What does your church offer?
When someone asks that question, they’re usually asking about what programs and ministries the church has to offer. Now churches should be able to tell people about the various ministries that occur each week, but it would be really cool to see a different first response to that question…
“Well…we offer lots of gospel, lots of safety, and lots of time.”
One of my desires for Alliance Bible Church is to see us establish a culture of “gospel + safety + time.” Ray Ortlund Jr. defines each of them like this:
Gospel
People need multiple exposures to the happy news of the gospel from one end of the Bible to the other.
Safety
People need the safety of non-accusing sympathy so they can admit their problems honestly.
Time
People need plenty of time to rethink their lives at a deep level because people are complex and changing isn’t easy.
Imagine being part of a church where “gospel + safety + time” has taken root. What would that experience be like? Over the next few weeks, I’m going camp on this subject and unpack in more detail each of these and why they are so important.
