Imagination and God

This past week we had a few new people come to visit. It was great having all who came, always down to meet and share the love with new people. After a delicious meal cooked by Josh we took to the Living room with cups of coffee in hand. We spent time worshiping together. We wanted to spend time as a group praying and being with God, and seeing what He would have us do in this city. Josh spoke some on the idea that the kingdom is not some far of place over there, but it is here and now. And as long as we are looking to the horizon we could possibly be missing the beautiful things of the Kingdom of God that are taking place among us. How we can BE the Church and not do church, how we can live the Kingdom now instead of waiting till we kick the bucket.

During the time of worship we had a big sheet of paper on the wall that people could right down any visions, thoughts, or really just anything that God was putting on their hearts. Some Shared ideas about engaging in a particular group, whether that be children, poor, old, troubled people, so on. It was exciting to hear people share things that were on their hearts. I shared my idea of getting churches together in Philly (or the whole of the country) to spend a week in prayer and fasting to raise money, brainstorm and pray for the global famine issues. Spending a week to do our best to share in the sufferings of our brothers and sisters around the globe. I don't know your thoughts on that, feel free to share and post ideas in the comments. If any one also has an idea of ways to engage run with it, and let us know how we can help in any way.

...

Could you imagine if crime in this city dropped considerably? If the unemployment rate dropped, if Kids could go to the park and play and didn't have to worry about drugs or fights? What If Philly didn't make national headlines for violence and cop killings, but got national attention because they had the best education system and the least amount of domestic violence incidences? What if the church acted as one body, the Body of Christ united in love? What if, could you imagine? (this isn't an infomercial pitch don't worry) Lets be a people that imagine how it could be. Lets be a people that dream. But lets not stop at dreaming, but lets be the Body of Christ.

The bible is full of people who believed that things could be different by the power of God moving through His people. Abram believed that he could be a great nation even though his wife was barren, Issac and Jacob trusted in the promises God had told their father Abraham. David was obedient to God believing that God would continue his linage to bless the world. All the Judges in the book of Judges believe that their God would set them free from bondage and set things right, if they acted with a little bit of imagination, and trusted the things God said. The profits trusted in the LORD to redeem His people, so they could be a blessing to the nations. Jesus came proclaiming Jubilee and freedom to the poor, sick, alien, and oppressed. Jesus' followers the disciples believed in the message of grace, freedom, and peace so much that they did ridiculous things, even died for this belief. I'm sure that the lives of the apostles where even crazier then there imaginations told them it would be. And now here we are today, continuing in the vein of Abraham and the apostles. Christ ransomed us and adopted us to be in His family. What does this story and lineage we are adopted into mean for us in this City? What does it look like to imagine, get excited about, and move in the ways of God. What would this city look like? How amazing it could be if people were released and freed from their poverty, addictions, pains, and brokenness in this city.

I know I went off on a tangent, but these are the things that stir my Soul and get me Excited about God.

In the weeks too come we really hope to talk about Jubilee (please listen to it, its amazing I swear). We hope to as a tribe and family dream big and see what God really wants to happen in this city, both large and small. In the days to come lets be asking God to stir up our imaginations, and to be giving us His heart for this city. As I say all the time I'm really excited for the way God is moving in our little group and through our little group.

I will end this post with a quote by the great scholar, old in years, who baths in wisdom daily, Joshua Cardinale,
" We need to do the practical and trust God to do the miraculous."

Grace and peace
Chris

The podcast is below, If anyone wants to listen to it with people before Thursday leave a comment or shoot out an email.
Also a truely amazing podcast (maybe easier to listen to the Dr. Kim) is In the Patrick Dodson link to the right.
It is called: Public Faith.

If that doesn't work go Itunes store>Partick Dodson> Public Faith