Making Others Conform

(See previous post for background info.) More from Maxwell:

I think Jesus had an entirely different attitude than most churches do. I think that in the church, because of our insecurities, we get very concerned when people are different than us. When they come to our place, in our setting, that makes us comfortable. We want to make them conform as quickly as possible to our set of rules, to our atmosphere, and to what we are. And if they conform to that very quickly, we feel very good about "converting them" or "getting them into the church." I think we're very uncomfortable with people who are different from us. I don't think Jesus was at all. Therein lies the attitude the creates separation. People who are unchurched, "lost," maybe even seekers, most of the time don't really feel comfortable with us. Let me say this--if they don't feel comfortable with us outside the church, then they won't feel comfortable with us inside the church.