no holy huddles

In football it's important to be on the same page, so the quarterback will often "huddle up" with his team to make sure everyone knows what to do on the next play.  This involves getting all his players in a tight circle where nobody from the other team is allowed into their space.
 
Some churches tend to think the same way.  We form a tight circle of who is "in" and who is "out" and spend our times in our "holy huddles" away from the evils of the world and its sinful ways.  I get it, the world is pretty bad and it is tempting to want to hunker down and shut it all out, to protect ourselves and our children from the temptations and sin around us.

But, when we do this, we also shut out those who need Jesus.  Those people we shut out ARE the mission field we are called to.  How can we love those we ignore?  How can we serve those we hide from?  How can we share the good news to our neighbors if we don't know our neighbors?  

Matthew 28:19 calls us to "go" and not to hide.  The going isn't going to be easy.  It will be messy, painful and sometimes full of temptation; but Jesus called us to go anyway.  Hiding our light under a bushel isn't going to help anyone; we have to let it shine.
So, we huddle up on Sundays or Wednesdays to encourage, worship, teach and prepare...but then we go out to do, love, serve and share.  We have to break the huddle and get out on the field (the mission field of our lives) to where the people are who need Jesus.  That's the plan, that's the call...and that's where Jesus wants us to be.  So get out there...and, break! 

In Christ,
Pastor Scott