It Takes Heart!

Sweet…another Rocky Marathon on television…a 24 hour reminder of why Sylvester Stallone is truly one of the greatest cinematic performers of our time…sheer poetry!  For those who maybe Rocky newbe’s, here’s the general idea, every movie Rocky is faced with an impossible opponent, an opponenet who literally beats the snot out of Rocky for 11 of 12 rounds until out of nowhere inspirational music begins to play, and thoughts of Adrian (his wife) begin to motivate him onto victory.  In a nutshell, that’s pretty much how everyone of the Rocky movies ends, atleast the good ones…don’t really count Rocky 1 & 5, both duds.  Anyway as I watched Rock take on Mr. T in a fight for the ages…I noticed something else, that led Rocky onto victory.  See Rocky always managed to win not because he had more skill, more brains, or more braun…but rather he had more heart!  When faced with the impossible, Rocky met it with heart.  Truth is, as we move forward to meet the unique, maybe even overwhelming challenges and needs of Green County…it’s going to take heart.  It’s not going to be five year plans, or steering committees that will make the difference, but a group of Christ-followers willing to roll up their sleeves, willing to fight the good fight…and radically, unconventionally, love people with the same radical love God showed us.  The Bible tells us that “perfect love casts out fear,” I love that, because it speaks such truth.  When you get down to why people don’t got to church it all comes down to one word…fear.  It’s fear of being rejected, fear of being an outsider, fear of being condemned, fear of being hurt.  It’s fear that drives people from church, and it’s only love…radical, messy love that will steer them back. Our goal in the coming months as a campus is not to be a perfect church, filled with perfect people, and perfect programs…but rather to live out God’s perfect love to an imperfect world around.  How are we going to turn the tide in Monroe? How are we going to make God’s voice louder in Green County?  How are we going to take on the impossible?  With heart!  For it’s God’s love that wins the day…always!