Yesterday we went and listened to a good friend preach and I have to tell you it was extremely refreshing for me. The day was very challenging but the sermon was extremely refreshing. And as I thought about why this friend and I have connected even though we’ve only known each other for a few months, I realized it’s because we both share the same outlook on people.

My take on people whenever I meet them is: EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING

His take on people whenever he meets them is: EVERYONE HAS A HURT, HABIT, OR HANGUP

But the assumption from both of us is that people are flawed. They are messy. They don’t come pre-packaged or pre-assembled. They don’t always have life deodorant on and thereby their life stinks. They do things they’re not supposed to. They say things they don’t want to. They believe things they shouldn’t. They’re under the curse of sin. No matter how good someone wants to present themselves to you, you can be assured that they are screwed up in some fashion. Me and my friend included.

And I think we both share a similar outlook on what has gone wrong in American Christianity. I won’t speak for my friend but I will speak for me. The leaders of the church in America have forgotten that they are people too. They’re screwed up just like everyone else. They are in desperate need of grace. They are in desperate need of mercy. But the problem is: They don’t believe that.

They think they’re pretty good people. After all, they’re successful business people. They grew up in church. They grew up in preacher’s homes. They’ve gone to seminary. They’ve got it together. And since they have it together, they have very little patience for those of us who don’t and who don’t claim to.

Have you ever noticed that once people rise to positions of leadership or influence that they forget the grace and mercy that was shown them as they were trying to follow Jesus the best they could? Have you ever noticed how little patience they have for people who don’t perform on cue, serve like they should, parent like they should, marry like they should, give like they should, attend church like they should?

Have you ever noticed that it seems that they act like they have escaped the curse of habits, hurts, and hang-ups? Oh sure they’ll tell you about times long ago when they wrestled themselves, but now they stand before you victorious and ready to dispense divine wisdom and knowledge on how you too can escape that pesky little fight with sin in your life. Imitate them they say, for they have found the path to freedom from a dirty life and how to be squeaky clean…

Chances are you’re in a church like that right now. Chances are you’ve been in churches like that all your life. And the thing that excites me about Eternity is that I truly see God forming a church where we all realize from the get go that we are broken and in desperate need of Jesus. And because we need Jesus so desperately, He’s all we’re going to focus on.

I’ll tell you this much…my friend can preach.