“Or! What is it good for? Absolutely Nothing!” The Coke Zero commercial nails it! Why do people think “or” when we should be thinking “and“? If you’re not careful, people will try to back you into a corner, making you choose between two alternatives, when both options are true. Of course, the result is that you end up with only half of something that’s meant to be an incredible whole.
Paul dealt with this very issue in Galatians 3:28 where he wrote, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Why choose between one or the other, when God says yes to both?
One example that really hits home for me is Quality or Quantity. Some people think when it comes to a church, you have to choose one or the other. They ask, “Do you want a lot of people to be a part of your church, or do you want to have just a few, but those few are spiritually mature?” That’s a Stupid Separation! Why not both? Those aren’t mutually exclusive.
Do you want the church to be Deep or Wide? Why not both?
At The Connection Church, we want to see as many people come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord and we want them to grow to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Another Stupid Separation is between Attractional or Missional. This is a question of whether or not we invite people into the church to tell them about Jesus or send people out into the world to tell them about Jesus.
I say, “Why not both?” In the Gospels, you hear both of these statements: “Come and see.” AND “Go and tell.” So at The Connection Church, we do both. We bring ’em in and send ’em out.
We have zero tolerance for divisiveness. Why make a Stupid Separation when God says it’s both? I’m done with “or.” Say it again!