I had a great opportunity to speak at The Garden on Sunday in Long Beach. It was a great time seeing my friends there and to find myself right back in the community that has been and is so special to me. I really didn’t know how to prepare for what I would say. Darren said that it would be an interview type format and we would be talking about worship and justice and how that plays itself out in my context at Treasures of Africa. As I sat there waiting to go up in the morning service, I was praying and just trying to focus on the Holy Spirit and what He wanted to speak through me. It was a delight to just be used in that way and it went quite well if I do say so myself.
As I was speaking, something came out that I believe with my whole heart. I’ll have to paraphrase myself because I don’t want to go back and check the pod cast (which you can listen to on iTunes by going to The Garden Church Long Beach in the Religion/Spirituality - Christianity section). I said something to the effect that the Kingdom of God and the Church, as the people of the Kingdom, are beautiful. They are beautiful because it is just this huge movement of people that are fulfilling the unique callings that the Lord has put on their lives. There is nothing on this world like the Church.
The more I think about it, that’s exactly what the Church is supposed to be; a movement. I am one man and by the grace and providence of God, I’ve stepped into a calling. I do indeed find it to be exciting. Not because of all the cool stuff that I’m doing, but because of all the stuff that the Lord is doing just because I’m walking in what He told me to do. It is so encouraging when people affirm, encourage and support me. It makes me that much happier to actually be walking in this small role that the Lord has entrusted to me within His Kingdom. I’m just one man though and nothing would get done if I were acting in isolation.
I’ve said it before and its worth saying again; the Lord has big plans, good plans for His people. He invites us into something special. He invites us into this movement that has been going on since the dawn of creation and continues to the very moment that you are reading this blog. He is inviting you to fulfill a calling within His Kingdom that He specifically designed you for. It is an incredible thing to ponder and an infinitely more incredible thing to pursue and walk in.
Unfortunately, the Church as a whole has traditionally fallen into this cycle where the freshness of a new movement within the movement becomes institutionalized and subsequently loses its punch. As I passed through Templeton today I saw this cute little Presbyterian church and wondered if we haven’t missed the point with what the American church has evolved to become. As we look around the society in which we live, its hard to not question whether what we’re doing is truly the most effective way to advance the Kingdom. Because there are so many church buildings in the states, there are quite a few in Tanzania as well, but despite them all, the Church doesn’t seem to be growing much.
I shouldn’t have to tell people that I work for a para-Church organization. It makes it sound like we’re doing the work of the Church, but we’re not the Church. That doesn’t even make any sense. We’ve got to break out of this mindset that says unless there’s a building involved, you’re not in a church. We must be in fellowship with other believers, that is the Church. And within that, if I partner with the other believers at Hidden With Christ and we do Kingdom work, that too is the Church.
We’ve got to get back to our roots. We’ve got to get radical. As Shane Claiborne points out there is a direct link between those two words. The root of the Christian faith was based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And the inception of the Church at Pentecost wasn’t marked by twelve men erecting a building, but rather proclaiming the good news in word and deed then letting that fire spread to the nations. That’s what we’ve got to do. And we’ve got to blow up these mindsets that segregate the work of the Lord. We are the Church. We are a collection, a movement, of people fulfilling individual callings that the Lord has placed on our lives.
The Lord has a calling on your life; fulfill it. He has called you to play a role within this incredible movement; walk in it. His grace and providence is always sufficient for you to do so, for this we give praise.
--------------------
The Rundown: Its been a good and busy week here in Califlippinfornia. Its hard to believe that I’m here and in many ways I’m hoping and praying that the time here flies by so that I can return to be with my kids. Yet, I know that there are many things the Lord has planned for my time here in the states. Joel and Rachel got hitched on Saturday and it was a beautiful and godly wedding. I know that they will do mighty things for the Kingdom, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Being in Long Beach on Sunday was great and I truly loved speaking at church and being with them there. The service went well and I value my blessed partnership with them. Monday we drove up to the central coast, slept at the Varners then headed up to Sacramento on Tuesday. Melissa and I got to see Lauren and hang out with my aunt, uncle and cousins as well for a day and a half. We’re back on the central coast for a few days and will be speaking at First Baptist Church of Los Osos on Sunday. All good stuff. The Lord is up to good things.
As I was speaking, something came out that I believe with my whole heart. I’ll have to paraphrase myself because I don’t want to go back and check the pod cast (which you can listen to on iTunes by going to The Garden Church Long Beach in the Religion/Spirituality - Christianity section). I said something to the effect that the Kingdom of God and the Church, as the people of the Kingdom, are beautiful. They are beautiful because it is just this huge movement of people that are fulfilling the unique callings that the Lord has put on their lives. There is nothing on this world like the Church.
The more I think about it, that’s exactly what the Church is supposed to be; a movement. I am one man and by the grace and providence of God, I’ve stepped into a calling. I do indeed find it to be exciting. Not because of all the cool stuff that I’m doing, but because of all the stuff that the Lord is doing just because I’m walking in what He told me to do. It is so encouraging when people affirm, encourage and support me. It makes me that much happier to actually be walking in this small role that the Lord has entrusted to me within His Kingdom. I’m just one man though and nothing would get done if I were acting in isolation.
I’ve said it before and its worth saying again; the Lord has big plans, good plans for His people. He invites us into something special. He invites us into this movement that has been going on since the dawn of creation and continues to the very moment that you are reading this blog. He is inviting you to fulfill a calling within His Kingdom that He specifically designed you for. It is an incredible thing to ponder and an infinitely more incredible thing to pursue and walk in.
Unfortunately, the Church as a whole has traditionally fallen into this cycle where the freshness of a new movement within the movement becomes institutionalized and subsequently loses its punch. As I passed through Templeton today I saw this cute little Presbyterian church and wondered if we haven’t missed the point with what the American church has evolved to become. As we look around the society in which we live, its hard to not question whether what we’re doing is truly the most effective way to advance the Kingdom. Because there are so many church buildings in the states, there are quite a few in Tanzania as well, but despite them all, the Church doesn’t seem to be growing much.
I shouldn’t have to tell people that I work for a para-Church organization. It makes it sound like we’re doing the work of the Church, but we’re not the Church. That doesn’t even make any sense. We’ve got to break out of this mindset that says unless there’s a building involved, you’re not in a church. We must be in fellowship with other believers, that is the Church. And within that, if I partner with the other believers at Hidden With Christ and we do Kingdom work, that too is the Church.
We’ve got to get back to our roots. We’ve got to get radical. As Shane Claiborne points out there is a direct link between those two words. The root of the Christian faith was based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And the inception of the Church at Pentecost wasn’t marked by twelve men erecting a building, but rather proclaiming the good news in word and deed then letting that fire spread to the nations. That’s what we’ve got to do. And we’ve got to blow up these mindsets that segregate the work of the Lord. We are the Church. We are a collection, a movement, of people fulfilling individual callings that the Lord has placed on our lives.
The Lord has a calling on your life; fulfill it. He has called you to play a role within this incredible movement; walk in it. His grace and providence is always sufficient for you to do so, for this we give praise.
--------------------
The Rundown: Its been a good and busy week here in Califlippinfornia. Its hard to believe that I’m here and in many ways I’m hoping and praying that the time here flies by so that I can return to be with my kids. Yet, I know that there are many things the Lord has planned for my time here in the states. Joel and Rachel got hitched on Saturday and it was a beautiful and godly wedding. I know that they will do mighty things for the Kingdom, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Being in Long Beach on Sunday was great and I truly loved speaking at church and being with them there. The service went well and I value my blessed partnership with them. Monday we drove up to the central coast, slept at the Varners then headed up to Sacramento on Tuesday. Melissa and I got to see Lauren and hang out with my aunt, uncle and cousins as well for a day and a half. We’re back on the central coast for a few days and will be speaking at First Baptist Church of Los Osos on Sunday. All good stuff. The Lord is up to good things.
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