When Grete and I fly into LAX from a trip, we typically take the Metro train back to Pasadena. Although it’s a much longer trip than taking a car, I love the experience. The crowd riding the Metro is incredibly diverse. You have high schoolers hopping on and riding one stop down together, men and women getting off work and heading home, people heading to sporting games, and a few folks who are probably homeless. It’s a place where every race and (almost) every class brush shoulders on the way to their next thing.
Why can’t church look more like the Metro?
Ryan Bolger has said that people shouldn’t have to cross cultures to come to Christ. In other words, they shouldn’t have to get used to a “church” culture before they can hear the message of Christ. We shouldn’t expect people to come to our turf, act like us, enjoy our music and understand our traditions so they can learn about God. They need to hear about God in a way they can understand.
At the same time, the Bible values diversity. Look at the mix of folks who Jesus considered friends. There were wealthy benefactors, rough and tough fishermen, government-sponsored tax collectors, zealots who possibly killed government-sponsored people like tax collectors. Would have made for an interesting dinner party. Read More »
