Sunday was lots of fun. It really helps when I get more than just a few hours of sleep! I was awake, aware, and loved connecting with everyne after I was finished talking.
To be completely honest, I like "being" with everyone more than I like "talking" to them. Sometimes I wonder if we put too much emphasis on the "talking" part of church. Sure, I realize the value of teaching kingdom principles... but I wonder if we sometimes identify our church experience solely on what we hear, and not the relational value of being with our church family.
As I look back at my own life... I have learned more, and experienced a deeper level of my own discipleship by what I have experienced relationally. It's the authentic accountability relationships that have been the most valuable points in my own spiritual development.
In many ways, it's kind of saddening that so many Christ Followers don't have that as part of their spiritual journey.
All that being said... I love the opportunites that I have to invest into the corporate life of MV. These are the best bunch of people on the planet :)
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
God's economy
Yesterday, my message was about caring deeply for others. The topic was Jesus' story about the good samaritan on the road to Jericho.
1st of all, God's economy always balances. With knowledge and teaching come "opportunities" for us to respond to what we learn. God's economy is not like some savings account where we amass more... more knowledge, more whatever.
It's more like a checking account that always gets budgeted to zero (all of it is spoken for). If we listen for God's whispers, He is always calling us to write checks on the balance of the knowledge and experiences we build up.
So, yesterday... IMMEDIATELY after I was finished talking, in walks this gentleman on a crutch. One of the folks at the church called my attention to him. I walked over to the gentleman an sat down with him. We talked.
He was in need. He was hurting, and didn't know where to turn. He showed up at OUR church. Now, how cool is that... that God would align this opportunity to deeply care for a man that shows up at the exact moment I challenged folks to care deeply for others?
He's safe for the next few days until I can connect him with some friends that can help him better than we can.
Today - Abby's birthday. She totally devours attention. She had a herd of girls for her party. I was the runner. Get this, get that... you know the drill.
Caught up on a few minor projects I've been working on. Pretty good day. Later...
1st of all, God's economy always balances. With knowledge and teaching come "opportunities" for us to respond to what we learn. God's economy is not like some savings account where we amass more... more knowledge, more whatever.
It's more like a checking account that always gets budgeted to zero (all of it is spoken for). If we listen for God's whispers, He is always calling us to write checks on the balance of the knowledge and experiences we build up.
So, yesterday... IMMEDIATELY after I was finished talking, in walks this gentleman on a crutch. One of the folks at the church called my attention to him. I walked over to the gentleman an sat down with him. We talked.
He was in need. He was hurting, and didn't know where to turn. He showed up at OUR church. Now, how cool is that... that God would align this opportunity to deeply care for a man that shows up at the exact moment I challenged folks to care deeply for others?
He's safe for the next few days until I can connect him with some friends that can help him better than we can.
Today - Abby's birthday. She totally devours attention. She had a herd of girls for her party. I was the runner. Get this, get that... you know the drill.
Caught up on a few minor projects I've been working on. Pretty good day. Later...
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Last Day
I wish I had started writing about this before the last day in our old building...
Today, I got to witness a truly amazing thing. People came out of the woodwork to lend a helping hand to BE the church. It kinda felt like I imaging a good old-fashioned barn raising would feel. People worked their tails off to mobilize our church into a temporary location. We ate. We worked some more. And people were ABSOLUTLY loving it!
I get this feeling that the people of the Mason Vineyard are walking around with this sense of destiny in their back pocket. It changes everything. It affects the filters in which we see our reality. It creates the posibility of new and great adventures that our God has in store.
Today is a new day.
I am honored to be part of the team that God is using to construct the "launching pad".
Today, I got to witness a truly amazing thing. People came out of the woodwork to lend a helping hand to BE the church. It kinda felt like I imaging a good old-fashioned barn raising would feel. People worked their tails off to mobilize our church into a temporary location. We ate. We worked some more. And people were ABSOLUTLY loving it!
I get this feeling that the people of the Mason Vineyard are walking around with this sense of destiny in their back pocket. It changes everything. It affects the filters in which we see our reality. It creates the posibility of new and great adventures that our God has in store.
Today is a new day.
I am honored to be part of the team that God is using to construct the "launching pad".
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