Do you know about Paul? After Jesus, Paul might be the most well-known, most talked about person in the New Testament. And rightfully so. He did amazing things for the gospel by starting all kinds of churches and bringing people together in the name of Jesus. A lot of the epistles - which is a fancy way of saying “letters written to churches” - were written by Paul to people that he knew in places where’d he established a group (read: a church) and then left the people in charge to carry it on.

But people then weren’t much different from people now and they didn't exactly do as they should have.

In the 2 books of Corinthians, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. He starts by encouraging them that they are all leaders because well, it’s true. If you’re a follower of Jesus, if you're a ministry leader. Whether you’re on the payroll of a church - or even attend one - or not, if you want to follow Jesus, you’re a ministry leader.

So Paul starts 1 Corinthians 4 basically by saying “Hey, everything you have and everything you are is a gift from God. You already have what you need - you have more access to God than you can handle.” And you have all of that without needing us “leaders” to help you!

He was basically saying, stop looking to me, to Timothy, to the people you consider leaders and waiting on our next directive. You have access to God. You have the Holy Spirit within you. You have been given everything that we have so own it - you’re a leader - now do something about it.

Then he gets into the next section which totally seems random but maybe just maybe it was included on purpose:

It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We’re something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. We’re the Messiah’s misfits.

(Interjection - doesn’t that feel like church right now? So many people have left, are leaving, or have no interest in our churches or what we have to say. It’s like God made us His mouthpiece but without any ears to listen.)

Then he gets real:

You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. (SOUNDS LIKE NOW!) You might be well-thought-of by others, but we’re mostly kicked around. Much of the time we don’t have enough to eat, we wear patched and threadbare clothes, we get doors slammed in our faces, and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living. When they call us names, we say, “God bless you.” When they spread rumors about us, we put in a good word for them. We’re treated like garbage, the leftovers that nobody wants.

And it’s not getting any better.

This sounds crazy, right? Before you’re like “that’s why you shouldn’t read the Message” - it’s not just this translation. I checked.

When Mosaic celebrated 16 years, we looked back and celebrated all that God’s done through us but with that came remembering the hard seasons, the failures and the losses. Pastor Naeem was very honest in sharing the moments where he said “I didn't sign up for this.” And while I definitely feel the weight of that from being a pastor, I think anyone who’s been a follower of Jesus for a decent amount of time would say the same. It’s hard. And if you were promised an easy, happy, prosperous life with Jesus, then it’s definitely not what you thought you signed up for.

But Jesus never promised easy. There is cost. There is commitment. There is risk. And it is all very real. It’s not just for the missionaries, the martyrs or the most faithful. It’s for all of us who are serious about following Jesus.

And if you don’t feel like a ministry leader, that’s how you know you’re a ministry leader. If you don’t feel good enough, remember what Paul called them - the Messiah’s misfits. That’s the humble place of leadership, servanthood and trust that will allow God to use you. It’s the people who say “follow me, I know it all” that shouldn’t be followed.

I just finished the book Get Weird by CJ Casciotta who said “we’re wired for weird but we feel safer with same.” You are weird. You are unique. You are special. Like I tell my kids, you are not right! See, some people would want to call social services on me but my kids laugh and it’s a term of silly endearment at our house. We celebrate the fact that they are not wired up like everyone else around them!

That’s what makes you the perfect person to be Jesus on Monday - to be the church outside of a building.

Like Paul said, it won’t be glamorous. There is risk, commitment and cost but when you join a community of people linking arms to do it with you, it’s worth it. When we come together, we can face “living in the midst of frailties and uncertainties.” We can face being treated “like garbage, the leftovers that nobody wants.” We can face being weirdos who “everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street BECAUSE we’re the Messiah’s misfits - and BECAUSE that’s kinda the whole point.

You are not supposed to be like everyone else. Because you carry the message of Jesus.

Jesus himself was a weirdo. He didn’t fit in to the culture and the rules. And we are His gang of misfits, inviting others in - not to a building, but to community with us. Inviting them into relationship with Him.

CJ Casciotta also said “The movement of Christianity started with one weirdo who attracted a small tribe of oddballs who eventually transformed the world.”

That’s my prayer for us. That we would step into our unique role as leaders in ministry to the people around us. That we would embrace our weirdness - because that’s what allows God to use each one of us differently to reach ALL of His kids who are not right.

Who He loves so much.