Dear Friend

To all my friends, young and old, near and far,

I’m glad that our lives have crossed.  Some of you I know well, others I’ve known well, and while our relationship may have waned to random Facebook messages and the odd ‘thumbs up’ every now and then I’m thankful for you today.  Thankful because you’ve shaped who I am today — that, I presume, is how friendships work.  

As you know, I believe in Jesus, the First Century man from Nazareth who came announcing that God’s Kingdom was suddenly breaking into the earth.  And we’ve probably joked about how strange that might be to many of you over a pint or a cup of coffee.  Strange as it may be, you’ve known me and accepted me all the same.

And while you haven’t dismissed me, you may have dismissed Christianity, because, well let’s face it, there are many reasons to dismiss it.  Some have been hurt by church people, others think churches hurt people.  Some think Christianity is out-of-date, others think its out-of-touch with reality.  Some see superstitious nonsense, others see harmless wishful thinking.  I get it.  I’ve worked all these things through myself.  But perhaps the difference is that in working these things through, I haven’t dismissed Jesus.

This Easter I want to invite—or is it ask, or challenge, perhaps—you to something: Consider Jesus, the man and his message.  Find a church this Sunday—it doesn’t need to be mine, though it would be nice to see you—slip in the back door if you must, and listen to his story, listen to his message.  Just listen. I suspect it will be difficult not to quickly dismiss Jesus again, because of something you see or hear that is unfamiliar or strange.  But I ask you to listen, for me.  We always gain something when we listen.

Come consider Jesus on Sunday.  I will be.  I hope you’ll join me.

Your friend,

Keith