I got a post-card in the mail today. Nice graphics, well laid-out, good information. But I got annoyed when I saw the tagline for this new church it read, “No Perfect People Allowed”
Okay. I get it.
It’s supposed to make me feel welcome because I know of my imperfections and for too many people the church is a place where we have to put on a “show” we have to wear a “mask” that says “everything’s okay even when everything’s not okay.”
I get it, I really do. But it also drives me crazy.
I’ve attended churches where they tell me, unapologetically, that “neckties and nylons are not allowed.” Again, I get it, they’re trying to be witty and tell me that I can dress casually (whatever that means anymore) when I attend this church.
But what if wearing a necktie is who I am?
What if my wife wears nylons?
Will I be cast out of the church and told I don’t belong?
I heard a radio ad the other day for a restaurant I’ve been to once or twice (they have really good food but aren’t in a neighborhood I spend much time in and their parking can be a challenge, but I digress) and I loved their tagline …
“Where tie-dyes and neckties unite”
How refreshing. They understand that some people will dress up, others won’t. Some are conservative and others are liberal (if labels must be used).
I love that tagline. If it weren’t already used by a restaurant in town I’d use it for our church because I think this is exactly what Christ intended for his followers. Not that we draw lines that divide us, but that we find the common ground and come together.
