Prodigal Friendly Church

I've heard of all kinds of churches:

• Seeker sensitive
• Purpose Driven
• Fundamentalist
• Charismatic

Here's a new one: Prodigal Friendly. I met Dary Northrup, the pastor of Timberline Church (www.timberlinechurch.org) at General Council in Denver last year. I wanted to attend the Prodigal Friendly Church Conference at his church last fall, but couldn't make it happen. So, I'm watching the DVD's instead.

Molly was a prodigal--raised in church until age six and then never attended until an Easter Sunday in college. Here are some highlights of what she said:

• I thought church was all about rules and lectures.
• I never understood the sermons.
• I thought church would be boring.

At Timberline, she found something entirely different. Here's what she said:

• It's not about rules, it's about living your life for Jesus.
• I look forward to Sunday.
• I'm comfortable bringing my friends because I know they'll be accepted where they are.
• I can't believe going to church can be this much fun.
• I have found a place to call home.

How do you develop a culture that is prodigal friendly? How do you develop a church where people say things like that? Well, I'm going to watch the rest of the DVD's and find out. My prayer is that Christian Life Assembly will become more and more of a prodigal friendly church.