Why does this sound so odd? There are various reasons that I don’t even need to list because they are so obvious. That said, since we are the church as God’s children by faith in Jesus and His death being for us, our presence can be God’s presence in contexts not normally thought appropriate for biblical fellowship to happen. What would it look like for instance for a couple of believers to plant a church in a bar? What about planting churches in parks or in the apartment of someone you’ve been praying with for several weeks in a row?

This story inspires me that we limit the opportunities for planting churches way too quickly:

It is not my intention to in any way make people uncomfortable with mentioning this idea, and yet it is uncomfortable isn’t it, that Jesus would come and banquet with us as sinners and scoffers if His amazing grace? It’s staggering that Jesus would call us friends right where we are and seek us out and love us and show us the love of God as the God-Man, the ransom-paying Friend of sinners!

My prayerful hope is to see us believers willing and ready to bring our Bibles and our hearts into every corner of society with love and relational integrity, engaging with and befriending those we encounter in contexts where they feel at rest and knowable!

In the grace of Jesus,

– Torrey