Shortly after a thief broke into Oconee Baptist Church in Bishop, Ga. and stole an amplifier and four guitars, the church’s sign expressed how the church felt about the break-in: “To the person who broke in—God loves you.”
“At this point, we’re more interested in letting him know that God will forgive him than having him arrested or finding the instruments,” said the church’s pastor, Rev. Steve Powers. “That’s for the sheriff’s department to worry about. We’re more interested in where he’s going to spend eternity than finding the instruments.”
If that doesn’t scream something about their church’s identity, I don’t know what does.
Julian
August 28, 2008
Someone broke into our church and jimmied open every office door. He took petty cash and gift cards to a local supermarket that we keep on hand for people who drop by asking for financial aid. They were looking for quick cash because they ignored computers and video and digital cameras. When the local TV station interviewed our sr. pastor for the news he said he wished the person hadn’t gone to all the trouble of breaking in – if he had just come to the office and asked for help we would have been glad to help him. And we would still help him if he wanted to come in. Isn’t that what Jesus would have done?