the encounter

I saw this on a random church website describing their community groups…

Hopefully over the course of the year, our neighborhoods will be blessed by our coming together.

Could we say this about our own individual groups?

Could we make that our goal this year?

Daniel’s Den, Waxahachie Cares, Austin Street, Goodwill etc. etc. etc. are ALL great causes. And I love the stories I hear about folks getting involved and wanting to get involved with each of them.

But what about YOUR neighborhood? Will it be blessed by your family and your group coming together this year? How will your group – no matter what size it may be – how will it bless your neighborhood?

Some ideas ::

• Host a BBQ for your neighbors
• Host a party for the big game and invite your neighbors
• Deliver cookies or small bags of candies to your neighbors
• Plant a community garden
• Work to keep your house and landscaping in top notch condition and help encourage others to do the same — offer to help when they may not be able
• Organize a neighborhood watch
• Stock your freezer with heat and serve lasagnas or soups for when a neighbor gets sick or out of work
• Invite neighbors over for coffee or tea or whatever

I think the key to remember, no matter what it is – don’t do it because you have an agenda. If they ask why you’re doing it, just say “I want to be a better neighbor.”

What other ideas do you have?

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Last week, I heard this amazing story of Heather. She grew up in a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses and found real grace after years of abuse and even rejection from her own family. The audio is 40-45 minutes in length and WELL worth the listen.

Pastor Ryan shares ::

Our God is a God of Justice and I believe once we understand that, we will no longer be okay with the things that aren’t okay…

…Another thing that’s been pressing on me lately is just how relentless God is. He wants us and He will stop at nothing to reach us. So often our arms are jammed so tightly into our sides that we won’t let Him embrace us, but He doesn’t quit. He doesn’t give up on us. Ever.

That was evident with Heather’s story as she shared it with our body last weekend.

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What does a story like this do to you? Does it shake you? Does it make you want to jump into action?

Share your thoughts…

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Last week Peter Rollins wrote (in the spirit of the Apostle Paul)::

You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither high church nor low church, Fox nor CNN, citizen not alien, capitalist nor communist, gay nor straight, beautiful nor ugly, East nor West, theist nor atheist, Israel nor Palestine, hawk nor dove, American nor Iraqi, married nor divorced, uptown nor downtown, terrorist nor freedom fighter, paedophile nor loving parent, priest nor prophet, fame nor obscurity, Christian nor non-Christian, for all are made one in Christ Jesus. (ht: Existentialpunk)

Today, Thomas shared thoughts on Unity vs Uniformity in our tribes and communities of faith.

I believe wholeheartedly in the “ones” in this passage (Eph 4:1-16):

• one body
• one Spirit
• one hope
• one Lord
• one faith
• one baptism
• one God and Father of all… who is over all and through all and in all.

This is unity… but this doesn’t demand uniformity. The very passage speaks of having different giftings… we are gifted with different things so that we can make a stronger WHOLE than the SUM OF OUR PARTS.

We are all different. We all have different experiences… different baggage… different tastes and preferences and worldviews. This diversity makes the collective whole stronger.

He continued, saying that our communities of faith should not be melting pots where everything is thrown out and the end result is goop, but instead we should be salads — where everything is put together to add value and unique flavor and nutrition.

A carrot by itself is OK but add it with spinach or lettuce and tomatoes and you get a tasty salad. Throw in a few nuts (like most of our communities of faith have ) and you have WOW! All the flavors blend together as one.

Perhaps this is why Jesus prayed for the generations of Christ followers that would come after him ::

I’m praying not only for them
But also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
The same glory you gave me, I gave them,
So they’ll be as unified and together as we are—
I in them and you in me.
Then they’ll be mature in this oneness,
And give the godless world evidence
That you’ve sent me and loved them
In the same way you’ve loved me. – John 17:20-23

I hope that in all my communities of faith I offer spaces of grace. Where the labels are shed at the door and a space is created where everyone is equal, regardless of where they are in their walk, regardless of what bounded set they find themselves in, regardless how far they are from the center point as long as we’re all helping draw one another to the True Center Point.

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This Sunday we’ll take a look at 5 specific steps that the people of encounter must take in 2009. 

• 5 steps that will propel encounter to a new level. 
• 5 steps that will introduce a greater level of challenge and commitment. 
• 5 steps that will change encounter as a whole.
• 5 steps that will bring greater glory to God.
• 5 steps that will unite encounter with vision

God is a God of process.  He begins, He works, and He completes what He begins.  With every life He introduces new levels of hope, challenge, and promise.  He does the same with families and communities of faith.  He gives direction and vision.  He gives encouragement and grace.  He gives insight and calling.

This is our moment.

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One of my goals this year is to read through the Bible.

I was challenged to do this once when I was in high school by a former youth pastor who asked us the question, “Do you believe everything in the Bible is true?”

Of course the church youth group answer was always, “Yes.”

“Have you read all of it?”

“Uh, no.”

“Well then how do you know it’s true?”

I got his point. I set out and read the entire book of Scripture over the next couple years. And yet it still amazes me how reading it in a new version or just simply reading the same passage again brings passages alive again and again.

I’m using the plan offered by YouVersion.com and with their handy website, RSS feeds, Blackberry and iPhone apps – FOR FREE – you can follow along wherever you are.

Who’s with me?

“Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.” Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”

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