to our Bible Study and Praise Service Tuesday night 7 pm at 7319 Valley Falls Road, Spartanburg.

We approached a house were two men were standing in the doorway looking very suspicious.  I knew to get right to the point. “Hey brothers, my wife and I are two new pastors to the area and wanted to invite you to our services.” And, simultaneously, one of the young men shouted “what?” while the other ran inside. I got scared. I ask the man “Is everything alright?” With a look of amazement he said “pastor, I just got through telling my girlfriend that I don’t trust church folk and I ain’t going back to church unless I meet a pastor on the street and they invite me to church.” He went on to say “church folk are to judgmental. I smoke, drink, but that’s me. I had to have my jaw replaced because of cancer, but I know it was God that delivered me.” Then he said “pastor, do you believe there is a hell?” I said “yes, but you don’t have to worry about that.” He said “why not.” I said, because you believe in God. And, the bible says  “As many as believed on Him, He gave them power to become the sons of God (John 1:12)”. I went on to share "ain’t nobody good enough to be saved. It’s by grace we are saved, so that church folk can’t walk around like they are better than anybody else.” He said “pastor, I will be there. If I got to catch a ride, I will be there.” 

Praise the Lord!

Listen, Spartanburg, if you know someone who has issues…..smoking, drinking, partying, ho’ing, gangbanging and they feel like God don’t love them or they’re not as good as them church folk…PLEASE bring them out tomorrow night at 7 pm, so that I can share the truth about God’s unconditional love and amazing grace. As a matter of fact, if God woke them up this morning, that’s His way of telling them that He ain’t mad at them and He wants a deeper relationship with them. It's through a more intimate relationship with God that brings about a change. Remember, Jesus didn’t care to hang around religious folk either. Come here the truth so that you can STOP WALKING IN GUILT AND BEGIN LIVING BY FAITH. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9 (NASB)