Weird for the right reasons

Captivated by God’s Grace, saturated in God’s Love and empowered by God’s Spirit – followers of Jesus are called to be radically different. 

Too often the church is seen as weird for all the wrong reasons – for superficiality, judgmentalism or hypocrisy. But we’re actually called to be peculiar, to stand out and be weird for the right reasons – for our courageous love, sacrificial generosity and radical forgiveness.  

We’re called to be a light that illuminates our world with truth, to live in ways that reflect the mercy, love and justice that are the beating heart of God’s character. 

God’s people are called to march to a different beat, dance to a different rhythm, sing a different melody. 

On the Day of Pentecost there were 120 or so believers gathered in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit fell on them with fire and power. Roll forward less than 300 years, and despite multiple persecutions, it’s estimated the church numbered an astonishing 6 million – around 10% of the population of the Roman Empire at the time. Historians estimate the church grew around 40% every decade for three centuries. How? What was the secret to their sauce? 

Well, they boldly preached the gospel. They performed signs and wonders. They were radically different. In large part I think that because they were weird for the right reasons, they were singularly attractive to outsiders.  

Drawing on the work of sociologist Rodney Stark and others, here are a few observations. 

• In deeply tribal, inequitable and violently divisive cities, the church was radically inclusive – made up of rich and poor, slaves and slaveowners, different races and ethnicities – all under the same roof and all with the same Lord. 

• In a dog-eat-dog world, the church was radically compassionate, sacrificially surrendering its resources to care for the poor. 

• In a deeply fearful culture, the church was radically courageous. When pandemics swept the empire, killing millions, and as the rich fled the cities, Christians stayed back to care not only for their sick but for strangers as well. 

• In a culture where women were treated as less than in every way, the church was radically egalitarian, women honoured for their giftedness and actively leading alongside men. 

• In a culture that demonized opponents, the church was radically loving, extending grace to friends and enemies in equal measure. 

Peculiar and weird for all the right reasons, the early church grew exponentially, simultaneously prophetic and attractive, radically ‘other’ and radically ‘inclusive.’ 

I pray that we will be the same today, a prophetic witness to the mercy, love and justice of God. 

In what ways would you love to see the church be ‘weirder still’ in our day and age? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Every blessing,