Ridgell's Originals

 We didn't set out to start one, but it is now a significant part of our outreach ministry.  Coming Home.  People who used to follow Jesus.  People who were baptized but somehow got off track.  People who have been living in a far country.  People who want to come home and get back on their Jesus journey.

Our members at Hillcrest invite a lot of people to worship, or to the Journey class on Wednesdays or the Seekers class on Sunday.  Some get interested in learning more about what it means to follow Jesus.  And some tell us that they used to be a follower, used to go to church, used to be recognized as a Christian.

Some don't even know why or how they left their faith behind.  They just drifted away until one day they were not even going.  Not even thinking much about Jesus.  

Some got overwhelmed with life and just dropped out of faith.

Others got caught up in sin to the point where they lost their way.

And a few got mad at God when something went wrong in their life. The death of a child, or even a parent for example.

Or a few that got mad a church.  God feelings hurt, or felt they were mistreated.  Felt betrayed by a member.  

So we spend a lot of time talking about Jesus.  Helping them remember why they decided to follow him in the first place.  We talk about grace and forgiveness.  The Prodigal Son.  About it never being to late to come home.

When they decide to come back, we often announce them to the congregation, like we so anyone who wants to be part of our faith community.  But we will often say they have been away from God or lost their way, or got off track with life.  Some even have us talk about their sin (alcohol or greed or whatever).  So we pray them and welcome them home.

Our elders meet with them, just like they do with all our new Christians.  Pray over them.  One of us tells a little of their story.  Many of them tell their own stories.  They are raw and painful.  And sweet and holy.  

The one thing we don't do is try and defend /excuse the church, ministry, God.  Whoever or whatever hurt them.  We will say that we are sorry they were -- or felt -- hurt.  Grace goes both ways.  Most people that are coming home have realized holding on to the past is not going to help.

We did not intend to start a "get back on your journey" movement, yet here we are.  It is growing so much we are going to spend the summer in our Journey class talking about Starting or ReStarting with Jesus, using a book by Tim Archer of that name.  

And a soul saved is a soul saved.  Starting their journey, or getting back on their journey.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM