Welcome to Shaped

Our favorite King’s Cross Church yard sign stood proudly on a corner of Main Street, surrounded by lush grass and pointing to our gathering. We felt it represented us well, with dignity and style. We long for our church to be a “safe place to encounter Jesus,” and we hoped this sign would help usher people into that place.

One day, the sign got run over by a riding lawnmower. The lawn caretaker was apparently struck with remorse and stood it back up, but now it looks about how you would expect a mowed yard sign to look. It’s chopped up, full of sharp edges, and all but destroyed. But against all odds, the information on the sign remains intact. All the non-essential pieces broke off, leaving only the wording that points the way to a safe place to encounter Jesus. And we’re guessing it gets a lot more attention now than it did pre-lawnmower.

Our battered sign is even more beautiful to us now because it reminds us of what Jesus says of His church: “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, English Standard Version). Perhaps the post-lawnmower sign is a more accurate representation of our church, after all. Let’s face it, sometimes the gates of hell give us a walloping and we’re left all but destroyed. But Jesus preserves those who submit to His lordship and continually uses us to point the way to Him. 

In the meantime, we could use some encouragement. Welcome to Shaped, a digital space where scripture and daily life come together for our mutual encouragement and edification. At King’s Cross, we believe that the Bible is “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16), and when our lives are shaped by the breath of God, we can stand tall whether we’re feeling strong or feeling like we just got run over by a riding lawnmower. As you browse here, may you be encouraged by stories of God’s Word working itself out in the life of the church, edified as you consider what God’s Word is doing in your own life, and invited into a safe place to encounter Jesus.