Just Ask

 ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. Mathew 7:7

I'm writing this note on Tuesday, January 23rd.  Today is the second day in a row that there has been a high school shooting.  We are left saddened and confused.  We have so many questions.  Thankfully, I have a place where I know I can go to ask them, even if it is only shouting "Why God?" in the sanctuary.  I worry today about those who don't have faith to prop them up.  

Among all of the questions we may ask as a church today, maybe the most important one doesn't happen within the confines of the church.  I read a shocking statistic today:

 "82% of the unchurched are somewhat likely to attend church if invited. Those are pretty great odds don’t you think? Unfortunately, only 2% of church going people ever invite someone to church in a given year. To make matters worse, 70% of unchurched people have never been invited to church in their whole lives. (Thom Rainer, The Unchurched Next Door)" quoted in Practical Ways to Reach the Unchurched on d2design.com.

​What do those folks do?  The ones who haven't been invited?  What do they do on days like today when sorrow and loneliness weave their shadows, when the questions pile up?  Where do they find a humble spirit to talk with about what really matters? 

As churchgoers, our most important question this week may be, "Do you have a church? If you don't, I'd love to have you come to worship with me on Sunday."  Even if you don't get a yes, you're far more likely to than if you never asked, never searched, never knocked.  

And please, if you don't already have a church home, consider this my invitation to join Brightwood Christian Church on the journey to becoming the beloved community of God.  We worship on Sundays at 11.