To Thomas

You know Thomas got a bum rap. He's classified as the doubter, but have you ever considered that he was the only disciple not present the first time Jesus appeared? Is he really any different than us?

I was speaking with someone recently who said that there's never a place in churches for people to express their doubts. Somehow we forbid people to do exactly what Jesus gave Thomas permission to do. I took it one step further and wondered where does the world get to express their doubt. Pretty much it's never in a place that is filled with Christ's love. And wasn't that the experience of Thomas? Jesus shows up and says "touch me"? That's pretty intimate, don't just talk to me but touch me.

We're currently planning an event for June that is going to push this to a place that I've never been before. We're going to actually invite people who have doubts to come to the amphitheater at AACC and express their doubts. We'll respond to their doubts but we'll give them the last word. Because it's not about crushing their doubts, it's about the touch that happens when they bump up against Jesus in the form of his followers. Jesus routinely said that love and servanthood were the key characteristics of his kingdom. It won't matter what our answers are, it'll only matter that they see our love.

--Ben