Many churches aim to give people a smooth experience from the moment they pull into the parking lot. Get the people in, get them caffeinated, get them into their seats and get them out the door and back into their cars. It ends up coming across as a performance. For the first time in a long time, at this church for the homeless, I could be who I am while I sat and listened to the pastor's message. Then we transition to C.S. Lewis' book, 'Mere Christianity' and chapter one's 'Law of Human Nature.' From here, we move to different types of fear and how many scripture translations should have used the word 'awe' instead of fear. Why? Because throughout scripture men and women prostrated themselves in the presence of angelic beings, and Jesus Himself, and their response to humans was, "Do not be afraid." Obviously, the fear these humans felt was not where the Angels and Jesus wanted them to stay, because close on the heels of fear is hate.
