I’ve been sitting on this thought for some time because I didn’t really know what I wanted to say about it, but here’s try #1.

As we’ve been rolling out our new vision around Granger, over the last year I’ve been challenged to work on my ‘Empathy‘ in new ways.  (Empathy = identifying with & feeling other people’s concerns)  This is skill and a passion I’ve always had as I’ve been blessed to lead many things  that required it but I’ve honestly been stretched this last year in this area like never before.

I thought I’d bring it up here on my blog as I had 3 phone convo’s with friends of mine who do “church work” around the country who are saying they are stretched in this exact same way.

I wonder how much of the future of the church will rest on our constant ability to empathize with people and communicate the gospel in light of that empathy!

I know most people will say “Dude we do that all the time, that’s what we’re about etc. etc. etc.”….which if that’s your sincere response, AWESOME!!! (I think we do really well at that too!)  If not, it might be worth working on.

…my only OTHER add-on thought that I’m conflicted about is IF MOST OF US WOULD SAY WE DO THIS (AS WE DO) WHY IN THE WORLD DO PEOPLE ‘OUTSIDE’ THE CHURCH NOT FEEL THE SAME LEVEL OF EMPATHY WE HAVE FOR THE PEOPLE WE HAVE ‘INSIDE’ THE CHURCH?

I know that’s a vastly general and sweeping statement but I’m committed to wrestling with it because I haven’t been stretched in this area by people ‘INSIDE’ the church…it’s been people on the ‘outside’ looking in.  I’ve been stretched by getting my head around a rapidly changing culture that, on average, wouldn’t say they ever ‘feel’ the love of the Church (even in areas where churches are doing amazing community development work like ours)…

What are we to do about that?

Not sure what to do with that nationally but I know where we’re going around Granger is our attempt to hit that right in the face!  If you’re in the Granger Family…welcome to The New Normal!

Let’s GO!!!!