Meeting and Moving at its finest!

Here at Gaylord E-Free Church we have stated the purpose for our church which is to MEET as many people as possible right where they are at so that we can then MOVE them to where God wants them to be.  This Sunday through our HEROES DAY we will be MEETING & MOVING in its purest form - just like Jesus did it.  In John 4 we read about the amazing encounter that Jesus had with a Samaritan woman at a well.  Through this encounter Jesus was able to MEET this woman right where she was at and then MOVE her to where God wanted her to be.  MEETING this woman right where she was at involved 3 things.

First, Jesus met her where she was geographically.  He was a Jew but He did not MEET this woman in Jerusalem or Galilee.  He met her in the town of Sychar in Samaritan territory.  If you know the culture of that day you know that a Jew travelling in Samaria was not a widely acceptable thing to do but Jesus met her there - right where she was at.  Chances are good that this woman would have never entered the confines of Galilee or Jerusalem.  For her to be reached, Jesus had to go to her.

This Sunday we will be MEETING people where they are geographically.  This Sunday we are leaving the safe confines of our beautiful church building and moving our entire service down to the Otsego County Fairgrounds for HEROES DAY as we honor our military and first responders.  This isn't easy,  Frankly, it's a logistical nightmare.  And much risk is also involved.  What if it rains?  What if the electric doesn't work?  So much could go wrong.  It would be a whole lot easier, less risky and less expensive to stay at the church.  So why are we going to the Fairgrounds?  The answer is easy.  So we can MEET & MOVE as many people as possible.  If Jesus can go into Samaria we can go to the Fairgrounds.  And as a result, we will be able to make contact with people who would never step foot into our church.  I've already heard such stories.

Second, Jesus met this Samaritan right where she was culturally.  He met her at a well.  They had a cultural foundation.  They both needed water.  This Sunday we will leverage our culture to MEET & MOVE as many people as possible.  In the post 9/11 world that we live in, patriotism and honoring of military and first responders is popular (as it should be!).  It is appealing to Christians and non-Christians alike.  It is especially appealing to veterans.  Most veterans are very proud individuals when it comes to their sacrifice and service for our country.  Even though we are a "church," the fact that we are MEETING people on the even footing of this cultural aspect will allow us to make contact with many more people.  I've already heard about a father who will not come to church, but as a veteran, he is coming to the Fairgrounds this Sunday.  I've heard about a committed atheist who is a veteran, and even knowing that we are a church that is behind the whole program, he is coming to the fairgrounds this Sunday.

Finally, Jesus met this woman right where she was spiritually.  She was a sinner.  She needed a Savior.  He didn't give her a list of things she had to change or clean-up before she could talk to Him.  He met her right where she was at.  And so will we this Sunday.  This Sunday we will MEET as many people as possible right where they are at geographically, culturally and spiritually, so that we can see hundreds and hundreds of them MOVE at least one step closer to where God wants them to be.