Jesus didn't intimidate people. He attracted people. His holiness didn't scare people away. Why? Because he wasn't holier-than-thou. His holiness was magnetic. You couldn't keep people away. That is why the word "crowd" is repeated 101 times in the gospels. People wanted to be around Jesus.

We need to bridge the gap between clergy and laity. Everybody is a minister! We need to bridge the gap between secular and sacred. Everything is scared. We need to bridge the gap between church and marketplace. The church belongs in the middle of the marketplace!

Here is a lesson some of you have learned the hard way: as your influence grows larger so does the target on your back. If you dare to be different you'll be criticized. That's a promise. And those criticisms will probably come from the religious establishment that is content with maintaining the status quo.

Is anybody else tired of reactive christianity that is more known for what it is against than what it is for?

I think there are two kinds of people: doers and critcizers.

Jesus was a doer.

The Pharisees were criticizers.

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