[Today Marti reminds us of our mission.]

For as long as I have known John, which is more years than I care to admit, he has sought to create bridges among people within the church to those out beyond its walls. By renouncing the rigid delineations of people into categories, he encourages Christians to meet individuals in the marketplace with a sense of inclusiveness, and diversity, while delivering a message of acceptance and love.

With the Lord throwing an international ‘net’ over a vast number of people, the Catch of the Day (the “Catch”) with its capacity for both public and private exchange, has grown into a “faith home,” an interactive cyber-church — a community of people who are recognizing that they are the living bridge that John refers to coming out beyond the walls around them and changing the world with the Gospel of Welcome, one person at a time.

Let’s set the stage as living bridges by reaching outside the walls of ourselves and by participating in God’s business to everyone, everywhere, everyday. Both as pioneers and midwives, we serve men and women and their children worldwide, whether they are or are not a part of the body of believers, with the dignity and respect due an ongoing creation of God. Now that will surely startle the world into some sort of vigorous reaction.

This is the hope of the Gospel of Welcome that we are no longer the stereotype but a prototype of His Kingdom on earth — stepping out, one foot in front of the other, with the liberty found within the Holy Spirit and authorized by God.