Come Hang Out and See the Difference!
How about “Christians” who don’t act very “Christianly”?
Have you ever been made to feel like you weren’t good enough to be at church or to be a Christian?
Or, how about leaders in the church who’ve told you that you had to be a certain way… talk a certain way, look a certain way, dress a certain way, fix your hair a certain way… in order for God to be pleased with you???
THIS IS NOT YOUR
GRANDADDY’S CHURCH
RELATIONSHIP NOT RULES
GOD IS NOT MAD AT YOU – HE LOVES YOU – AND SO DO WE!
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10
Church people suck.
Why do church people suck? Because, hurt people hurt people and the Church is full of hurt people living out a so-called Christian life through their own hurts and shortcomings who believe, through their own self-righteousness – their “works”, their own “goodness” – they can gain God’s favor and approval. The problem is… NO ONE can ever be “good enough” to EARN God’s Love.
Innately, people know this. Deep inside, they know that they cannot, in and of themselves, ever be good enough to earn God’s favor and love… Down deep, they know their own failures… AND, if they can point out YOURS it not only takes eyes off of them but it makes them feel better about themselves somehow… It’s the same mentality surrounding the concept of – instead of rising up and being who God created you to be, condemn everyone around you to bring them down and then you will “look” like you’re better than you really are. Or, perhaps they truly believe they ARE better than others because of all the things they “do” to earn God’s favor…
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness…
Matthew 23:23
God already approves of YOU! HE ALREADY LOVES YOU – regardless of your state. He loves you so much that He sent His Son to DIE for YOU!
I am deeply aware of God’s love for me… and I have not done anything to earn it or deserve it.
Brannon Massey, Senior Pastor
LOVE GOD – LOVE PEOPLE
Religion sucks.
Religion keeps you in bondage. Relationship sets you FREE.
It’s about RELATIONSHIP.
The sinners to whom Jesus directed His messianic ministry were not those who skipped morning devotions or Sunday church. His ministry was to those whom society considered real sinners. They had done nothing to merit salvation. Yet, they opened themselves to the gift that was offered them. On the other hand, the self-righteous placed their trust in the works of the Law and closed their hearts to the message of grace.
Brennan Manning – Author, Ragamuffin Gospel
RELIGION KILLED JESUS. It wasn’t the Romans… It was the religious people of His time that cried out for His death. Jesus was a threat to their system – their TRADITIONS. He was an obstacle – a threat – that needed to be removed.
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men… thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down…
Mark 7:8-13
If you’ve run into the spirit of religion… as we all have… and felt awful, judged, rejected, and condemned… Jesus knows EXACTLY how you feel. He felt the same way. He was CONDEMNED TO DEATH by religion.
Religion sucks… Relationship doesn’t – it sets you FREE.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:10-13
When we live in condemnation of guilt, regret, and shame, we are undermining and rejecting God’s wonderful gift of grace.
Rebecca Massey, Senior Pastor
WHAT DOES “NOT YOUR GRANDADDY’S CHURCH” MEAN TO YOU???
Hear, in people’s own words, what “Not Your Grandaddy’s Church” means to them.
Never look at yourself apart from Christ, because God never does. Our true self is one that is radically loved by the Father. This is who we really are – any other identity is an illusion and a lie.
Rebecca Massey, Senior Pastor
God loves you unconditionally just as you are – with all your faults. He’s desperate to be close to you and for you to feel His love for you.
Brannon Massey, Senior Pastor