Several incidents have awakened this train of thought in me recently, including conversations with two people who ended up on opposite sides of the fence. One conversation suggested that we should proclaim Christ as the Good News, and eliminate the discussion of our trials and problems, because it only dragged us down. The other conversation offered little reason for emphasizing Good News, when the troubles of life reduced the "good" to a heavenly reward some day off in the future.

Is it a cop-out to say that both were right?

Two trends have emerged in the church that need to be balanced: the view of the church as a therapy group, where we vomit all of our "issues" and "problems" so that we leave "feeling better." The other end of the spectrum asserts that most problems disappear, if only you have enough "faith." Both sides are rooted in truth, but developed in error.

The fact is, the reality of Jesus our lives CAN and DOES change things. We can be more loving, more kind, less lustful, less selfish and so on. God's grace literally transforms our character, so that we can be and act, more like Jesus. Holy and righteous. And yet, the Good News must meet us where we are, and we often are in trouble. That's real life. That's ?relevance.'

So what's this mean? Well, I'm stoked at the possibilities of community-life within this conversation, because we all operate in different realms of the kingdom life (sometime in different days.) What I mean is, today I may be overly fixated on the trials, and that's when a brother can seize the opportunity to remind me of the life-changing power. This community life encourages me, just as it guides and instructs me on those days when I feel spiritually Superman-ish. Consequently, two questions emerge that members of the family should be asking each other:

Compassion says that we be sensitive to the problems. Faith says that we solve the problems through Christ. Fellowship deepens as we ask these questions. Discipleship is furthered as we answer. All that's needed is the courage to be vulnerable and the humility to be willing. Care to talk? Care to listen? Care to ask?