Where

Sometimes we tell people to "bloom where they are planted." Sometimes we tell people "it's about the journey." Sometimes we tell people we're proud of them because they're "going places."

Location is a hard thing to get our heads around, especially as Christians. We can confuse settings with the things that happen in them - even doing this with miracles of God. We've seen people be baptized in this spot, over and over again, and we can worry about whether it will be different if they get baptized in another. We receive Jesus' body and blood in the same sanctuary, over and over again, and we can feel weird if we experience it in a home or outdoors. 

We do the same when we start churches. Should it be here? Is this place better? Will that chunk of ground lead to more conversions than this one? 

In a very real way, location matters. Jesus didn't stand still and preach. He went to people. The apostles didn't work simply to create attractive content that people would come to experience. They left what they knew and went to find people. 

They did this because there are simply going to be places that, for one good reason or another, are a little more conducive to the human aspect of gospel preaching. (The Holy Spirit always does his work correctly.) So, are we finding them? Are we even looking? 

As Illumine, Rock Hill seems to be nearing permanency of campus, it is time to look out. Where are we going to go next? What makes the most sense? Where can we convert the most people? 

It is also important that those in Rock Hill not get confused about the location they have. This location is a helpful thing, for sure. But it isn't going to be the best location in Rock Hill to convert every single one of the lost. We're going to use this building as a center from which we go out into the community and serve. 

So let us bloom where we are planting. Let us go on big journeys for souls. And let's see if we can make this thing continue to go places. 

- Pastor Kent