Yesterday, I took my oldest daughter Alli out for lunch. We tried a new (new for us) restaurant in Kennett Square called Amici Miei. It was good to have some special “daddy time” with Alli. As we looked at the menu I noticed that a lot of my traditional favorites were missing. When I asked the waitress about it she informed me that the omissions were intentional. You see the chef, she told us, is from Italy. He wants to cook authentic Italian cuisine. He figures you can get spaghetti and meatballs anywhere.

As I considered this response, it occurred to me how much in common Fellowship has with Amici Miei. You see, you really can get the “traditional church entree” at most churches in the Delaware Valley and the Northeast as a whole. Not at Fellowship though. God has called us to prepare food in a way that those who have been marginalized from church, for one reason or another, will be tempted to dine again. Some are actually dining for the very first time. There are many traditional entrees that we just don’t serve. It is intentional and by design. It is not that we don’t like “spaghetti and meatballs (I actually love them) it is just not who God has called us to be.

There are many great people in our area who enjoy traditional church. Some churches are even beginning to blend their services with the old and some of the new. That’s great. I celebrate what they are doing. It takes all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.

This past Sunday 725 people showed up for something a little different and I feel like we gave it to them. We gave them some Bon Jovi…we gave them some crazy videos…and we gave them the truth prepared in a way they have never heard. Every now and then I get a well meaning person ask me why we can’t go back to some spaghetti and meatballs and I have to explain this all over again.

Let me just say it again. We are NEVER going back. We are moving FORWARD. This is who God has called us to be. I have peace about it. Our elders support it. Our staff loves it. More importantly, God has positioned us to serve some authentic “heaven” dishes. And our bread…oh man…you just have to try our “bread of life.” People are drinking from a cosmic Gatorade called “living water” that is quenching a life-long thirst. So don’t forget to tell your friends this week about a place that is serving it up heaven style. They will never, ever, be the same.