Called Out (Week 1)

What happens when "good churchy people" fall more in love with lukewarm religion than with God? This question is at the heart of the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus is presented as one sent to challenge our low expectations of what it means to follow after God's Spirit. Some of the harshest words Jesus speaks are directed at those who would seek to be his followers, as he confronts our understandings of love, loyalty, generosity, and forgiveness. This October, let's take a closer look at those moments when Jesus calls out his would-be followers, and consider how God is calling all of us "good churchy people" to something higher.