Saw one of my friends today who was talking with me about “Stepford Clergy” and that brought me around to “Stepford Believers.” 

If it’s one thing that I’m sure of: the original followers (men and women) of Jesus were REAL PEOPLE with real emotions, real foibles, real problems, real temptations, and real joys! 

The goal of the church … or ANY body of believers … should not be to “even out” the emotions, but to engance and make them more visible, more contageous to other people. Don’t you think?

One reason I don’t want to be a runner is because I never see runners smiling. They’re always looking so serious — or so oblivious with their earbuds in. Maybe they don’t smile so that they don’t get bugs in their teeth …but any way you look at it, they’re not good marketers for their sport.

And churches?

The same thing. People either look pious or ecstatic. What ever happened to REAL? Just sloggin’ through life with an underlying joy and belief that all will work out eventually, but … 

How can we BE the people of God if we are not WITH  “the people?” 

How can there be Gospel without JUSTICE?

There can’t.

So don’t talk to me about believing but not doing … or about how you’ve “paid your dues” and shouldn’t have to contribute anymore. 

We are all sloggin’ through this together or we’re not. There’s no half-way!

Thus endeth the message for this morning!