 In my previous post, I made the case that the church is meant to be a harbinger of the new heavens and the new earth. That is, when people experience the community of people called ‘the church’ they should be given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth.
In order for that to happen, the church has to have a culture of gospel + safety + time. Gospel People need multiple exposures to the happy news of the gospel from one end of the Bible to the other Safety People need the safety of non-accusing sympathy so they can admit their problems honestly Time People need plenty of time to rethink their lives at a deep level because people are complex and changing isn’t easy But when you stop to think about it, a church culture isn't just a community, it's also made up of individuals. So the question then is: when someone experiences you, is that individual given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth? Think about that question. When someone experiences you, is that individual given a taste of the new heavens and the new earth? Is your personal culture characterized by gospel + safety + time? In the next few posts on this topic, we’ll explore what it takes for a church and individuals to be harbingers of the new heavens and new earth. For now, let’s pray and plead with God to make us into people who are like this.
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