"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." - James, Acts 15:19

Picture this: You're playing Mario Kart, slowly working your way up from 8th place through careful driving and determination. Just as you're gaining momentum and passing other racers, the person in first place—who you're not even threatening—drops a banana peel right in your path. Your kart spins out of control, and all your progress is lost.

Few things are as infuriating as unnecessary obstacles, especially when the journey is already challenging enough.

The Pub App Problem

On my third night in England after moving here, exhausted from the emotional and physical toll of relocating, I just wanted a simple meal of fish and chips. But what should have been straightforward became an ordeal of app downloads, WiFi passwords, postcode requirements, and dead phone batteries. All I wanted was for someone to ask, "What would you like to eat?"

Why make it unnecessarily difficult?

This frustration isn't limited to restaurants or video games—it's everywhere, including the church.

The Church's Banana Peel Problem

Churches are notorious for unnecessary barriers. Growing up, I experienced this firsthand. Despite becoming a Christian at youth camps, I struggled to find my footing in regular church services. The ancient music style, incomprehensible liturgy, and seemingly rehearsed sadness created what felt like banana peels for a young seeker.

While I now appreciate Lutheran liturgy's theological richness after studying theology, as a young person I didn't have the stamina to learn the language and traditions. The barriers felt insurmountable.

Churches naturally develop shared language, culture, and ways of doing things that can become barriers for people seeking community, meaning, or God.

Deep and Wide: The Sand Beach Principle

At FBC, we believe that going deep in faith naturally leads to going wide in compassion. It's like digging in soft sand—the deeper you dig, the wider the hole becomes. The deeper you love Jesus, the more you feel compassion for people who haven't yet experienced His love, especially those on the fringes.

We want to be a church that people who don't usually go to church love to be part of. This means constantly asking: What banana peels are we throwing that make it hard for people to find and follow Jesus?

The Council of Jerusalem: A Biblical Case Study

Acts 15 records one of the most significant decisions in church history. The question was simple but profound: Should Gentile converts to Christianity be required to become Jewish first, including being circumcised?

This wasn't a trivial debate. Understanding both sides helps us grasp the complexity:

The Pharisees' Position: They weren't necessarily the villains we often make them out to be. Their argument had merit: How can you deeply understand the Jewish Messiah without experiencing Jewish traditions? The Passover meal, for instance, doesn't just commemorate the Exodus—participants become part of the story through taste, smell, and ritual. This experiential learning creates profound understanding of Jesus as the true Passover Lamb.

Paul and Barnabas' Position: While circumcision wasn't forbidden (Paul even encouraged Timothy to be circumcised to avoid offending Jews), requiring it could create dangerous precedents. It might lead people to believe that keeping the law enables salvation, causing them to rely on their own efforts rather than God's grace.

The Revolutionary Decision

After much discussion, James delivered the verdict: "We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God."

The Greek word used here is fascinating: parenochlein—meaning to trouble alongside something else, to add an extra burden. James wasn't saying circumcision was bad, wrong, or unhelpful. His argument was beautifully simple: "Let's not make it difficult."

Following Jesus Is Already Hard Enough

This decision reveals a crucial understanding: Following Jesus involves inherent difficulty. The early church knew this intimately:

Peter and John were beaten by the Sanhedrin

Stephen was stoned to death

Great persecution broke out against the Jerusalem church

Following Jesus means taking up your cross daily. It means loving your enemies, standing up for the oppressed even when it costs you socially, praying for those who hurt you, and serving when you'd rather stay comfortable.

The path is already stony and uphill. Why throw banana peels?

Removing Barriers Today

As a church, we're continually challenged to serve not just insiders but those who aren't yet part of our community. People outside the church can't speak for themselves in church meetings, so we must intentionally become their advocates.

This means creating environments that are:

• Accessible, not demanding: Challenging people beyond what they know, but not too far too quickly
• Welcoming, not cliquey: Where newcomers are genuinely embraced, not ignored
• Clear, not confusing: Where people can easily navigate both physically and relationally
• Open, not judgmental: Where questions are treated as opportunities, not threats

Personal Banana Peels

This challenge extends beyond church structure to individual behavior. I've had to examine where my own hypocrisy might create barriers. If I preach about inner peace but constantly appear stressed, what message does that send? My stress could become someone else's banana peel.

Consider your own life:

How do you argue, and what do you argue about?

Do selfishness, unforgiveness, or excessive luxury create barriers?

Does your lifestyle align with the Jesus you claim to follow?

The Retired Principal's Example

I once watched a retired Bible school principal walking across campus. Despite no longer being paid by the institution, he stopped to pick up a small piece of plastic litter. He was still doing his part to keep the environment clean and welcoming.

I want that same awareness—walking through life conscious of the banana peels that might trip others up, cleaning them up wherever I can.

The Mission Continues

Following Jesus is challenging enough without adding unnecessary obstacles. The Council of Jerusalem chose inclusion over perfection, access over tradition, and grace over gatekeeping.

Their decision shaped Christianity's future, allowing the gospel to spread across cultures and generations. It reminds us that our role isn't to make following Jesus harder than it needs to be.

Instead, we're called to remove barriers, clean up banana peels, and create pathways that help people find and follow Jesus—because the transformation He offers is too important to hide behind unnecessary obstacles.

What banana peels might you need to remove today?