You know who’s at the center of religion? You are. You’re the focus. You’re the star. You’re in center stage and the spotlight is always on you. Religion deceives you into thinking you’re all about God, when in reality, you’re all about you. When you’re in religion, your relationship with God is based entirely on you; on how many prayers you pray, how you do at reading the Scriptures, how you do in keeping the commands, how you do at going to church, and on and on the list goes. Religion is based on man’s continued work.

Seven Mile Road is three weeks into weekly corporate worship. So far, we’ve been a bit spoiled. Everything we’ve touched has turned to gold. We need a website – we get a killer one for free. We need a space – we get to use a building sitting on six acres of land. We throw a barbeque – 115 people show up. We launch our first service – we put out seventy chairs but need more to accommodate everyone. . . . So then, it was a shock to my system when we showed up for service in week two and there were only 33 people there. Now I know in my head that numbers don’t matter. Folks on the team thought to themselves, “where is everyone?” Regular visitors came into the room and looked at their watch to make sure that they weren’t there early because they didn’t see people. People noticed.

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”  Hebrews 13:3 The body of Christ in Orissa is currently undergoing severe persecution.  Followers of Jesus are being beaten, burned in the streets, hacked to pieces, and forced to hide in jungles. Churches have been burned to the ground, pastors have been assaulted, and nuns have been gang raped. Worse, the violence against Christians is spreading to other parts of India. Pray for the persecuted bride of Christ in Orissa.

I don’t know if I want to plant a church that becomes the home for restless Indian Christians who are looking to hang out with more Indians. I don’t know if I want to pastor a bunch of disgruntled Indians who are mad at the churches they grew up in and will come to this church expecting it to be the solution. I don’t know if I want to lead a group of churched people who have preconceived ideas about how to do church and opinions about everything. Man, I can get excited about planting a church to reach people who don’t know Jesus. But I don’t know if I want Christians . . . So then, we are planting this church to reach second generation Indians, anyone who doesn’t know Jesus that God gives us access to and churched people who are coming along in their understanding of the Gospel.