The call of an upside-down gospel.
We are all hardwired to pursue what’s easy, safe and enjoyable. As humans, we naturally move away from experiences that cause us pain, threaten our security or challenge us. But that is not the life that we are called to live in Christ. Nor is it the life that we invite those around us to live.
We serve a God who could have stayed at a distance — far removed from the pain and brokenness of our world — yet chose to come near. And now He calls us to do the same. He invites us to draw near to those in need and pour ourselves out for them, in His name.
The power of the “upside-down gospel” is that when we live with radical, self-sacrificing, incarnational love, we often find that others can’t help but be drawn in. Curious about what could possibly compel someone to live this way, they search for the answer. And in doing so, they find the gospel.
Vince Smith, Executive Director of Keystone Family Alliance, put it well in his recent interview:
I honestly say that our full-time job is to invite people to wreck their lives, to become fully surrendered to what Jesus has asked us to do and to take up our cross on behalf of the vulnerable. But man, every time it [wrecks our lives], we see the people in our communities attracted to the gospel by the way that we get to serve vulnerable children and families.
Watch the latest release from the Pure Religion Project to hear what Vince has to say about inviting others into this work and the beautiful wreckage that comes from it.
The Pure Religion Project is a focused initiative inspired by the members of the Christian Alliance for Orphans and the broader CAFO community, designed to help churches live out the “pure religion” described in James 1:27 and invited throughout Scripture. Through world-class resources, supportive community and ongoing connection and coaching, The Pure Religion Project at CAFO wants to help you lead your church with assurance, hope and the help you need.
