It seems as if lately i've been frequenting the MAX station at the Lloyd Center. I find it the beginning point for many escapades and adventures into downtown Portland, simply because the MAX ride is free from there. Well, and im too cheap to pay the $2.00 fee for riding it when i have two legs that work perfectly. But, on the other hand... When the train is free... Why not?

At this station in particular there are a lot of different kinds of people. You have your token hippie, emo, and punk. As well as your prep and jock... and, to top it all off, at times you'll find a street preacher. You know, with the small speaker and microphone calling down hell, fire and brimstone down on all.

Its everything you would expect from a street preacher. Phrases such as "If you Smoke... you're going to HELL!! If you drink... you're going to HELL!! REPENT! turn from your evil ways to Jesus!!" One time, i was so lucky as to come to this stop near Halloween... and of course, there were phrases like "Halloween is EVIL!!"

The reactions of the people at the station are varied. Some people just stare and wonder whats going on. Others are taken aback. Still others get angry but the most common response i've seen is laughter. Yes, people laugh. I've found myself doing the same at times.

Every time i come to this station my own personal reaction is a little bit different than your average person's. It makes me want to cry.

Thats right, my heart breaks for each and everyone of the people standing around. My heart breaks because this is the view of Christ that they get from Christians. My heart breaks because so many people dismiss Christ because of experiences like this. My heart breaks because a god that calls down hell, fire and brimstone on sinners is not the God i serve.

The God i serve is the God of tax collectors and prostitutes, beggars and sinners. The God i serve loves you inspite of your sins and is desperately longing for a relationship with you. The God i serve is real and relevant. The God i serve didn't come to tell you you're going to hell and laugh, he came to offer you a way out.

So, Im sorry. Im sorry to all of you who have been negatively affected by Christians and the church. Im a sorry that the church is a place of hypocrites and Sunday Christians. And im sorry that Christians have such a horrible witness in society today.

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that world might be saved through him."
John 3:17