I, Mike Ott, have failed this church!

I have been watching this tv show called Arrow. The main character is a superhero that is attempting to rid the city of crime. When he encounters a crime boss or drug dealer, he openly announces to the individual "(their name), you have failed this city!"

The thought hit me today, I, Mike Ott, have failed this church.

When I read the Bible, I see how the church should be and how I should interact with the world. The questions start to flood my mind...How many times have I overlooked a need? How many times has the Spirit been leading and I have silenced Him? How many times have I went along with tradition and man's ways of doing things? How many times have I faltered because of fear and uncertainty? How many times have I failed my calling, my passion, my character, my mission, the church...

I have spent a lot of time in the community this week. Running into old friends and neighbors, and catching up with their lives. Spent an evening with Younglife and the Boys and Girls Club; interacting with staff and teenagers while eating wings and watching basketball. Observing people at Starbucks, McDonalds, and other places. Talking with people at the YMCA. My observations led to that our community is full of people that need Jesus! People that are hurting that need hope, they need healthy relationships from those in the church. They need food and shelter! They need God's love, YES, but they also need to see God's love pouring out of me as I interact with them! 

The great thing is that God's grace is so much bigger than my human attempts to be a good Christian. I can never even come close to what I should be doing, but because of God and His grace I can make an impact in this world! He takes my attempts and failures and uses them for His glory. He shows me how to look at people through His eyes, instead of my own eyes. He gives me a passion for people. He will help me overcome tradition, fear, insecurities, and my own limitations. He will turn the statement "I, Mike Ott, have failed this church" to "Mike Ott, I will use you to grow my church"