The Visitor: Church Without Walls (part one)

Some years ago, I was involved with new church. It had rapid initial growth due to real opportunity to experience community, vibrant worship, and great teaching. It attracted both committed Christians desiring a deeper level of experiencing God and seekers. Sometimes this mixture produces awkward situations. Seekers, by definition, are seeking solutions to their difficulties, and bring their sin with them as they come. This can cause discomfort to those who are accustomed to being around those who at least put up a pretense of acting "christian."

I remember one particularly painful moment. A young seeker was visiting again. He had made no secret of being gay. I saw my friend, who knew the visitor better than I did, speaking to him. My friend soon came over to me and informed me that he had told the gay man to not come back again until he had stopped homosexual relationships. My friend thought he had done well.

Most of the time, we are not this direct. But whether we communicate with words or attitude, sinful seekers know if they are welcome. I've often heard the phrase, "Hate the sin; love the sinner." I understand the sentiment, but it leaves me unsatisfied. I know that I can love a person that I really don't want to spend time with. I can be committed to his good and will do what's in my power to assist him in time of need, but I really don't want spend an evening with him. He may bore me. He may annoy me with his opinions about politics. I love him, but I really don't like him. He is a relative, or an acquaintance, but he will never be a friend. I can love the sinner, sincerely wanting the best for him, but still want no real personal connection with him.

Jesus never minced words about sin, yet he was different than me. In Luke 7:34, He reported what those who hated Him were saying about Him:

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." '

He not only loved the sinners, he liked them. He spent time with them as a friend.

May the same be said of me and you.