Holy Party! Why it matters.

www.MarysvilleNaz.org 

I am privileged to pastor one of the great churches in Marysville.  We have a saying in our faith community, Holy Party! 

Those two words have changed my life.  Somehow they capture both the way I think about the  God and my rejection of dull, overbearing religion.  

The truth is God's message is the best Good News the world has ever heard.  I think if we could truly grasped how powerful is the message of Jesus we would all be dancing in the streets.  We should shout everyday New Life!  Freedom!  Second Chances!  Love beyond understanding!  I mean really, Jesus' message is the greatest thing ever.   How did we make that dull and even angry?

I guess that is my second point.  I grew up in a pretty legalistic and severe church.  I am blessed that my parents were not legalistic themselves and the pastor that most influenced me growing up, Rev. Don Castle, was not legalistic, but boy was my church and my denomination.  Some how all of life seemed to be wrapped up in tiptoeing around God so as not to wake up the angry giant.  God seemed constantly disappointed with my ADHD failures always pouring on the guilt and shame.  Any deviation from perfect was sin and that would damn you to hell.  Your only hope was to get down to the alter and confess it with weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then I went to school to study theology... 

Boy did that change me!  Those crazy college profs taught me to read the Bible not as a "how to keep God off your back" essay but as the story of God's Love poured out on His Children.  Turns out God wasn't against me, he was on my side!  I've been Holy Parting ever since!    Come join the party at Marysville Naz. and discover how much God love's you and what he has done to prove it.    www.MarysvilleNaz.org