Why Can't I Just Be Me?

Many Christians ask Christ into their life, often not knowing what they just have done, or what to do afterwards, other than just “go to church”.

Eventually, one will become tired of that…they want to experience the “new life” and “faith” that they hear preached about, but don’t know where to begin.

Church becomes somewhat of a ho-hum activity until someone or something shakes things up a bit.

Then our attention becomes focused on that individuals strengths and or faults if the case may be.

But what happens when a believer does not want to live the life of holiness that God has called us to? What happens when a believer just want’s people to get used to the way they live their lifestyle without wanting to change and transform their lives to that which is modeled by Christ?

Listen to what happened to one church that decided to not pursue a holy calling, but became caught up in the world’s attractions...

DENVER — Connection Metro Church, which used its foyer coffee bars to attract visitors to its eight satellite churches in the Denver area, has decided to abandon ministry altogether to focus on coffee.

"People liked the coffee a lot better than the ministry, according to congregational surveys, so we’re practicing what we preached and focusing on our strengths," says former teaching pastor and now chief marketing officer, Peter Brown.

Many in the congregation seem downright relieved.

"The sermons were okay, but the vanilla frappes were dynamite," says one woman who regularly attended the church for two years so she could enjoy the special brews. "I even brought my Jewish neighbors and they loved them."

The staff of Connection Metro Church began noticing last year that more money was coming in through the coffee bar than in the offering.

"People complimented us about the pastries and mochas but didn’t really mention the teaching," says Brown. "After feeling disappointed, we got pragmatic about it and realized God was telling us where to put our efforts."

The church renovated each of its locations into Connection Coffee Houses and removed most traces of its spiritual past. Now crowds are up and many former members are flourishing.

"Who knew I was so gifted at making foam?" says the former head usher, now the head barista, as he makes a heart-shaped design on a cappuccino.

The church’s small groups have been turned into neighborhood reading clubs, with some reading Christian titles and others following Oprah’s recommendations. The only visible remnants of the coffee house’s past are the offering bucket which serves as a tip jar, and the greeters stationed at the door to give a more welcoming feel than the nearby Starbucks.

Some former members were stunned to arrive at church Sunday morning to find the sanctuary transformed into a seating area with newspaper racks and coffee-themed gift items.

"I guess we’ll go back to the Methodist place," said one father who had brought his family. "But only after we try those delicious looking chocolate cream-filled croissants."

People in the surrounding neighborhoods say they are far more likely to stop by now. One man who came occasionally says he feels less guilty standing around the coffee counter now that there is no service taking place.

"Before, we had to sit through the service and pay our dues," he says. "Now we go right to the good stuff — the double espressos."

The staff also feels liberated now that the pressure of ministry is off.

"The best way to be relevant is to give people what they want," says Brown. "In our case, that’s coffee drinks." •

Now that was just a satirical joke article about what some churches would LIKE to do to spice up their services or keep attendees entertained. but many times we come to church, then portray someone completely different, yet only leave the services as the same when we arrived.

Often times we’re afraid that we will be misunderstood for our actions as opposed to what we really meant…Peter experienced this with Jesus

Have you ever been misunderstood? You really mean well---

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

--Romans 7:15, 18

Many times in we are confused on what we are to become in Christ

We try to live for Christ, but often our personality flaws overcome us and we become defeated by hearing the enemy laugh at us.

Why can’t I just be me? Lost the closeness of a friend over that sentence…

Peter was probably really confused when Jesus was telling him that He will use him as a rock to build his church and then the next moment, rebuking Satan from him!!