Bold In broken places

Many of us have a story about issues or divisions within the church. It's nothing new. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Corinth, and part of his advice to them was about getting over their church-related gripes.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is, he responded by saying to first love God and then to love our neighbour (see Matthew 22:34-40). These are the key things we must never lose sight of in our experience of the church. Church was created to be a beautiful thing. And despite our brokenness, it still can be. A guy called Jamie Tworkowski epitomises this. He and some others met a teenage girl called Renee, ruined by drugs and self-harm, and could not look away. They spent days loving her and being the body of Christ in the midst of her darkness. From this, the charity 'To Write Love on Her Arms' was formed, beginning by selling T-shirts to raise money for treatment for Renee.

This is what happens when we have our ears open to hear God, and are prepared to love people. As Jamie himself says, 'We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home.' We all want to be in a church that really lives that out. And we can be. It can start with us.



So what now? Think of something, just one beautiful act, that shows this world what the church could, and should, be. Make it happen. You can do it!





— SCRIPTURE —

'On these two commandments hang all the Law.' Matthew 22:40 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

1 Cor 4-6, Matt 1:12-16, Ps 117, Pro 31:18-21