KENTUCKY UNITED METHODIST Get weary of people degrading the church Not that I don’t understand I, for a long time, was one of them Even after a transforming experience with Jesus in my life, still had a lot of baggage with church Didn’t like its hypocritical / judgmental nature   That was back in 70’s when church was still an expected thing You know, there was a time when I was growing up you were almost a Christian by drinking the water and breathing in the air. Remember not even being able to buy a gallon of gasoline on Sunday morning b/c everything closed for the Sabbath. It was just the normal, expected, thing But that’s not so today. Kinnemon NEW FAITH COMMUNITIES

Revelation 3:8 “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. . . .”

But here’s the problem with all this: I believe the message is needed more than ever! And like it or not, the church is the messenger.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her . … 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Matthew 16:17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  

John 21:1 Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Lake of Galilee. This is how it happened: 2 A group of us were there—Simon Peter, Thomas, “The Twin,” Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, my brother James and and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come too,” we all said. We did, but caught nothing all night. 4 At dawn we saw a man standing on the beach but couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called, “Any fish, boys?” “No,” we replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of them!” So we did, and couldn’t draw in the net because of the weight of the fish, there were so many! 7 Then I[c] said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

Do we really believe the United Methodist Church in Kentucky has a needed place and is KEY to bringing Kentuckians to a new Great Awakening to faith in Christ?