Confession:  I Didn’t Want To Start Second Chance Church

I didn’t want to start Second Chance Church (just being honest!)  

It had nothing to do with God; in fact, I honestly feel closer to Him than I’ve ever felt in my life.  

Nor did it have anything to do with my understanding of the Gospel, my belief in the Scriptures or my desire to help people.  

It had everything to do with “God’s people!”  

One of the most unfortunate (but accurate) realities is that “Christians” are some of the most hateful, mean spirited, judgmental people on the planet - and possess as much apathy as Donald Trump possess restraint on Twitter.  

In all I’ve personally gone through over the past two and a half years - I haven’t received one singe negative/attacking comment by someone claiming to be an atheist or agnostic - but rather someone claiming to be a “Christian” who felt it their place to show me “tough love” (most of whom had never spent an ounce of time with me.)  

One guy (on his radio show) said the reason I was getting back into church work was that I missed the attention!  

Really!?!?!?

• I miss the rumors started (usually in the form of a prayer request)?  
• I miss the criticism of the type of car I drive or home I live in?  
• I miss the Monday morning sermon critiques - the ones who pointed out how I offended them?  
• I miss every aspect of my personal, private life being asked about?  
• I miss people pointing out how disqualified I am?  
• I miss people evaluating everything I say through their whitewashed eyes via social media?  

Really?!?!?!?!?

I miss all of that?  

No freaking way!  

In fact, I pretty much wanted to be done with church work.  I felt like I had served my time, gotten my scars and that season of my life was over.  

But then I began to meet people…

…people who loved Jesus and wanted to follow Him, but had screwed up, felt excluded and did not have a church they could call home.  

I met people struggling with addictions, who wanted freedom from the hell they felt trapped in - but - they were not free to wrestle through them in their previous church; in fact, they had been kicked out (usually in the name of “church discipline”) and told to come back when they had their “ish” together.

I met single moms who did not feel comfortable because of the judgmental glances they received every week when they took their kids to the children’s area of their church.  

And the Lord broke my heart for these people (because…I’m one of them!)   

Trust me - I tried my best to get God to let me do something else.  However, He simply would not let me get away from the calling to create an environment when everyone is welcome, no one is perfect and all of us believe that nothing is impossible.  

So - here we go - in less than 25 days we launch worship services in our facility - and it’s going to be about as simple as anything that anyone has seen.  
However, I believe by God’s grace that, over time, He will create an environment that is irresistible - one where people do not have to believe what we believe to belong, one where it really is ok to not be ok - one where we don’t use the word “discipleship” as a form of control or manipulation - but rather preach the Good News…and trust Jesus to change hearts in His time, not ours.  

The last time I planted a church—I did so completely excited—this time I’ve done so kicking and screaming. I’ve never felt more unworthy of being in ministry than I feel right now.  However, if God can give a guy like me a second chance—He can do it for anyone.