Here’s what the church needs to understand:
People with a past are not problems.
They are testimonies in progress.
God Uses People With a Past
Some of the strongest believers are those who have:
- experienced brokenness
- encountered grace
- and walked through restoration
Why?
Because they understand grace personally.
How We Help or Hinder
The way we treat people determines whether they:
- step into purpose
- or stay stuck in their past
If we:
- remind them of who they were
- keep them at a distance
we slow down what God is doing.
But if we:
- encourage growth
- recognize change
- walk with them
we help bring their purpose forward.
How We Should Treat Them
Followers of Jesus should treat people with a past:
- with compassion
- with respect
- with encouragement
- with accountability
- with wisdom
- and with love
Final Thought (Series Close)
Followers of Jesus are not called to be gatekeepers of grace.
We are called to be carriers of it.
Because the people we are most tempted to keep at a distance…
are often the very people God is trying to restore.
Thoughts from Pastor Toney 