The past six weeks have been spent in prayer, discussion, and rest. I believe it is now time to beginning actively moving forward in establishing a new gathering of faith filled people.
I have to say that not all of the details have been worked out yet but God has opened doors wide over the last several weeks in ways that I am going to trust will continue to make this possible.
If you are interested in being apart of this new gathering please let me know and we will talk.
Sid
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Look and Feel of it
It is one thing to have an idea about community and life together as followers of Jesus but for many people ideas are hard to visualize. So in this post I want to offer a senerio that might provide a way in for people to imagine their involvement in a new community of Jesus followers.
Question: What might this community look like?
There could be many different ways that this could all come together so I'm not saying that I have everything figured out, but rather these are some things that might help set the stage for growing the Kingdom of God and the People of God here in Fort Wayne, IN. As always I want to make sure that I'm not setting the agenda but rather that together we discern and follow the paths that the Holy Spirit will make clear to us along the way.
The gathering of people needs a place to gather. While much of the life lived in community will happen in homes and at work places and other venues the gathering still needs to gather. So what if we established a coffee house as a base of community. The coffee house would provide a common place for the whole body to gather weekly; for smaller groups to meet for more personal interaction, prayer, and study; and for connections to be made with people from the wider community. The added benifit would be that the proceeds of the coffee house could provide a living wage to employees as well as space that the community was not having to rent and only using for a few hours a week.
The weekly gathering:
When the people of God gather they have a need and desire to worship God. In the Bible that worship is expressed in many different ways. There seem to be some consistent themes that this new community should probably encourperate. Sharing of praises seems to be a consistent theme in the Bible. People need to be praising God for the presence of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in their lives and encouraging one another through the telling of God stories on a regular basis. Worship seems to have themes of encouragement woven through the Bible. So that worship is not just praise but also includes teaching / sharing of the scriptures in ways that invite each person present to engage with God / Jesus / Holy Spirit in their daily lives.
Does this worship happen in a particuler style? This is something I am very unclear on as I think that worship must rise out of the gathered body and not be prepackaged assuming that it will speak to and for those who gather. So the "style" of worship must wait until we know further what needs as well as gifts and talents that God will provide for the worship to take shape.
Between Gatherings:
Spiritual Growth is something that happens for each person in their own way. Because of personality, learning styles, life experiences, and so much more each person is going to need to take responsibility to put themselves in the position to grow more into the likeness of Christ. This could happen in a variety of ways. A group of 3 or 4 people that work near one another might meet over lunch or before work to pray together, talk about the teaching from the previous week, and to ask one another how they can support one another in living out their faith at work during that week. A group of 10 -15 people might meet weekly to share a meal, talk about life, and share their God stories with one another. An individual might feel the call and have the passion to make a difference in a particular person or groups life and invite anyone else in the gathering to come and help on a particular task, event, or need. These are just a few of the many ways that the gathering might encourage one another to grow in their discipleship.
Details:
There are always details that need to be worked out for something like this to actually move from being an idea to a reality. I continue to be in prayer about the next steps and know that a number of other people are praying for this as well. If you have specific questions or would like to support this new gathering in one way or another please feel free to leave a comment here. I will not publish the comments unless you specifically ask for them to be posted so that others can see them.
Question: What might this community look like?
There could be many different ways that this could all come together so I'm not saying that I have everything figured out, but rather these are some things that might help set the stage for growing the Kingdom of God and the People of God here in Fort Wayne, IN. As always I want to make sure that I'm not setting the agenda but rather that together we discern and follow the paths that the Holy Spirit will make clear to us along the way.
The gathering of people needs a place to gather. While much of the life lived in community will happen in homes and at work places and other venues the gathering still needs to gather. So what if we established a coffee house as a base of community. The coffee house would provide a common place for the whole body to gather weekly; for smaller groups to meet for more personal interaction, prayer, and study; and for connections to be made with people from the wider community. The added benifit would be that the proceeds of the coffee house could provide a living wage to employees as well as space that the community was not having to rent and only using for a few hours a week.
The weekly gathering:
When the people of God gather they have a need and desire to worship God. In the Bible that worship is expressed in many different ways. There seem to be some consistent themes that this new community should probably encourperate. Sharing of praises seems to be a consistent theme in the Bible. People need to be praising God for the presence of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in their lives and encouraging one another through the telling of God stories on a regular basis. Worship seems to have themes of encouragement woven through the Bible. So that worship is not just praise but also includes teaching / sharing of the scriptures in ways that invite each person present to engage with God / Jesus / Holy Spirit in their daily lives.
Does this worship happen in a particuler style? This is something I am very unclear on as I think that worship must rise out of the gathered body and not be prepackaged assuming that it will speak to and for those who gather. So the "style" of worship must wait until we know further what needs as well as gifts and talents that God will provide for the worship to take shape.
Between Gatherings:
Spiritual Growth is something that happens for each person in their own way. Because of personality, learning styles, life experiences, and so much more each person is going to need to take responsibility to put themselves in the position to grow more into the likeness of Christ. This could happen in a variety of ways. A group of 3 or 4 people that work near one another might meet over lunch or before work to pray together, talk about the teaching from the previous week, and to ask one another how they can support one another in living out their faith at work during that week. A group of 10 -15 people might meet weekly to share a meal, talk about life, and share their God stories with one another. An individual might feel the call and have the passion to make a difference in a particular person or groups life and invite anyone else in the gathering to come and help on a particular task, event, or need. These are just a few of the many ways that the gathering might encourage one another to grow in their discipleship.
Details:
There are always details that need to be worked out for something like this to actually move from being an idea to a reality. I continue to be in prayer about the next steps and know that a number of other people are praying for this as well. If you have specific questions or would like to support this new gathering in one way or another please feel free to leave a comment here. I will not publish the comments unless you specifically ask for them to be posted so that others can see them.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Main Focus
When a group of people gather one of the most difficult things to do is to keep everyone focused upon the main thing. So one of the core questions of a new gathered community needs to center around its focus.
Question: What is the focus or purpose of gathering together?
When a people of faith gather together what is necessary is Jesus Christ, not Jesus just as a good man or good teacher, but Jesus as the crucified Son of God. Paul in 1Co 2:2 says: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." It is this Jesus that has to be the common denominator and focus of those who are gathered.
Jesus has to be at the center of all things. The gathered community has to begin by asking not what would Jesus do, but rather what would Jesus have us do given what we know, where we are, and who we are? This is not an easy question but has to be the focus. The gathered body can learn a lot from the early church, the examples of believers in the past, and how others are living out their faith today. It has to be remembered that we are not Jesus. Jesus was/is unique in all ways, both God and man, given to all people as a gift to connect people to God their creator without the reality of sin keeping them apart. Because Jesus remains present within the gathered body of believers they become more than they would be as individuals. The faith, gifts, talents, life experiences, and present possibilities combine in a gathered community to become more than could ever be possible alone. Jesus becomes real, alive, active, and inviting for others to also experience the divine presence of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in the present moment. Jesus says in several places that the Kingdom of God is near as well as the Kingdom of God is within you. It is this relationship with the will and ways of God that the gathered body should be seeking after and expecting here on earth and not just in a time after death.
The only way that I know to be apart of this kind of relationship is to be focused upon Jesus through Bible study, regular conversation, and a focused examination of both individual and group life. So the gathering has to take Jesus more seriously than it takes itself. The danger that immediately arises is that the Jesus I have in mind needs to become the Jesus that you have to believe in or you don't / can't belong. That is going to be the tight rope that is necessary to live out with fear and trembling. Because each of us will only understand Jesus through our own eyes it will take a great deal of grace and patience with one another to fully experience and then express Jesus in our daily lives.
In order to keep the focus upon Jesus in this new gathering there will need to be a willingness to say no to many good things so that the body can say yes to the most important things. It will be important to invite people to take their Jesus faith into work, family, and social settings without individual callings side-tracking the groups calling. This means saying no to political statements and issues that might be an individuals focus but not be the gathered bodies calling. It will mean saying no to programs or ministry that might be fun and engaging but do nothing to move people together or individually closer to Jesus. It will mean saying yes to loving others with Jesus love even when people disagree. It will mean saying yes to going the extra mile with grace and open arms with those who are suffering in one way or another. It will mean the willingness to use every spiritual and physical gift available to the gathered body in living out the Kingdom of God life for God's glory and the good of those God brings into that life.
Question: What is the focus or purpose of gathering together?
When a people of faith gather together what is necessary is Jesus Christ, not Jesus just as a good man or good teacher, but Jesus as the crucified Son of God. Paul in 1Co 2:2 says: "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." It is this Jesus that has to be the common denominator and focus of those who are gathered.
Jesus has to be at the center of all things. The gathered community has to begin by asking not what would Jesus do, but rather what would Jesus have us do given what we know, where we are, and who we are? This is not an easy question but has to be the focus. The gathered body can learn a lot from the early church, the examples of believers in the past, and how others are living out their faith today. It has to be remembered that we are not Jesus. Jesus was/is unique in all ways, both God and man, given to all people as a gift to connect people to God their creator without the reality of sin keeping them apart. Because Jesus remains present within the gathered body of believers they become more than they would be as individuals. The faith, gifts, talents, life experiences, and present possibilities combine in a gathered community to become more than could ever be possible alone. Jesus becomes real, alive, active, and inviting for others to also experience the divine presence of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in the present moment. Jesus says in several places that the Kingdom of God is near as well as the Kingdom of God is within you. It is this relationship with the will and ways of God that the gathered body should be seeking after and expecting here on earth and not just in a time after death.
The only way that I know to be apart of this kind of relationship is to be focused upon Jesus through Bible study, regular conversation, and a focused examination of both individual and group life. So the gathering has to take Jesus more seriously than it takes itself. The danger that immediately arises is that the Jesus I have in mind needs to become the Jesus that you have to believe in or you don't / can't belong. That is going to be the tight rope that is necessary to live out with fear and trembling. Because each of us will only understand Jesus through our own eyes it will take a great deal of grace and patience with one another to fully experience and then express Jesus in our daily lives.
In order to keep the focus upon Jesus in this new gathering there will need to be a willingness to say no to many good things so that the body can say yes to the most important things. It will be important to invite people to take their Jesus faith into work, family, and social settings without individual callings side-tracking the groups calling. This means saying no to political statements and issues that might be an individuals focus but not be the gathered bodies calling. It will mean saying no to programs or ministry that might be fun and engaging but do nothing to move people together or individually closer to Jesus. It will mean saying yes to loving others with Jesus love even when people disagree. It will mean saying yes to going the extra mile with grace and open arms with those who are suffering in one way or another. It will mean the willingness to use every spiritual and physical gift available to the gathered body in living out the Kingdom of God life for God's glory and the good of those God brings into that life.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Where to Start?
As I've been pondering the start of a new gathering of people living out lives of faith in God/Jesus/Holy Spirit I'm faced with many questions. Many of them are structural or procedural but there are at least a couple that seem to be core questions. I would like to stick to the core questions to begin with and see where that leads.
Question: What is the basic DNA of the collected body that you want to see lived out?
In reading the Bible, talking to others, and praying over this question it comes down to love. Both Jesus and Paul say very clearly that we are to love God and love each other. So everything that is done in the body of Christ must focus upon love and how that grows in healthy, life affirming ways. So when people gather there should be a very clear understanding that what is being done helps those people grow in love.
Our love for God/Jesus/Holy Spirit should be seen in our willingness to live more fully devoted lives that reflect the Holy presence of God toward others. The people should be growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22) If what is being done does not directly encourage this growth than it should not be wasting the time or energy of the gathered body. So I believe that there needs to be great simplicity in what is going to be done.
One of the ways I have witnessed love grow is through accountability between those gathered. Without accountability it is my experience that it is too easy to say one thing and do something completely different. But people aren't open to accountability unless they first know that they are loved and loving people takes time and hard work. So the new body has to spend time with each other as a large group, in smaller groups, and in circles of 3 or 4 people so that Christ-like love has a chance to grow between them. When love is present it is easier to hear someone say: "What I heard you say to your child didn't seem to be filled with kindness." But unless someone hears those words from another person their actions will probably not change. Accountability should not be about trying to make someone else become like me, but rather loving helping them to become fully the person that God desires them to become.
The focusing statement of this body might be something like:
We gather together to help one another grow in love toward God, each other, and the people God brings into our lives.
Question: What is the basic DNA of the collected body that you want to see lived out?
In reading the Bible, talking to others, and praying over this question it comes down to love. Both Jesus and Paul say very clearly that we are to love God and love each other. So everything that is done in the body of Christ must focus upon love and how that grows in healthy, life affirming ways. So when people gather there should be a very clear understanding that what is being done helps those people grow in love.
Our love for God/Jesus/Holy Spirit should be seen in our willingness to live more fully devoted lives that reflect the Holy presence of God toward others. The people should be growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22) If what is being done does not directly encourage this growth than it should not be wasting the time or energy of the gathered body. So I believe that there needs to be great simplicity in what is going to be done.
One of the ways I have witnessed love grow is through accountability between those gathered. Without accountability it is my experience that it is too easy to say one thing and do something completely different. But people aren't open to accountability unless they first know that they are loved and loving people takes time and hard work. So the new body has to spend time with each other as a large group, in smaller groups, and in circles of 3 or 4 people so that Christ-like love has a chance to grow between them. When love is present it is easier to hear someone say: "What I heard you say to your child didn't seem to be filled with kindness." But unless someone hears those words from another person their actions will probably not change. Accountability should not be about trying to make someone else become like me, but rather loving helping them to become fully the person that God desires them to become.
The focusing statement of this body might be something like:
We gather together to help one another grow in love toward God, each other, and the people God brings into our lives.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Beginning Thoughts
People have been asking me recently what is coming next in my life and ministry. While I am in the process of discerning with God and other brothers and sisters of faith what and where I am called to be in ministry I have been encouraged to put some things down on paper.
This is the paper that I'm choosing to use to process and think through what I know, what I think I know, and what I need to know. Your contribution here is desired and appreciated. Please see this as a conversation and not as the final word.
This is the paper that I'm choosing to use to process and think through what I know, what I think I know, and what I need to know. Your contribution here is desired and appreciated. Please see this as a conversation and not as the final word.
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