Unexpected Places
Jesus didn't lock Himself in the temple and call or demand people to come there to meet Him. He went
to the home of a tax collector, He interacted with people of different people groups and lowly positions in society, He surrounded Himself with a misfit group of fishermen, and brought "up there" down here in all shapes and sizes. He walked one on one with a man with many questions, He healed people in the countrysides, He challenged those who considered themselves "religious", and He seemed to "be the Church" wherever He went.
Jesus can and will show up in unexpected places and is not confined to four walls of a church.
This truth is one of the many reasons why my wife and I are jazzed about supporting The New Normal Project. We are setting out to redefine Church as something "we are" rather than a place "we go". We get to show people that Jesus is already right where they are in the most unexpected places. He's everywhere and anywhere looking to bring Hope to one's life, people just don't always see Him right under their eyes.
What might happen when we launch to "be the Church" to meet people right where they are at? I believe Jesus, like He's always done, will continue to show up in prisons, bars, coffee houses, fraternities, and any other unexpected place you can imagine.
I believe when love, joy, peace, self-control, patience and kindness fills one's life... a family can change, a neighborhood can change, and communities can and will change. This is the Hope of our world.
Can Jesus show up online? He was here before any of us ever got here... 
Do You Feel Invisible?
This week we had a heart-breaking conversation with my 10-year old son. He loves sports yet is a mediocre athlete. 
He's a deep feeler but is still figuring out how to communicate at school, with his peers, etc. We had a conversation with him this week where he painfully described what he's going through at school and on the playground. Through his tears he made a few very poignant statements:
- "I just want to be respected"
- "I know I can do things, I just need a chance to show what I can do..."
- "I feel invisible."
Ouch. As a parent that pretty much rips my heart strings.
What does it mean to "belong"? Where in your life do you truly feel connected or do you too feel invisible? I believe there are millions upon millions of people that feel alone, invisible, disrespected, or shunned. It may actually be more common than those who actually feel connected somewhere and with some peers.
As we talk about "Essential" churches, one of the essential elements must be us reaching out and locking arms with others, doing life with them, and accepting them for who they are and wherever they are... Jesus was all about helping others- if anything, He has a bias for the lowest tier of society. We must be intentional about this.
We have a great opportunity to "be the church" online and to connect with those who aren't connected and to make visible the invisible. We all matter to God. We all have a purpose that was not meant to be dusted under a rug.
If you feel invisible, you are welcome here. I don't know what your pain is, who hurt you, who's ignoring you, what failure you've had in your past, how you were raised, or what dream has been shattered. What I do know is that there is another day, there is a plan for your life, and you are loved by God though it may not feel like it today.
So it's not a gimmick, you can lurk for awhile, and we're not asking anything from you- but we'd like to connect though. Who's qualified? You are.
You can email us at idochurchonline@gccwired.com, drop in a service at idochurchonline.com at 12, 6:30, or 8:30 EST every or any Sunday, or connect with me through Facebook: facebook.com/maximeyer... You are not alone.
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