Thinking Differently...

Do you remember the day it all became clear to you -- when you knew the extent of what God went through seeking to reconcile you and when you realized that through this incredible act of love and forgiveness you are no longer separated from God?

One of the things I have observed is, the longer you’re a believer, the less you think like an unbeliever. That makes sense after all; you come to Christ, and your interests and values change.

For over 30 years of my life, I have been following Christ. I think like a Christ follower, and adding more to that, I think like a pastor, which is even further removed from the mindset of those who would claim to be unbelievers. That means I must intentionally change my thinking when seeking to relate to those who don’t claim to know Christ.

I have often heard one statement from Christ followers, “People are closed off to the message of Christ.” It's not so much that people are closed off to the message of Christ as it may be that we're on a different channel of communication than those who don’t know Christ.

Here are a few bridge-building steps:

• Allow your heart to be attracted to people. (All people matter)
• View life through their eyes. (Accept them)
• During coffee talk, really hear their life's journey. (Wins and losses)
• Share your prayers, your pursuits, your passion, your purpose, and your patience. (Be intentional)

Let’s expand our circle of relationships and take this message of Christ to an unbelieving world. You have a great story of forgiveness to share.