I don’t believe in accidents.

On Thursday, I’m connecting with Shawn Michael Shoup, a local youth pastor here in Rapid City. We’ve never met in person. But what’s cool is that he and I both preached an eerily similar message this past Sunday in two different churches in Rapid City including the text we chose. Hmmm.

Read these quotes from his message and then click here and say hello:

• “it’s scary when we put expectations on people to clean up before they ever even enter our church doors… too many people don’t feel like they’re “good enough” and therefore will never come. makes me think about the “love chapter” in Corinthians 13: “…love does not demand it’s own way.”
• “God was really good with people relationally; He spent a lot of time hanging with people at their house and at the dinner table, communicating one on one and with the crowds… maybe we should too, instead of cold-turkey “here’s a tract” or “knock-knock and go” tactics…”
• “love is at the top of it all… it’s dangerous when we kick people out of church and make them feel like we’ve “dealt with them”. Healthy people don’t need a doctor; sick people do… and we will never fulfill our calling as a church until we learn to love unconditionally…”

I like the way Shawn thinks and the passion in his words.

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