Winning Friends and Influencing People

I'm trying to keep a running lists of things that have been going on the past few months…oh yeah, my parents are divorced, I've had chest pains, an infection in my cornea, broke my glasses, had my life threatened, tired deflated, and bike stolen.  As the opposition has continued to grow so have the blessings as humorous as that sounds.  It's been an interesting few months to say the least but during this time I have seen 5 people I have been talking to for over a year start attending Embrace after several invitations.

The attacks and persecution we have undergone has been tremendous.  I imagine if we laid low and did not care about sharing the love of Christ with others we would be off the radar.  I've told the people of Embrace that if they hang out with me they will get a target on their back too.  The people of Embrace have been some of the most courageous people I have ever met, first to let me be their pastor!  Secondly, and more importantly the way they are living the Christian life.  I haven't seen people this serious about the Christian life in a long time.  They have been open to being servants and actually learning to live/love in community together.  Community has been something that we have all worked for with many people coming and going because expectations aren't meant in one way or another. We are not a perfect community but we are certainly a redeemed community; a community that has continued to be refined and sanctified by the Spirit.