Rev. Steve Pichaske

Dani Genandt

Office 309/243-7300

Evan Penn

Pat Campbell

309/253-3979

 

Kirsten Ryan

309/361-5200

"He Came to Bring…"

The Barna research institute has shared that when many non-Christians are asked, “Why is it you won’t visit a church?”, the most often heard response is related to “fear.” It’s not the case that the unchurched are “uninterested” or “too busy.” They just have too much fear of being judged, fear of being criticized, and fear of being bullied.What a shame! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Church of Jesus Christ could rewrite that narrative? Jesus certainly came to bring truth, and the truth often convicts our hearts. But more than anything, Jesus came to bring hope, peace, joy, love and victory to a world that is desperate to receive such gifts.
Maybe this Advent/Christmas season you could personally invite two unchurched friends, family members or co-workers to church before the end of 2018. (Bishop Frank Beard’s challenge for each of us is to bring two unchurched people we know to a church event.) If you do, they’ll experience a Jesus who doesn’t judge them…but who came to demonstrate how much God loves them!