Pastor Andy Adams

“But although a difference in opinions or modes of worship may prevent an entire external union; yet need it prevent our union in affection? Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences. These remaining as they are, they may forward one another in love and in good works.” – John Wesley, Sermon XXXIX, Catholic Spirit

I recently watched An Act of Love, the documentary about Rev. Frank Schaeffer who faced church trial for performing the wedding for his gay son. The absolute best part of the entire film was that it told a real life story. It humanized what has become for many conservatives a faceless “issue.” These 90 minutes were filled with pain and hurt. No matter how you feel about the biblical “rightness” or “wrongness” of homosexual practice, it must never become a mere “issue” to debate. If we want to be like Christ, we have to at least try to understand the pain that the LGBT community experiences. This film helped confront viewers with that pain.

A United Methodist Church in my area set up a public viewing of An Act of Love followed by a talkback session featuring a colleague of mine and me who are both delegates to General Conference. To quote John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, Sara and I approach this controversial (yet not faceless topic) that threatens to tear apart our denomination “not of one opinion.” We have discussed our viewpoints here and there for a few years, but only recently engaged in a deeper dialog (although we could have spent FAR more time sorting through our thoughts together). And we agreed to try and model respectful dialog in front of an emotionally charged crowd of about 150 viewers. We tried to be a living, affirmative answer to Wesley’s question, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?”

I’ll end this post with the reflections of one of our fellow delegates who attended the viewing and talkback, which he shared with the rest of our delegation (shared with his permission). Tomorrow I’ll reflect on some of the reasons how this kind of respectful and loving dialog amidst disagreement was possible.

To Illinois Great Rivers Conference delegates:

I cannot help but share with you something that I feel is absolutely newsworthy and groundbreaking. Last Sunday evening, two of our delegate-colleagues, Andy Adams and Sara Isbell, engaged in dialogue with one another in an auditorium filled with curious United Methodists following the showing of An Act of Love, a documentary movie about the Rev. Frank Schaeffer and his recent church trial, conviction, and the convictions overturn by the Judicial Council.

I understand this production has been sent to all General Conference delegates. Beyond its compelling story line about a pastor, husband, and father of four who engaged in “an act of love” by presiding at the same-sex marriage of his oldest son, its showing provided the opportunity for two of our own (Andy and Sara) to engage each other and the audience in dialogue about this vexing issue that comes before us once again with increased intensity and stakes higher than any of us want to believe possible.

I was personally struck, though not surprised, by the gracious tone of Andy and Sara. They courageously engaged each other, each self-identifying as “right of center” and “left of center” and admitting their disagreement with the other on the issue, but agreeing to respect and authentically listen and respond to the other on this painful and deeply divisive issue. They modeled for the congregation what we as a denomination might be, should we decide that “faith working by love” could by our modus operandi.

In my heart and mind, I felt I was part of a “Pentecostal” moment when two very different disciples of Jesus Christ witnessed to their common faith. They demonstrated the unity (not uniformity) that only the Holy Spirit can achieve between those of differing opinions.

I left Champaign Faith UMC that night saying to myself, “I just experienced an authentic model of Christian community and unity in the faith that gives me reason to hope.” If Sara and Andy can engage each other so respectfully and meaningfully here, dare we hope that our brothers and sisters in Portland can do likewise? I know the predictions. So do you. But I also know that the risen Christ surprises despairing disciples with his presence, power, grace, and love in ways we can hardly imagine! May it be so, Lord; may it be so.

Randy Robinson

You probably don’t care, but just in case you do, it’s obvious I’ve taken a hiatus from blogging. It just isn’t built into my regular routine. I haven’t been lazy over the last couple of years during my time away from the blogosphere. I’ve been enjoying the love of my family (Amy Jo and I will be married 16 years this summer and our kids are 8 and 7 – such fun ages!), helping to merge two United Methodist congregations, as well as write and research about it for my Doctor of Ministries dissertation. Maybe you can understand why I’ve taken a break from blogging.

However, I will be starting up again during the 2016 General Conference which meets from May 10-20, 2016 in Portland, Oregon. General Conference is the highest decision making body of the United Methodist Church that meets every four years. This will be my second General Conference as an elected delegate (I was a “rookie” in 2012 in Tampa). I’m one of the 864 from all over the world. When I think about it from that perspective, the magnitude of the responsibility is not lost on me. I’ve tried to honor Jesus as well as those who elected me by being diligent in prayer and preparation.

Last week I shared with my church’s leadership and broader congregation the importance of everyone’s prayers for General Conference. Many issues will be debated and decided including the role of the pastor, the “Imagine No Malaria” initiative, missionary support, the planting of new churches, the appointment of pastors, the accountability of bishops, the issue of human sexuality, as well as many other social and theological issues. These topics (and many more) will all be on the table. Many of these concerns to be addressed are the same issues that we face in our culture and world at large. And the sad reality is, we are as divided as a Church as we are in our nation and world. Virtually every contentious topic is presented in an “either/or” scenario and it’s hard to find unity.

Maybe that’s why Jesus prayed so hard for his followers to be united in heart and mission. Earlier in the night of his arrest, after he had shared his final meal with his disciples, the book of John records what has become known as Jesus’ high priestly prayer in chapter 17. Here is a snipit of it: Jesus prayed, I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. (John 17:20-23) Jesus is praying for the church today as much as his original followers. He’s praying for our unity of heart and mission SO THAT the WORLD may know how much God loves them. Our disunity hurts our mission.

To be frank, I do not believe that we will achieve unity at our General Conference. Yes, we will be able to agree on some things, but I realistically believe that our disagreements will continue to separate us and compromise our mission. Yet here is my hope and prayer. That even in our disunity around social and theological issues, that as those redeemed by Jesus’ blood, our unity in Christ will lead us to treat one another with civility and respect. That we will cease the divisive rhetoric and name calling and instead address our challenges with love and compassion. Would you join me in praying for that kind of unity so that the world may know?

More to come from Portland.

I recently watched an episode of The Walking Dead entitled “Alone.” Judge me if you like, but there’s just something in me (and millions of other viewers) that romanticizes a zombie apocalypse. Regardless, this particular episode emphasized an important reality: Being alone stinks. Yes, I know, we all need some alone time, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. You can “be alone” even when you’re in the presence of hundreds of people. And nobody was created to “be alone.” God said it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18).

I can relate. There are times when I feel alone. As a leader, it happens more frequently than I would like to admit. I feel alone whenever I don’t have someone close who understands the emotions I’m going through. I am so thankful for the gifts of friendship that God has blessed me with such that I always have someone I can turn to. I do not take those friends for granted. But not everyone has found such community, and prolonged aloneness takes its toll. The most common coping mechanism in America for feeling alone is to build the kind of life that never depends on anyone for anything – to become completely self-centered and never make ourselves vulnerable to the pain of feeling alone anymore. Some people become withdrawn, stop feeling altogether and live in denial. Others compromise values in order to belong or be with others so they no longer feel alone. If you feel alone you may be tempted to act out in some kind of a harmful way to mask your internal pain. And feeling alone has led numerous people to simply give up, particularly when the challenges of life begin to mount.

That was the case for the Israelites Nehemiah interacted with in Jerusalem after the exile. They had accepted their disgrace and had given up on the restoring their beloved city to its former glory. They faced opposition and felt their challenges were insurmountable. But Nehemiah cast a vision for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem with these words, Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace! (Nehemiah 2:17b) Let US rebuild the wall… Nehemiah invited them to face their struggles and pain and opposition and disgrace TOGETHER! Nehemiah invited them into a vision that could only be accomplished TOGETHER! When things are overwhelming because you’re facing them alone, know that TOGETHER, with God, anything is possible.

As I reflect on the last decade of Quest’s ministry, there are many achievements and accomplishments that are noteworthy. Baptisms, professions of faith, ministries begun, missions projects completed, lives changed here and around the world and more. But I have to be honest and say that what has been most personally gratifying for me is that over the last 10 years, we Questers have lived out the mission of God TOGETHER. I would rather go through trials and tribulations together than live in the glory of success on my own. Because, as God said, it is not good for man to be alone.

Join me in praising God for 10 years of Quest ministry lived out together.

Jesus’ prayer for his followers was that they would be one so the world would know the truth of God’s love (see John 17:20-23). Unity in the Church was of utmost importance to Jesus. That’s why at Quest we believe unity is worth fighting for.

Unity is easy when everyone agrees and when everyone gets along. However, unity is oftentimes elusive in the church especially in the midst of vast diversity, difference, and even conflict. Therefore, the way we treat one another when we disagree becomes a pivotal factor in determining whether unity within the body will be preserved. This Sunday at Quest I shared a biblical principle which I believe, if we all learn to practice, will not only preserve unity in the midst of conflict, but will lessen the intensity of conflict before it even arises. That principle? Honor.

When you honor someone you are speaking heaven’s language – you’re treating that person with respect and giving them value. You’re elevating them – lifting them up. Dishonor conversely is our culture’s language. When you dishonor someone you are devaluing them. You’re lowering them in an attempt to raise yourself up. In short, Honor = Love + Humility.

A pastor friend of mine summarizes the Bible’s teaching on this subject calling it 360° honor. 360° honor is all encompassing.

• It begins with honoring God – humbling yourself to follow his ways rather than your own
• It also includes honoring those above you – your parents, authorities, elected officials, church leaders, etc.
• 360° honor also requires honoring those beside you – your spouse, coworkers, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc.
• Finally, 360° honor involves honoring those you perceive to be below you – the less skilled, your subordinates, the least, last and lost.

If you dishonor those above you, beside you or below you, you ultimately dishonor God.

Of course the question always comes up, “What about the person who is dishonorable? Should I honor them too? What if they’re clearly wrong or they disobey and dishonor God?” David gives us a compelling example of honoring the dishonorable in both 1 Samuel 24 and 26 when he refuses to kill King Saul. I believe it is God’s way to honor even the dishonorable. Of course honoring someone does not mean agreeing or submitting to abuse or allowing yourself to be victimized, but rather giving respect, dignity and value to people in the midst of disagreement.

And yet oftentimes we will choose the dishonorable route. We’re tempted to:

• Slander and gossip – tear people down behind their back
• Use sarcasm or “snark” as a passive aggressive attack
• Hold onto an overly critical spirit – second guessing other’s actions and regularly thinking “how you would do things differently if you were in charge.”

These actions are dishonorable and they undermine the unity of the church and therefore the mission Jesus gave us.

The truth is, we’re all dishonorable people. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ – the honorable one who out of love humbled himself unto death in order to lift up the dishonorable, you and me. And when we receive the grace Jesus offers, he not only washes us clean of dishonor, he gives us the power of his Spirit to reflect his honor through our lives. And to the extent that we do, the Church will be one, and the world will know of God’s love and want the Jesus we profess.

This Sunday at Quest we experienced a powerful story of Christian community at its best. It was a story of a Quest home group coming around one of its own to not only meet several very practical needs, but to love, support and encourage her through the tough work of healing from past shame, guilt and fear. It was a beautiful story. It was a redemptive story. It was a story that caused me to fall more deeply in love with The Church.

What’s more, this story was eerily similar to the experience of the Acts 2 church: They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. (Acts 2:42-47 – The Message)

At Quest we believe in the power of Christian community. Here are three reasons I shared on Sunday why Christian community is so important for any follower of Jesus Christ:

1. So you’re not alone. God’s Word is clear – It is not right for man to be alone (Genesis 2:19). You were created to do life together with others. You were created for dependency. You were created for relationships. Practically speaking, this life is full of joys and sorrows, and your Christian community surrounds you in both to support you and celebrate with you. However, if you’re seeking out community simply so you’re not alone, it will fall short of “Christian community.” That leads us to #2 and #3
2. So you become more like Jesus. It’s in Christian community where you best experience sustained life-transformation – transformation from your old life to your new life in Christ. You and I need others to help us grow to know, love and follow Jesus wholeheartedly. In Sunday’s testimony we heard how the home group lovingly encouraged their member to face her fears and to deal with her feelings with guilt and shame rather than run away from them. The group didn’t do the work for her, but they came alongside her to help her become more like Christ. You can call it accountability, support, or encouragement, but whatever you call it, it’s powerful.
3. So the world can see Jesus. Most of us are plagued with a self-centered, individualistic view of things. So most times when we consider our Christian witness in the world around us, we think individually. But the truth is, in the early church, it was the witness of the Christian community that compelled those on the outside to WANT Jesus. If you don’t believe me, re-read Acts 2:42-47. If you still don’t believe me, read Jesus’ prayer in John 17 (especially vs. 20-23). Christian community done right draws people to Jesus. And isn’t that what our mission from Jesus is all about?

Maybe it’s time for you to step into Christian community. Or, if you already are, maybe it’s time to make your Christian community reflective of the earliest Christian community. And if you do, then watch out world. You’re about to encounter Jesus.

Every year at our Annual Conference (a gathering of representatives from nearly 900 United Methodist Churches in the southern 2/3rds of Illinois), we have the unfortunate responsibility to vote to close one or more churches. Although couched in language of “having fulfilled its mission,” and “leaving a legacy” through the sale or donation of church property, I can never help my heart from breaking. This year we voted to close two churches whose ministry had slowly dwindled and died out over the years. The vote is always a formality and the moment could easily be missed, but I always find myself grieving. I love the Church.

As a pastor of a church, I oftentimes hear about people’s previous encounters with the church. Most of the time, I hear painful stories of conflict leading to disillusionment or irrelevancy leading to apathy. It’s been my experience that every congregation is filled with people who have felt wounded by another congregation. Of course, many people who have been hurt simply leave the church altogether. This too breaks my heart because I love the Church.

• I love the Church as God envisioned it because all people are welcome.
• I love the Church because it’s made up of messed up people who have witnessed the miraculous.
• I love the Church because it’s a community that does life together – the highs and the lows.
• I love the Church because despite our differences we’re united in Christ.
(In fact, Quest is experiencing this first hand through the graciousness and hospitality of Grace United Methodist Church who is now sharing their home with us. We’re stronger together!)
• I love the Church because we’re all equal at the foot of the cross.
• I love the Church because Jesus loved the Church enough to lay down his life for her.
• I love the Church because even the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

But more than any other reason, I love the Church because the Church is the body of Jesus entrusted with the mission of proclaiming and living out the hope of the gospel. As Christ’s body, the Church is called to be broken for one another and the world, but in turn will be resurrected to new life both now and eternally. You see, in the end, no matter what way you slice it, The Church is ALL about Jesus. That’s why I love The Church.

Yes, I love the Church, but truth be told, I also love my church, Quest. I love the welcoming nature of our church. I love the commitment to sacrifice in order that people will encounter Jesus. I love that we’re united around the purpose of sharing the extravagant love of God with all people – in our community and around the world. I love that we have fun together, but we also challenge one another daily to become more like Jesus. I love that even when there is conflict, we honor and respect one another. Oh there are countless reasons why I love Quest, but most of all I love that YOU are a part of Quest. The Church after all is people, and you make my church special.

I flat out love the church and my church. Throughout this month, it’s my prayer that you will fall more and more in love with your church, the Church of Jesus Christ, too.

December 21, 2012 is the day the world ends according to the ancient Mayan calendar. Around Quest we’re not waiting. On December 31^st, dozens of Questers committed to living the next 30 days as if they only had One Month to Live. Really, you ask? Isn’t that a bit morbid? Maybe, but the best way to live every moment to the fullest is to embrace the reality that life is short. In Psalm 39:4, David prayed, LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. David understood that only those who grasp the truth of their eminent death will be in a position to truly live.

What about you? When others look back on your life, will they say that you lived life to the fullest?  Will they be able to look at your life and agree that you took hold of Jesus’ words in John 10:10 when he said, I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. Will they say you faithfully lived your one and only “dash” (representing your life; the punctuation between your birth date and your death date on your tombstone)?  What will be revealed when you stand before Jesus and the books recording your life’s deeds are opened (see Revelation 20:12)?

The goal of Quest’s One Month to Live is not to depress you or freak you out.  Rather, it’s an opportunity to be confronted by the truth that life is short, while we still have time to do something about it. It’s an opportunity to reorder our lives around what matters most. And the best part is, we’ll get to do it together as a church community. Together we can begin to live out the dreams God has for us – dreams of greatness (see Ephesians 2:10).

So how do we start? I encourage every Quester to do two things: First, make every effort to be at each of our worship gatherings in January. Together we’ll learn to live a “no-regrets” life, revolutionize our most important relationships, embrace God’s mission for our lives, and begin to live every moment with eternity in mind. If you missed our New Year’s Eve service, you’ll want to listen online to get caught up. But just as importantly, I’m asking every Quester to participate in our One Month to Live Challenge. Here’s what the challenge entails:

1. Every day do something that invests in your spiritual life.
2. Every day do something that serves or benefits someone else.
3. Pray this prayer every morning: God, I make myself available to you.  Use this day to change my heart so you can do the great things you have always dreamed of doing in my life.

I believe with all my heart that if we take this challenge seriously, if we begin to reorder our lives around what matters most, then these next four weeks can and will change the next four decades of our lives and the lives of those around us. Embrace the dreams that God has for your life. Begin living as if you only had, One Month to Live.

Yes, I may be “quest pastor” but I am also an avid sports fan.  In fact, sports can be one of my vices!  So when the sports world makes headline news and involves such heartache, I feel compelled to throw in my two cents.  Here are some of my reflections on the entire scenario:

1. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, seriously, get your head out of the sand.
2. As a sports fan, I am very sad to see Joe Paterno exit the college ranks in this manner.  Without a doubt, 2 weeks ago, I would have said he was the greatest college football coach ever. He had the most Division I wins (a great trivia question will be, “What team did Joe-Pa defeat in his final game?” and the answer would be, my Illini) of all time, won two national championships, and until 2 weeks ago his Penn State program was impeccable in a sport riddled with NCAA violations.  As a sports fan, I would be marching with the numerous Penn State students in his defense.
3. As a father, however, I am outraged at this entire tragedy, and the fact that it has only recently had light shed on it is in itself is even more outrageous. When you witness child abuse, especially sexual abuse, it is a NO BRAINER. It must be reported – immediately. In his defense, Paterno did not witness the abuse (a sexual encounter between 50+ year old Jerry Sandusky and a 10 year old boy), but it was communicated to him in some form or fashion. And although he reported it to his superior, he never followed up, never took measures against the accused to keep him off of Penn State grounds (Sandusky was in fact, Paterno’s longtime friend) even when he was seen with another young boy. I have two kids. I don’t live in constant fear, but after this incident, I am more fearful of the atrocities that COULD be committed against them at such a young age. Atrocities that could affect them forever. He could have done more. As a father, I know it was right for J0e-Pa to be held accountable and to be fired.
4. Finally, as a pastor and follower of Christ, I find myself feeling compassion across the board here:

• For the victims – The ongoing pain and trauma that is caused by sexual abuse are immeasurable. It literally ruins a life. In this case, many young men were affected forever. There is hope. There is healing. But not without more pain and hurt and baggage that can be passed on for generations. The question these now young men will be asking is, “Where was God in all of this?” It breaks my heart. God most often works today in and through His people. If the Penn State brass are God-fearing people (it would be a big assumption), then it’s obvious that God’s people failed to protect the powerless in this case.
• For Michael McQueary – the then grad assistant who witnessed the molestation. I can imagine that instantaneous moment of seeing a superior (Sandusky, although retired at the time was a LONG TIME defensive coordinator under Joe-Pa and revered around the football complex) sexually abusing a minor. Nobody asks to be in that position. Nobody directly prepares for being in that position. And in this case, McQueary failed. He failed to defend the defenseless. He failed to stand up to a superior in the face of fear of reprimand. He took the easy way out. I’ve taken the easy way out at times (never anything even remotely close to this), and I know the guilt that comes from it. I bet he wishes he would have responded differently – not because of the backlash – but because he failed to do what was right. Sometimes, you only get one chance.
• J0e Paterno – I don’t know Paterno’s character. Until the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard nothing but great things though. He has used his legend to make a difference in the world and I’m not going to question everyone’s previous revere for him. But this goes to show that it only takes ONE failure to bring everything crashing down. One choice can ruin your life and the lives of many others. When you’re in a position of power and influence, the stakes are only magnified. The responsibility is great. Paterno failed in this case, and he will forever be remembered for it. But I will not throw a stone.
• Jerry Sandusky – The perpetrator. The monster. It would be easy to hate him. The pain he has caused cannot be measured. He deserves the worst of the punishment that is headed his way. At the same time, I am always tuned in to what creates a monster. What abuse was done to him? What baggage and pain was passed onto him from previous generations? Sin repeats itself. Things did not start with Jerry. And unfortunately, they won’t stop with him either. I find myself grieving for him; for the abuser he’s become. I hope he finds forgiveness in the cross of Christ.

In the end, I’m thankful that the Penn State trustees made the tough calls. Enabling ongoing child abuse by not directly confronting it and condemning it must be quickly and swiftly dealt with. Firing Joe Paterno was necessary. Let me just say this in closing. You can’t prepare for it, but there are defining moments in each person’s life. The folks in the Penn State story made poor choices in the defining moments that were thrust upon them. Prepare your heart NOW in the little things so that you prove yourself trustworthy in those defining moments. It takes everyday, ordinary obedience to prepare yourself for those moments. Don’t miss yours. But if you do, turn to Jesus and find forgiveness in him, and PRAY that your failures don’t leave a horrible wake behind them.

The moment I picked up Pastor Craig Groeschel’s book, I realized how simple and yet profound its message would be. Furthermore, I knew I had to find some way to create a message series around it at Quest. The title of the book? The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist. Even as a follower of Christ for the last 21 years, I was challenged and convicted by this book and I quickly realized that I am a recovering Christian Atheist and I pastor a church full of people in the same boat. Not only that, but I’m convinced that everyone who considers himself or herself a Christian struggles to fully center their lives around the message and call of Jesus Christ. So the question becomes, if you’re a Christian, what areas of your life are you living as if God doesn’t exist?

Are you trying to follow Jesus, and even doing many things in his name without truly knowing him (Matthew 7:21-23)? Or could it be that you call yourself a Christian but struggle to receive God’s love for YOU; something that the founder of the Methodist Movement, John Wesley, experienced for the first 35 years of his life. Or maybe you say you believe in God, but your actions suggest that you don’t really believe in prayer. Is it possible that you’ve received God’s forgiveness, but you yourself are unwilling to forgive someone in your life? If so, you’re slipping into Christian Atheism (Matthew 18:21-35). Or how about this – do you call yourself a Christian, but you’ve never really experienced lasting life change? Could it be that you are a follower of Jesus, but when push comes to shove, you put more trust in money? Maybe you say you love God, but if truth be told, you’ve never really told anyone who isn’t already a Christian about your faith. Or maybe you’re reading this and you say you believe in Jesus, but you don’t want anything to do with His bride, the Church. Or maybe, if you’re like me at several points in my faith journey, several of these describe you.

Regardless of what symptoms of Christian Atheism you exhibit, the truth is, we’re all a work in progress. Condemnation is not my goal. Rather, as a group of us recently discovered in our Christianity Explored class, it is better to find out the truth about ourselves while we still have time to do something about it! And the truth about ourselves is this: we have a problem. The problem isn’t just that we’re doing a poor job following Jesus. The problem is much deeper than that. We all have a heart problem. None of us is good enough to fix ourselves on our own. Thank God that Jesus came for the sick and not the healthy (Mark 2:17). The key is for you and me to recognize that we’re sick. When we pretend that we have it all together – when we pretend that everything is okay – when we fool ourselves into thinking that we’re better than we really are, then we not only miss out on receiving grace from God (because we don’t think we need it), we also give a false impression of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. It’s never about meeting a certain standard or following a bunch of rules. Rather, following Jesus is about recognizing our tremendous need for his love and being transformed by receiving his grace.

So if you, like me, are a recovering Christian Atheist, take hope. Recognize your shortcomings and don’t hide them. Acknowledge them and surrender yourself once again to the love of God that will meet you where you’re at and take you places you could never go on your own.

So, I often tell people that, “Quest, the church I pastor, is the best kept secret in Champaign-Urbana.” Then I quickly follow up with the statement, “And I HATE it!” Of course, I don’t hate the church (who would want a pastor who hate’s their church?), I hate the fact that Quest largely remains a secret in our community. So, in order to change that, let me tell you a few things about Quest that you should know about:

First, what are the reasons we’re a secret?
1. We don’t have our own building. We have chosen to be a “nomadic” church until it becomes financially and strategically responsible to move into our “own” facilities. But, that decreases the likelihood that the average CU resident will know about us.
2. We’re only 7 years old – That’s right. Quest has only been in the community for the last seven years. In that time we’ve made alot of connections with the community, but we’d love to make more!

Now, why we’re the “Best Kept” secret:
1. We follow the best that life has to offer – Jesus told his followers that he came to give them life abundantly (John 10:10). We are learning to believe and experience that truth more deeply everyday.
2. We’re an authentic community – We’re basically made up of 175 adults (largely 22-35), and another 50 kids (largely 0-7), but that’s not what makes us special. It’s our desire to be straight with one another and talk about things that matter, encouraging and supporting one another in our faith quest. I love how real questers are.
3. We are a part of God’s movement to change the world AND our community – Our faith community is the most generous and self-less group of people I know. Who else would build a church building for brothers and sisters in Christ in war-ravaged Liberia before ever considering building a building for yourself? Questers. I’m so proud of the work Questers are doing around the world providing clean water and in our community serving the least the last and the lost in creative and dignifying ways.
4. We’re fun – “Church is boring” is a common reason I hear for not being a part of a faith community. I agree for the most part. But Quest is anything but boring. Weekly we encounter God with zeal. We have so much fun relating the teachings of the Bible to everyday life. And we laugh alot along the way.
5. Everyone is welcome – this might be the best of all. No one is turned away overtly or covertly. We don’t care who you are or where you’ve been. You’ll find a God who loves you AND people who love you. If you’re a long-time church goer, cool. If you’re seeking, it is a safe place to check things out – no strings attached. If you’re young, you’ll find alot of folks like you. If you’re more seasoned, we have alot to learn from you (but you might want to bring some ear plugs – our music rocks). Regardless of who you are, we want you, and we’ll prove it. That’s a pretty awesome secret…

So help me out. Help make Quest a former “best kept secret” in Champaign-Urbana. I’d love to meet you and tell you more about how you can connect to Quest.

Peace, Andy