You're invited

 I came across this community ad (lightly edited).  

Join us for an evening of community, cooking, and celebration as we support...  This special event is dedicated to creating safe, affirming spaces for youth to thrive, feel empowered, and be their true selves.

I only edited a couple of words so as not to give away what group specifically was going to be celebrated and empowered.  My point isn't to promote or denigrate any particular community, but only to show that it is largely the same wording and same appeal that is made no matter what the grouping may be.  It seems that the church is using the same sort and type of messaging to appeal to people to join together in raising community and, presumably, discipleship as an outcome.  Couldn't the ad have been lightly edited to invite to some sort of 'fellowship' time and to be useful for 'discipleship' purposes?  I think the messaging is altogether similar.

Now of course a church can get their message out there any way that they like.  They can invite their own people and others to join together for  a like-minded cause of their choosing.  What struck me as I read the ad was how alike divergent communities are in their messaging, and how unlike it is to the messaging of Jesus.  By contrast there are many times where a would be disciple 'went away grieving' (Matthew 19:22), or where they 'turned back and no longer accompanied him' (John 6:66).  

Jesus never seems to run a big ad campaign or to chase after followers.  You are invited...to follow Jesus.  It may not be a special event meant to celebrate and empower, it will in fact cost us our lives.