Todd Hiestand

September 30, 2008

Church. Family. Grace. Belonging.

People like to use the metaphor “family” when it come to church.

I think this is one legitimate and valuable way of looking at church.

When people come to The Well they say they experience family.

I believe it’s because there are very few contracts on what it means to belong to our family.

They are welcome as they are.

This does not mean that they aren’t publicly and personally invited to participate further.

This does not mean that they aren’t publicly and personally invited to grow.

This does not mean that they aren’t publicly and personally invited to reorganize their lives around the mission of God.

But it means that they are welcome and part of the family whether they do those things or not.

And this is a powerful thing for people to experience.

It’s called grace.

Grace, in its very definition, does not require actions or change.

Instead.

It calls out actions and change.

It breeds actions and change.

It compels actions and change.

But, its still grace.

And with grace, I can be part of the family.

No matter what.

Even if I am a 30 year old who still lives at home and sits on the sofa all day watching reruns of Knight Rider and I Dream of Jeanie.

Sure, my mom, if she’s cares at all, is going to tell me to get off my butt and get a job.

But.

She’s still my mom.

She still loves me.

She still calls me her son.

I am still part of the family.

Thanks mom.

(postscript: I don’t sit on the sofa and watch reruns of Knight Rider and I Dream of Jeanie. I prefer the A-Team and Fall Guy).