Rebirth, Renew

Friends, Spring is upon us, that’s for sure. Although we didn’t eat outside last night, we did have the windows open which is a first for the season. Josh made his signature spaghetti which, as per usual, was awesome.

Earlier in the week Josh sent an email around suggesting that we use the next couple of weeks to discuss and commit to prayer where we want to go as a group. So we did just that and it was a pretty cool and encouraging conversation. I took the opportunity to look back in the blog where we first posted our vision/mission statement for the group (all the way back in January 2008!):

“In this group we hope to seek to know the Character of God, and know His many attributes. Often times we know what God has told us to do but we don't know the Author of life Himself. Our hope is the more we discover who God is, the more our hearts will be moved by the things that move God's heart. The more our hearts are transformed we will discover the way of life Jesus taught us, and strive to engage and be active in this city, bringing beauty and hope. We are leaning on God and asking Him for an extra dose of creativity, so we can love our neighbors.

“As we go on this journey together, "I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever!" (Eph 3:18)”

I felt encouraged reading back over the blog and being reminded of how far God has brought us, all the people that blessed and were blessed by the group over the years, friends that we’ve seen come and go, the things that we’ve accomplished together. And then I thought about how each and every person has changed so much in the last two years. It is through the power of Christ that we have learned more about the character of God and through that, more about each other. We have been transformed. And I think that God has so much more he wants to do in our lives.

We did discuss some logistical issues, like making sure that we all pitch in some money for dinners, letting Josh know ahead of time whether or not we’re coming (by texting or phone call or email) so that he knows how much food to make. We also talked about continuing to schedule what we will do each week (i.e. bible study, worship, prayer) and generally thought it would good to alternate between a bible study one week and worship and prayer the next. And we want to continue our exploration of Luke and the New Testament.

Then we started thinking “outside the box” about the structure of the group and what we really wanted to DO as a group. Jess made a good point that the group doesn’t necessarily need to look like it does now, meeting every week at the same place, dinner and discussion. We talked about how we could meet different places and on different days. Janelle also made a good point that in certain ways, we have formed into an old school (like New Testament) style home church, which are pretty common all over the world. These are small groups of believers who meet together with a shared love of Christ, to eat together, to worship together, and to immerse themselves in prayer together.

While we agreed that we were not interested in creating a formal “church”, we did discuss ways to make the group more open to new people again. Now that we are not associated with Vineyard, it’s a lot less likely that someone we don’t know will just show up on a given Thursday night. Josh and Vernon both thought that being more open would be good to keep the group fresh and compel us to radiate our love of Christ outside of 1232 Melville. So we talked about ways to make that happen, while debating whether we should or could “open our doors”.

At the end of the night, we agreed to continue praying and talk again next week about our vision and plans for Thursday nights. I believe that all of us were encouraged excited about the future and eager to learn more about what God has in store for us as a group. I certainly think that God wants to continue the work He has begun.

So for those of you who weren’t there, what do you think?

Art.Culture.God@gmail.com

It's been a while

This past Thursday we had a pretty cool conversation. We discussed the idea of being sent, and what that looks like for us. We compared more traditional views of "being sent", such as overseas missions, too where we are today in Philadelphia and what it means for us to be sent daily. We had quite a large pool of views to pull from, and to help balance each other out. Views ranging from living overseas and having missionaries come to your people, to being the missionary who was sent over seas and living among other people. We have people in our crew who wrestle with the idea of short term missions, and people who have worked for years with organizations that send you short term all over the world.

As the conversations continued, we decided that we need to ask ourselves, what is our purpose.

Why are we at our jobs? Is it just to pay the bills and to give money to christian organizations and churches, or is there more?

Why do we live in the communities that we do? Is it because it's comfortable, close, and cheap, or is it because we have an amazing opportunity to discover Christ in our neighbor by loving them.

I am really excited with the direction that God is leading us. How he is growing us, and what he is calling us into. I am stoked that the creator of the universe has invited us, as a small community, each being apart of other communities, to take part in his world redemption plan.

I listened to a teaching a while back, and thought I would share it with everyone. It is a bit long, I know, I have a habit of doing that, posting really long teachings, but it is well worth listening too.

I would love to hear your thoughts on it once you give it a listening too.

Joe Ferrante's Teaching


Let's as a community and as individuals wrestle out what our purpose is every day of every week. Let's encourage each others to live the life we are called to live, and holding each other accountable to that. Let's continue to invite Christ and others to share in our lives as we pursue the Grace and Christ Jesus that brings us closer to His holiness daily!

Grace and peace every,

Thanks again for sharing life with me and let me share in yours with you.

Chris

Pentecost and Beyond

Hello family!

It has been awhile since I have written on this blog and a while since I have seen or spoken with you guys.

I had a few thoughts that I wanted to share. With 48 hours of non-stop travel and days without electricity it gives one time to reflect and think. I have been thinking about Thursday nights and everything that God has been doing. I have been thinking about how I have learned so much of who God is through everyone, and how much I appreciate everyone. When I reflect on the past year or two, that we have been gathering, eating together, and sharing life together, it gets me stoked with what God wants to do. I am excited about whatand how God wants to build upon the foundation that we are building on, the foundation of Christ. That for some reason God has been moving, speaking, and encouraging us, drawing us closer to Him and closer to each other. To say that I am excited about the direction the Lord is taking us is an understatement.

A few Sundays ago was Pentecost. For those of you who don’t really know much about Pentecost, it is really quite a beautiful day to remember, celebrate and reflect upon. It means 50,but is full of meaning besides the number. Pentecost is the day that Jews celebrate the giving of the law on Mount Sinai and the day Christians remember the gift of the Holy Spirit. You can read about it in the beginning of Acts, or Deuteronomy and Exodus.

On Pentecost I had the privilege of speaking topart of the church here in Africa, and had the amazing privilege to worship with people of all ages, from many different nations, and many different languages. I thought it fitting for that to take place on Pentecost.

As the story of Pentecost goes, the followers of Jesus were together worshiping, praying, and eating together, when all of asudden something like tongues of fire came down and rested upon them. They all started to speak it their own native tongue, from the surrounding nations. The crowds that were around them were amazed and quite frankly confused. They accused them of being drunk, but Peter was quick to correct them, and tell them that it was too early morning to be drunk. Peter then goes into a speech saying that this is what the prophets had for told, and this is what Jesus had promised. We also read in the book of John that Jesus speaks about sending his Counselor after him, and because of this Counselor we will do greater things then even Christ did.

After the gift of the Holy Spirit these people go out and start doing miraculous things. They share what they have, there is no poor among them, they cared for widows and orphans, and they start to pick up the slack where the government is missing the mark. Their movement grows even though they are for the most part an underground movement. They call them selves the Way, because it is about the way to life, they way of living here today into eternity. The bible says there were thousands who were joining them daily, but at the same time many were staying away from them, because they were afraid of this new crew of people, but they had great respect for them.

What where these people afraid of?

Were they afraid that if they joined them they would have to share what they owned, what was “theirs”?

Were they afraid they would be judged or told they are going to hell?

Were they afraid of building intimate relationships with others, being exposed to the healing power of Christ?

Were they afraid because these people were living upside down to the way that the world lives?

Were they scared because the way these people connected to God and each other was even different from the way that their religions operated?

We could ask ourselves the same question, what are we afraid of?

Or maybe we could ask how did this underground, non-official movement, gain such good standing with the public, and grow so rapidly?

Are we living like they were, or what would that look like in this day in age?

Would it look any different or is that an excuse to not live at all?

Despite the confusion many had, and the fear that many people had, this movement grew because the Holy Spiritwas with them, showing them how to live the Kingdom of God out, here and now. They were able to do the impossible, give freely to those in need; they travel to other parts of the globe to live out this gospel, to work normal jobs, like making tents, but to love extravagantly, or to wait on tables, but to do it in the strength, love and knowledge of the Holy Spirit. They did this not because it was a rule, or law that Jesus left them, or because of an institution that had been set up but because that’s what Christ did, and still does today.(maybe not the tents, but the love). They continued to go to their regular churches, places of worship, or Synagogues, but they also gathered together on the side to pursue this Jesus deeper and to wrestle out what it looks like to live this way. There were many disagreements, but there was also a lot of rejoicing and cities began to get turn upside down.

Some people think that the amazing things were the healings, or the gifts of the spirit that was poured out, but if you ask me the miraculous thing was the sharing of possessions. The dying to ones self out of the desire, and shear joy of helping others.

These people began to full fill what God had promised after He rescued them from Egypt. There was no poor among them, God had told them that if you obey my teachings there will be no poor among you. How exciting is that, but the difference now was that it was for the whole world, for all of creation.

For Jews, Greeks, Samaritans, Sinners, Saints, Tax collectors, Priests, Prostitutes, the WHOLE WORLD!

In a way, Pentecost is a celebration of a new beginning, of a fresh start, a new partnership with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Three in One, the fulfillment of the law through Christ Jesus.
So now we live Post-Pentecost, what does all this mean for us today, in Philadelphia. What is the relevance of these old stories, and how do we apply this to who we are in the Body of Christ. How do we wed this teaching to our little crew that gathers not because it is a new program started up, but because we are people wanting to go deeper with God and to go deeper with those around us. We attend different churches, but have one faith. So what does all of this mean for us?

What does it look like for us as a community, a tribe, a little family adopted into the kingdom to partner with the Holy Spirit. To invite Him to come and teach us who he is and what it looks like for us to live out this Gospel. Do we have the same Holy Spirit that is talked about here in the beginning of Acts, if we do how do we work with him?

Does it mean that we keep doing what we’ve been doing or do we do more, again not do more because is a rule or a law, but because we desire to Love and see God more, and to love others more.

Does it mean we go as extravagant as the early church we read about in acts and share everything in common, holding nothing back for anyone else? We did that a little bit to help Josh our, does it mean we do it to an even greater level?

Or is it as simple as reading the scriptures more, really studying them, and spending time in prayer like the earlier church did? Then share what we are learning with each other as often as the time permits.

Maybe it means we try to take every opportunity we get to eat together, to break bread and drink wine, so to speak, and invite others to join us for these meals?

Does it mean we start more worship services, or maybe our worship serviceslook like us getting to know our neighbors and starting new relationships?

Maybe it means moving into a house together and working out the gospel in the tough nitty gritty of living with others and trying to figure out how to love them despite theirs and ours weaknesses. Looking to break our selves open and pour ourselves out like Christ did, and being open to receive when other are pouring into us.

It may look different for each of us, or the same, I don’t know, but where we can start is by truly inviting the Holy Spirit to lead our crew. That we would be open to His leading, His movement, His Challenging, and that when we are asked to respond that we respond and answers Gods call.

Let’s truly go deeper, despite the discomfort and fear of it. Let’s wrestle with the gospel in ways that may even be new to our way of think. Let’s read the Living Word with a renewed sense of passion and desire to see God’s Kingdom come, God’s will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Let’s not just talk about what it looks like, but let’s take risks knowing that we will fail at times and get hurt other times. Let’s continue to break bread, and do it even more often then we do now.

This is where this life gets exciting, when we walk and talk with the triune God, in an exciting, passionate and living relationship that involves those around us.

I am looking forward to when I will be with you guys again, sharing meals, laughing, praying and discussing. I am excited to hear all that God has been doing and speaking to you guys. And once again thank you so much for all that you have taught me, and all the love, grace, and support that you have given to me.

Until then, Grace and Peace!

If anyone doesn’t read this pass on the word that I say “Hi”, and send my Love.
Chris

Who is this Jesus?

This Thursday instead of "studying" the bible, we took time to listen to the story of Luke 8, and to ask the question, "Who is Jesus?" We took time to imagine what it would have been like to be one of the 12.

I had a friend that once said to a small group of people, " We need to not read the bible as a self-help book, or as a book for sin management. But we need to read the bible to Know who God is."

That was one of the most profound things said to me. It was a radicle concept to me.

We need to read the bible to discover the person of Jesus, because Jesus, IS the Gospel.

As we listened to the story of Luke 8, there were a few themes that grabbed my attention, and echoed inside of me.

The first was, "Who is this Jesus."

The second was, The Revolution will not be Televised!

Throughout this story people are asking, "Who is this person". Jesus is bringing peace, wholeness wellness to people, and people are filled with Terror. Why is that? Jesus did things so upside down compared to the way that we do things these days. He wasn't trying to get big numbers to join his crew, he wasn't looking for people who would have the best stories to convince people to follow him, he wasn't even trying have people know what he did. But, what he was trying to do was love people in such a way that their dignity would be restored to them. Love them to introduce them to the Resurrection of all things. Love them in such a way that they would not become a spectacle, or used for his purposed.

But Jesus wanted to be used for their good, not them for his good.

While Jesus was bringing the kingdom to those around him, he was throwing off and breaking down people's social class structures. In one story, he even caused a ripple of fear in a people groups economic situation.

But through all that Jesus did, he kept it quite. He didn't have a bull horn, or large speakers. He didn't write any books, or building a building. He didn't start a club, and have sign up lists. He didn't have numbers in mind that he was trying to attain. He didn't make banners, bumper stickers, or even billboard adds. He didn't put his name in the paper telling people to follow him. He didn't have clever designed adds on the side of busses, taxis, or rickshaws(or what ever they used back then).

The Revolution will not be televised!

What he did do was live life and invite a few people to live with him. What he did was have people in mind that he was trying to love and serve. He knew that His way, although backwards to even the way we often times do church these days, was the best way to do things. He knew that in the quietness and stillness of loving people, that his name would be spread far and wide, even to the ends of the earth. He knew that the best way to enact change was to love so radically people wouldn't be able to keep quiet, despite him saying, "Tell no one".

The Revolution will not be televised!

He knew that living counter cultural, not subcultural, would turn cities upside down. He knew that loving people who you weren't supposed to love, would bring the kingdom of God. He knew that living drastically different from those around him would begin to crumple the holds that the enemy has on lives. Living this way would break addictions, personal insecurities, greed, lust, hatred, and bring about a new way of doing life, a new way of living.

The Revolution will not be Televised!

Jesus knows that that kingdom does not come about by crafty slogans, or slick design, nor does it come by eloquent words or miraculous signs, nor does it come with knowledge that can fathom all the mysterious of life or prophetic giftings that can end all strife, nor does it come with a hip band and music that is above the rest. But this Kingdom, The kingdom of the Most High God, comes by feeding the poor, clothing the naked, freeing the captive, and loving our enemy.

The Revolution will not be Televised!

What Jesus did leave behind was people, and relationships. People he believed in despite their not so fantastic stories and backgrounds. People he believed in, even though they were still broken and working out their salvation, even unto death.

Jesus knows the kingdom does not come by force, but by submission to our God, and by breaking ourselves open and pouring ourselves out for those around us, like Jesus did for us.

Jesus knows, taking the models of the world around us and putting "christian" labels on them does not make them Kingdom. But, taking the models of the world upside down and shaking them out brings the kingdom.

Jesus is inviting us to live life with him and teaching us to invite others to live life with us.

Who is this Jesus?

...

I believe we need to ask this question, and be Ok with not answering it right away, but sitting in the stillness.

There were some great things said on Thursday night, I would encourage us to not let the conversation drop just because the night ended. Let's continue to ponder, and wrestle with this. Let's start this conversation with people who don't come on Thursday nights. If you need to, reread Luke 8, and feel free to voice your thoughts on this blog as well.

Let's wrestle with the idea of, "where are we looking for this revolution"? Are we looking to wisdom, media, the cool kids, church, people, school, pastors, the government, ourselves, or Jesus Christ?

as I can't say it enough, I love you guys/gals tons, and am glad to be on this journey with everyone. I am excited for where God is taking us as individuals as well as a group. I am excited for ways that we are starting to discover more of this Jesus, and his message. I am stoke for ways that we are starting to enter into his revolution, and His way of life. I am glad we are going at it together.

Grace and peace,
Chris

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Here is the poem/song I was talking about. I know it applies
to something different then the Jesus movement, but I think
there are aspects that relate.

Feel free to comment

...

You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be brought to you by the
Schaefer Award Theatre and will not star Natalie
Woods and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia.
The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal.
The revolution will not get rid of the nubs.
The revolution will not make you look five pounds
thinner, because the revolution will not be televised, Brother.

There will be no pictures of you and Willie May
pushing that shopping cart down the block on the dead run,
or trying to slide that color television into a stolen ambulance.
NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32
or report from 29 districts.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of Whitney Young being
run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process.
There will be no slow motion or still life of Roy
Wilkens strolling through Watts in a Red, Black and
Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving
For just the proper occasion.

Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville
Junction will no longer be so damned relevant, and
women will not care if Dick finally gets down with
Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people
will be in the street looking for a brighter day.
The revolution will not be televised.

There will be no highlights on the eleven o'clock
news and no pictures of hairy armed women
liberationists and Jackie Onassis blowing her nose.
The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb,
Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom
Jones, Johnny Cash, Englebert Humperdink, or the Rare Earth.
The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be right back after a message
bbout a white tornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a dove in your
bedroom, a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that may cause bad breath.
The revolution will put you in the driver's seat.

The revolution will not be televised, will not be televised,
will not be televised, will not be televised.
The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.

By
Gil Scott-Heron

THE LORD HAS RISEN!

It seems as though I gave up blogging for lent...

I hope that everyone had an amazing Easter and was able to encounter our Resurrected Lord.

I know I say this all the time, but I truly appreciate all you who come and are apart of the Thursday night crew. Through out this year I encountered Jesus in deeper ways because of you guys and gals. In the time I have spent with you, I have been stirred to pursue Jesus in deeper ways and strive to figure out what an even deeper connection to Him looks like in my life. You have challenged me to count the cost that we must make in following Jesus.

Though our relationships I have parts of me that I didn't even know needing it, being resurrected with Christ.

In this post Resurrection season, let's continue to press into the person of Jesus, not forgetting who He is. Let's continue to invite him into the parts of our lives that need resurrecting. Let's invite Him into the communities we are in, to bring a fresh renewal. Let's support, challenge, and encourage one another in the love of our Lord, as we move forward

Thanks for journeying with me and letting me journey with you.

Grace and Peace,
Chris

Why do we seek God? What is the purpose of this personal relationship with God?

I have been thinking about these questions recently. I know many times people have said to me, and I say myself, "I need to seek God more because it's good and my life tends to be even more blessed when I do." Or I hear "It just helps my life be better."

But I ask myself,

What about those who are pressing into God daily, yet are having to flee for their lives. Does their pursuit of God make their life better? Are they pursing God for the sake of self-improvement?

What does "to be blessed" mean?

What about those who live in our own neighborhoods who seek God hourly, yet everything around them is crumbling, their families, their money, and their world. Is their personal relationship with God improving their life? Do they think if they pray a little harder everything will come together?

What does it really mean to have our life improved? How do we measure this improvement or can we measure it at all?

Often times in this subculture that many of us have grown up in or end up in, the subculture of christianity, there is a ton of emphasis put on you and your personal relationship. There is this idea, whether or not we are taught it directly, that tends to sink into our way of thinking. We begin to press into God because it is good for us, God is our home boy, God helps us take tests so pray hard before. God helps us find lost keys, so be in a good relationship so that you can find what is lost. I know, if I am going to be honest, all of what I have just written applies to me at some point in my life, if not now.

The other day I was thinking about this. We act as though Jesus is here for me, and we are the end. Of course Jesus came and died on the cross for my sins so I can be in communication with the Author of life, but it doesn't stop there. To often we get hung up on the "us", and loose site that we aren't the end, but we are a means and an end...

we are "the end of the beginning is the end".(thank you Billy Corgan)

What if we pursed God not to improve our own lives, but for the sake of those around us. The truth of the matter is when we are connected to the divine, the Holy One, YHWY, we are able to poor into others in a deep and meaningful way. What if our hunger for God was a hunger for those around us. What if we wanted so badly for those around us to experience relief, joy, hope, and true life, here and now, not just in the to come, that we pressed even deeper into God. What if we want so badly to have something worthy of giving our neighbor that we forget about our own needs as we press into God. But something really strange happens when we press into God for that reason, we get everything we need and more, but everything we receive pours out into those around us. Then they start to experience the Living God in a real and tangible way, and we experience God in a real and tangible way as well.

It's a shame that often times the real reason for our pursuit of God is a selfish reason. It's for us, and we can't get beyond that. We are pros at making excuses for why that is.

I need to have my stuff together first.

I am not in the right place to serve.

I don't know the Bible well enough.

Well I am empty so I need to fill me first.

Those might be true, but I think an even greater reality is that when we pour into those in need, all of our excuses diminish because we get filled.

It can be scary. Thats cool, let's admit that, and call it what it is, fear, then step forward together in faith.

I am not saying that we pursue God to get the right answers so that we can fix people, because that is also selfish. If we press into God for that reason, we put ourselves on a pedestal, when in reality we are extremely broken and need fixing also.

When we explore the ancient texts of the bible we see that God shows up to people not for them, but for those that come after them. But at the same time shows up fully for them as well. its a little bit paradoxical.

God showed up to...

Abram so that all the nations could be bless.

Abraham, Issac and Jacob not for them and their ministry but for the twelve tribes that came out of them.

Moses, not for just to help him with his identity crisis, but to lead a whole people into freedom.

The slaves in Egypt, not just for their own freedom but for the whole world and the blessing of the nations.

King David, not just for his current kingdom, but for his family line to which a savior would come out of. This savior would fulfill the promises God had made with Abraham. Which was to be a blessing the nations.

The profits, not just for the current generation of Israelites but for the future generations and the whole world.

Jesus showed up to...

The disciples, not just so the secrets of the Kingdom of God would be given to them, but so that they could take the kingdom tangibly to the ends of the earth.

The lepers, not just so that they could experience healing and wholeness, but so they could go to the temple, praise God, and tell everyone else the great works of God.

Legion, the man full of demons. Not just for him to experience wholeness and dignity, but so that he could go tell his home town all that God had done for him.

The woman at the well, not just so she could have a relationship with the God man, but so that her whole village could have an experience with God.

The Holy Spirit showed up to...

The crew of disciples, not just for them, but so that they had the power to go out of Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. The Holy spirit fell on them not so that they could speak in crazy languages, but so that there would be no poor among them. So that the widows would be fed and cared for. For the orphans to have homes. For the sick to be cared for.

I'm sure you get the point. We see a theme arise from the biblical texts, we are to receive so we can give it away. We are to be blessed so we can be a blessing to the nations. We are to be an open channel, a steady flow, a river of life. We could keep going but I am trying to write shorter blog posts.

If that theme is true, why did God show up to us?

Why did God choose us and say "Follow me"?

Who are we called to pour our lives into?

Who are we supposed to break ourselves open for, as Jesus broke himself open for us?

Maybe some of us are having a hard time connecting with God, because we aren't connecting with the poor. I heard it said, when you forget the poor and the oppressed you forget God. I think that is a scary but true statement. I think often times we say, "I haven't forgotten the poor and oppressed" because we will talk about them and discuss how to help them. But just because we are talking about them doesn't mean we remember them. Just because we speak about God doesn't mean we remember him or know him.

Lets be sheep not goats.

Maybe if we are to be honest, our pursuit of God has been a selfish one. We were meant to be like a hose, with crisp, refreshing water flowing out of us for those who are thirsty. But instead we are a hose that is tied in knots and full of crud so water can't flow out of us. What water is in us has become stagnate and unappealing even to us. Maybe we even forget what the fresh water tastes like, so we have no idea how to give it to others.

God's grace is amazing. Far larger then I can fathom and greater then I could ever hope to understand. And I thank God that it is that big.

Let's stop making excuses like, I don't have time, I am too busy, I am not called to do ..., I am waiting for God to tell me what to do, and so on.

We know what God has called us to do. Let's seek out the poor and the oppressed, not so we can fix them, but so we can love them. And when we start loving them, we will once again start loving God. When we remember them again, we will once again be filled with the awe and wonder of the Creator of the universe.

We have been forgiven of much, no longer under condemnation but freedom, so let's go out and love much.

Let's remember how God has loved us, and go love others likewise.

Let's hold each other accountable to be the people we are called to be. People who are made in the image of the loving, full of grace, savior Jesus Christ.

As usual I am glad all you guys are in my life. You are a huge encouragement to me, and are continually teaching me who the person of Jesus is!

Grace and peace,
Chris

I'd love to hear if you agree or disagree.

The light of Jesus

There is a story that Jesus said would be told where ever the gospel is told. It is the story we discussed on Thursday night two weeks back. The story of the sinful women who came into the pharisees house where Jesus was dining.

As the story goes, this sinful women welcomed herself into the home of the pharisee who was hosting the meal and proceeded to cry uncontrollably, pouring her tears over Jesus' feet, as though she was pouring out a basin of water to cleanse him. She then used her hair like a freshly cleaned towel to dry his feet. Even still, she anointed him with an expensive jar of oil, releasing a beautiful fragrance into the air that, I'm sure, even covered the cent of the meal. She out did the owner of the house, the host of the meal, and she wasn't even invited.

As this woman performed this act, the other pharisees and guests started to murmur in shock that Jesus was letting this sinner touch him in this way.

Jesus responded to their murmuring by telling a story to the host. In this story there were two people who owed the same man money. One of the people owed a lot of money, and the other one owed not so much money. Both where forgiven of their debts, but one went away rejoicing even more.

Jesus asked the host which person he thought went away happier, to which the host replied, "the one who was forgiven of the larger dept."

Jesus then turns, looks at the women, and says to her, "Your sins are forgiven"

I'm sure Jesus' eyes where full of compassion and the deepest love one can display, and he continues and says,"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Since the night that we talked about this verse, I have been thinking quite a lot about this story. I have been thinking about the pharisees and how they judge this women right away, basically casting her to be less then human.

I have been asking myself, how do I judge people?

Why do I judge people?

Who would I be disgusted to sit at a table with?

Why does one Judge?

Where the pharisees hiding any thing, and am I?

Do I love little, or a lot?

Not only have I been thinking about the pharisee, but I have also been wondering about this women. This women recklessly exposes herself. Steps fully into the light, the light of Christ non the less. Then throws the mess of who she is at God in the flesh, with every chance of being thrown out and laughed at, but instead she is received even more then the one who was feeding God. When thinking about her side of the story it makes me ask myself,

Am I truly walking in the light?

Am I hiding anything?

Am I afraid God would throw me out if I did an act like this?

What am I afraid to lose?

Am I actually afraid to gain?

Do I love a lot, or a little?

The the last person in the story to examine is Jesus. I continue to be amazed more and more by this person, the person of Jesus, the more I read the scriptures and share in life with others. In this story, Christ extends love to this women. Not just any love, but the purest love possible. A love that is asking nothing in return, but instead wants to give this women everything she needs, and what she needs is to be treated as a human. She needs to have someone look her in the eyes with love and acknowledge that she is valuable, more valuable then the jar of oil she just anointed Jesus with. Jesus' side of the story bring me to ask the questions,

Do I look people in the eyes with love?

Do I encourage people to walk out in who they are and seek to give them what they need without wanting anything in return?

Am I extending much love, or a little?

This story is a very challenging one, but an extremely beautiful one. Out of all of those question I found that I focused the most on the one about judging others.

If the pharisee thought he was capable of being as sinful as the woman would he had judged her, or would he have accepted her?

Or did he know he was as sinful as the women and was wanting to hide and cover his tracks, so he points the finger at her instead of dealing with what's inside him?

There is another a time when Jesus is teaching, and in his teaching he retells the commandments of Moses. When restating these commands, he steps up the difficulty level. He says things like, if you are angry then you have already murdered, if you lust you have already committed adultery, and if you have coveted something thats not yours then you have stolen.

I started thinking about this teaching. Often times I hear this taught as, be good and try to control your mind, stay away from being mad because that leads to DEATH, stay away from coveting because that leads to DEATH, and stay away from lust because that as well leads to... DEATH.

I was thinking, maybe Jesus was trying to get us to realize a deeper truth. Maybe he was eluding to the fact that we have already committed the worst of the worst sins. We have already killed, we have already had affairs, we have already stolen, we are already racist, we have already been full of hatred, unforgiveness, and every other kind of wickedness. We are already well wicked people.

Paul says in one of his letters," I am the chief of all sinners." In another one of his writings he says, " I do the very thing I hate."

Maybe paul grasped this truth. Maybe thats why Paul's ministry was so powerful. He saw no distinction between himself and everyone else around him. Instead he saw everyone around him in himself.

I think that we, as followers of Jesus, need to grapple with this thought. We need to in a sense, I think, embrace the fact that we are the worst of the worst. I need to embrace the fact that no one has sinned worse then me, because I, by Jesus' retelling of the law, have already done despicable things, terrible things that shouldn't even be mentioned.

I don't say this to bring guilt and condemnation.

I say this to bring life and freedom.

How is excepting the fact that I am a terrible person bringing life and freedom?

I believe that when we start to embrace our crap and the truth about who we are, what we want to do and what we have done, it allows us to encounter hope that other wise would have eluded us our entire life. A hope in the reconciliation of all things, that all things means even me! Praise God!

A hope that is the person of Jesus.

As we embrace our wickedness, and when I say embrace I by no means am saying that we hold onto lies about ourselves, and sulk around saying I am terrible, I am unworthy, and God can't use me. We get to say those things only once, then Christ brings us into the light with him. He embraces us deep into his love. We still remember those things, and even boast in the fact that we were once such people, for the fact that Christ is strong where we are weak. For the fact that where we are weak God is strong.

Paul said, "... I was weak to those who were weak.."

He never said I was strong with the strong.

Brilliant!

Don't worry I am coming back to the idea of judging others.

As I was thinking about this idea of admitting, I am the worst of the worst, I then realized if someone was to come to grips with the fact that they are quite a sinner, then they would never judge others. Instead of judging others they would look at those around them with compassion and a heart of understanding. Because they would see others in themselves.

They would look at a prostitute and realize that they are only one small step away, or no step away at all from being in the same position. They would see the prostitute in themselves, and have a deep sense of love and compassion, realizing that there is no difference.

The person who steps into the light, and boasts in their weakness, would see a homeless person and their heart would break. The repentant person would know that there is no difference between the two of them, but truly they are both broken hurting people. Instead of this person holding his nose at the smell of the homeless individual, and not wanting to make eye contact, he or she would be able to embrace the person who is homeless, and connect eyes, connect with a deep and sincere love.

The one who has come to grips with the fact that they are already perpetrators of the worst kind of atrocity, would look at a man or women who is a cross dresser or trans-gender person and see themselves inside that person. As this repentant person gazes into the others eyes, they would be filled with love, compassion, and a deep desire to pour into this individual, because the repentant man realizes he or she has received much.

The person who has excepted there own faults will look at the person who stand them up with love. They will look at the one who talks behind their back with compassion. They will look at the person who breaks a promise with forgiveness and kindness. They will be able to view others this way because they, them-self, understand the great reality of Jesus, and how he looks upon them with compassion and love. They will be able to forgive and have compassion even through painful situations because they know that Christ has pardoned them of so much and has extended his hand of forgiveness time and time again.

Maybe the people we judge aren't that different at all. Maybe I gave to extreme of examples, maybe its the way people dress, talk, look, musical taste, dance parties they do or don't go to, or maybe occupation.

And the list goes on and on and on.

We are all from the earth. We are all made of dirt. We are all fragile. We will all return to the dust of the earth.

Have we accepted the fact that we are extremely broken people?

Do we truly believe that?

Are we still in the dark?

Maybe we prefer the dark?

I feel that often times when we are judging others, we do it to create a distance. We are afraid that the people we are coming in contact with will discover who we truly are. We are afraid these people, who are actually just like us, will blow our cover, and everyone else will see that we are just like them. We put people in boxes, so that we can stay in our dark, dimly lit, cold, isolated, and what we think to be safe box.

The problem with being in this box, and keeping others out is that we are unwittingly keeping Christ out as well. In turn, we become like the dinner guests praying to... really praying to ourselves, that the person on the other end of the table will not blow our cover. When we refuse to let our cover be blown, or blow it ourselves, we refuse to receive grace and hope; we refuse to receive God's only son, the person of Jesus' Christ, our Lord, in a deep and meaningful way.

Some day all of the deeds done in secret will be shouted out on the rooftops, the bible says.

I want to shout out the truth about me before that guy on the roof does. I find there to be a lot less negative consequences when you confess your own deeds, before someone else rats you out.

Maybe you are at a place in your walk with God where you feel quite alone, and can't sense God.

Maybe have read this and your first reaction was, "I could never murder someone, its just not in me", " I would never cheat on someone in a relationship, I am faithful", "I have stolen once in my life, but I would never do it again, and I was only 4 I didn't know any better."

Maybe you are terrified to admit to who you really are because you hate it.

Maybe your afraid of losing the people around you, so you want to do everything right, and afraid that if you do come into the light, everyone and everything will leave you.

Maybe you have never truly felt the love of God in a deep and meaningful way.

Maybe the thought of actually experiencing this love, is more terrifying then never being loved at all.

These are all fears that could be very real and painful, but the one thing I do know is that we will never discover the fullness and truth of Christ as long as we pretend we are in the light. It is as though we are holding a glow in the dark sticker, thinking that it is enough light to get us through a pitch-black forest. Maybe its a really bright sticker and truly does help, but the thing is it will run out of light without another light to recharge it.

Are we going to walk out in faith, completely terrified, maybe everything will fall apart, maybe we will be disappointed, and maybe everything you have believe will fall part.

Maybe.

but,

"I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."

and I would say has felt little love.

The amazing thing about Christ is that he lets us choose. But he extends love and continues to pursue us, despite our choices. His grace is vaster then all the ocean combined.

No one ever said this Jesus thing was easy (if they did they were lying). No where does it say that the Way to life is an easy one. The bible actually says the opposite, it says its hard and a narrow gate, but in the end it's good, its beautiful, it's full of grace, it's full of compassion, it's full of forgiveness, it's full of a true selfless love, and it's the realist thing there is.

What does it look like when we step into the light; when we break into the dinner party we weren't invited to, to fall at Jesus' feet?

It looks like us feeling very vulnerable hunched over on our knees in tears, as we realize what is truly inside of us. We don't even have the energy to sit up. But it doesnt stop there. Because that is when Jesus wraps his arms around us like a warm blanket on a cold winter night. He then learns forward and puts his mouth near our ear to whisper his secrets to us, the way he feels about us.

And we hear the soft, gentle, loving words, "I know you, and love you. I know the plans I have for you, plans for you do be free, and no longer to be bound by fear, and pain. I have called you out of darkness, and adopted you into my family. You are set apart, a royal priest, now you are apart of a holy people. You are my child with whom I am well pleased. I knew you in your mothers womb, and have been pursuing you since the day you were born. You are my child, go and be free. Your faith has healed you, go in peace, for I am always with you, and will never forsake you."

That's what I believe walking into the light looks like. Jesus begins to speak into us the reality of who we are made to be, who we are in him.

Let's be a people that stand by each other in all of our ugliness. That when the truth comes out about one another we don't judge, but we look with the love and compassion that Jesus has looked on us with. Let's live in such away that we encourage one another to come into the light because we love a lot.

Let's be a people that are willing to look ridiculous in our pursuit of God. We are willing to break into dinner parties and cry all over the guest, because we desire to experience and share with others the love of Christ.

Let's be a people who take this love with us were ever we go. That we would be open and walk in the light and admit that we are the chief of all sinners, then step forward clothed in the Hope of Christ. In a love that turns cities upside down.

I love you all very deeply, and am well stoked to be able to share life with you!

Grace and peace,

Chris


p.s. I thought this was going to be a short post, but I guess I got carried away... Oops...

The Word and Bricks

In Mesopotamia, in the ancient world, there were many accounts for the creation of everything. Some of these accounts will sound familiar to us, because the greeks and romans adopted many of them. There were stories of gods, having children and fearing that these children would conquer the older gods, so they tried to destroy them by eating them. One of these gods escaped, his name was zeus. The way the story goes is, there was an epic battle, a fight, a struggle where Zeus defeated the older gods, and set free the younger gods. This fight and struggle created chaos in the universe, and out of this chaos the world was born. (that was a brief and bad retelling of the story)

While this story was being told there was a group of people in the same part of the world with a different story. These people had a story that involved only one god. These people believed in a God that preexisted time. This God was never born, nor could he die, unlike the other gods that the surrounding areas spoke of. These people believed that this God, didn't have to struggle to put the universe into motion. This God didn't struggle, nor was he involved in an epic, cosmic battle which created the heavens and the earth, but instead he spoke. This God didn't have to raise a finger, but spoke and all of the chaos of the universe fell into complex and beautiful order. This God was so great and powerful that all he needed to do was say a word and the mysteries of the sea came into being. With a Word the depths and the wonders of the vast ocean were separated from the awe inspiring mountains and plains of the land. With these words, He spoke countless creatures of all colors and sizes. Everything from the earth worm, to the great whales, to the sparrow, and the lilies of the field came into being with just a word. With his words He spoke humanity into existence. He spoke and created a creature that was in his image. A creature able to think, create, love, do good, and able to speak words.

In the gospel of John we hear a simplified, yet even deeper, account of creation.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not over come it.

Wow, such a beautiful and rich account and picture of this all powerful God. A God that didn't need to struggle, didn't need to fight, didn't use chaos, but used a Word to bring order, beauty, mystery, and love into being.

And now that same Word that was in the beginning, is in us.

How powerful our words must be.

In gospel of Matthew Jesus is speaking and brings up this idea that what ever you bind up on earth will be bound in heaven, and what ever you ask for from heaven will be given on earth. He says " if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven."

This is a powerful verse, and I feel often times gets used out of context. Many times this verse is used for the "health and wealth" gospel, or "if you want a new Benz, just ask and believe and right now God wants to bless you with a NEW CAR!!!" "God wants you to be RICH and SEXY so just ASK!!!"

Not so.

If we look at where this verse is placed, it is surrounded by verses dealing with sin and repentance. embedded in verses dealing with what "true greatness" is, and is being hugged by verses speaking of temptation and forgiveness, and serving others.

Not exactly the anything we hear from the TV.

Last night we continued to explore the idea of foundation and what we are currently standing on and how we can begin to rebuild. We expressed these foundations we are standing on or the ones that we want to stand on by drawing on a paper brick templates.

We then broke up into smaller groups to speak it out. To use our words to express where we want to go, what we are struggling with and what we want to repent of.

I believe the asking Jesus talks about, is the asking for what we need, freedom from our addictions, freedom from our complacency, freedom from our hatred and freedom from our unforgiveness, freedom from our old foundation and our old ways of life, and freedom to step into the light, into life.

I believe just as God spoke the world into being, our words are full of power.

The power to bring life or bring death.

The power to encourage or the power to tear down.

The power to bring hope or the power to bring fear.

The power to move mountains, or the power to make even bigger mountains.

The power to break down our shaky foundations before the flood and the power to build a new one.

Our words are full of power.

As we move forward lets not fear our words, or the Word, but lets use them to speak light into each other. Let's be bold and step out and speak light into our own lives. Let's use our words to break off the chains and the burdens we carry. Let's use our words together to cry out for God to come and set us free and lead us into that truth and understanding that he talks about.

Let's ask for help.

Let's be needy.

That verse in Matthew is great, but in writing this i realize often times we don't even realize what we do need. We think we know, but we don't. With out knowing it we created God in our own image to fill what we think we need, to give us what we want. We keep asking and asking for what we "need" and God seems silent. We cry out and think this verse is bogus, because we don't see what we are asking for coming into the light.

Maybe we are asking for the wrong things.

I think all of us in the group are asking God for something, we are in a place of need for the most part. I'm going to make a bold statement, and I could be wrong, but maybe we are asking for the wrong things.

Maybe we have put God in our box so we can get what we "need", or really want.

Some of us are saying I need a Job, I need my family here, I need to be alone, I need direction, I need to be someplace different, I need more money, I need more vision, I need... and Lord you know I need... once I get that I'll be where you want me.

All these things are really good things, and things I believe God wants to give, but maybe they aren't what we need in this moment in time.

Maybe instead of telling God what we need we should be asking God what we need. We need to humble ourselves and admit, we don't have any idea of what we need, and put our desires to death. We should take the risk and stand still and say what do I need, then once we hear, let's ask for it together.

Let's surround each others and be one voice, use one word, and stand on one foundation.

Where there is light there is no darkness. So let's speak light into our own lives breaking off the old lies and speak life into one another's life.

Let's walk forward and build this foundation together, and invited others who need to rest on our foundation to rest with us. Let's invited others to be weak with us, and believe that just maybe God will be glorified in our messy broken lives. Let's invite others to build with us, and to teach us.

Grace and peace,
Chris

Rebuilding the House

As we read the story of God’s people we read of many ups and downs in their journey of discovering their creator. As we know the Jewish people ended up in exile, under the Assyrians at some point in their history. In the book of Ezra, there is a king who finds favor for these Israelites, and allows them to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple, the Temple of God. It is pretty amazing how much favor this king has for the Jews. He gives them back all their gold and silver and says they need to go back to the land and build a temple to their God so that they can offer sacrifices. He even givens the animals and grains for sacrifices.

After a group of Jews go back to the site where the temple is to be built they start laying the foundation. This was not an easy task. Not only did this foundation need to be perfect because the temple of God was to be built upon it but also there was all the rubble from the previous temple. Back in those days when a city was conquer by another city, they would destroy it and burn it down. The temple was one of those things that had been destroyed. As the Israelites started to lay this foundation, the cities around them started to come against them. The last thing these surrounding cities wanted was the worshipers’ of YHWAY back in town. Last time they lived there they ruled the area with an iron fist. The people in the surrounding countries and cities, started to complain to the king. They would also try to distract the Jews from building.

At one point the governor of the area asks them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure? And what are your names?”

And the Israelite builders while continuing to work replied, “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago...”

I think it’s awesome that here these men don’t want credit for this foundation, for their hard work, but they find their identity fixed in God.

What would it look like if when people came to discourage us from doing good, from changing old habits, from breaking off addictions, we stood so firm in Christ we could just answer, “I am a servant of the God of heaven and earth,” and kept on pressing into God.

As the story ends up, the foundation is laid and the temple eventually built. I am sure for these builders, priests, servants of the God of heaven and earth that building this foundations was terribly hard and quite honestly terrifying. Not only did they have to move old stones, they had to re-dig and lay new stones, not only did they have to lay new stones but they had to watch their backs to make sure they didn’t get attacked while building this temple, and not only did they have to guard themselves but they also had to rest and breath, and remember why they were even laying this foundation. They were laying this foundation for the Hope the God would make them a people again. That God would build the house of Abraham and fulfill his covenant. The Hope that God would use them to bless the nations.

Last night we asked a few questions. We asked what does it really mean to have a good foundation in Jesus?

What have we currently built our foundation out of?

How can we help each other build a foundation?

And maybe when Jesus says house, he is alluding to something much greater then we realize.
Tom said something pretty awesome last night. As he was looking into this part of Luke and thinking about the rest of the bible he reminded us that foundations are spoken of a lot in the Old Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament say that God laid the foundations of the world… Wow.

Lets think about that...

If the foundations of the world are built upon God, the Holy Spirit, Christ then that means, art, education, science and tech, justice and government, business, family and even religion are supposed to be built off of the foundation of God. If Jesus says this foundation is built by putting what I say to action, then that means we have to live with a radical love everywhere we go. As live this way we will be planting good seeds that break away the old broken foundation, and we will begin to lay a new foundation that will house people for generations to come.
If we live the way Jesus taught we will inadvertently repave this world, with God’s good and true foundation.

If we live the way Jesus taught the systems and ways of the world works will be flipped upside down.

If we live the way Jesus taught us the covenant made with Abraham, that we would bless the world, will become a closer reality then it was the day before.

If we live the way Jesus taught us we will be partnering with the creator of the universe in his world redemption plan. Man, How exciting is that.

I believe God has been building up our foundation as a group and as individuals for some pretty epic things. Let’s not stop talking with God through out our days and seeking to grow and take his lead.

As we move forward to build our foundations, lets not worry yet about what kind of house we want on top, but more importantly what this house is built on. Let’s remember that this foundation building is active, not passive. Our foundations are not finished because we say a prayer to Jesus, but they are started when we accept Him. Lets build this house, this house of people together. Leaning on each other when we need it, resting when we need it, allowing one another to barrow our little slab of concrete if theirs gets washed away.

Lets have our actions be full of grace and love, and never forget that our foundation is what EVERYTHING else is built on. That means our jobs are to be built off of this same foundations, our schooling, our relationships, the way we deal with all of our time, the way we deal with our money, the way we deal with our stuff, is all to be built off of one foundations. We don’t need a summer home and a work home. We don’t want a Church home and an everything else home. It’s all one house, and we are that house. That means our view of Jesus needs to be even bigger then it already is, if we are to fit all of that onto a foundation of Jesus. We may have to forget what we have already been taught and relearn who God is. Relearn that God is bigger then we are, God set the foundations of the earth, and God can not be stuck in a box. This foundation should be a home for all the spheres of society, and a foundation to bless the nations, and even our neighbors.

Grace and peace,
Chris

To the ends of the earth!

Story time Continues. I think I should just start writing a book, because these entries have been so long.

We as a group are in an exciting place. A place of stepping out into knew things, a place to experience God deeper, and a place to learn to love each other a little bit more.

I know I have been referencing to the book of Acts a lot as of late, but bare with me while I do it once again.
In the story of Acts after Jesus leaves his students and goes to be with his Father, the crew of people that were with Jesus were in a strange place of trying to figure out how to continue Jesus’ ministry. Up until this time they were kind of along for the ride. They would follow Jesus, learn from Jesus, eat with Jesus, and live life with Jesus. For the past several years before Christ’s death and resurrection everything in their lives revolved around this Jesus person. Everything they did in their lives from causing a ruckus in their churches, to washing or not washing their hands before a meal was wrapped around their teacher and friend.

After Jesus ascends into heaven they are at a loss with what they were supposed to do. They had learned so much, experienced ridicules things, and had their lives started on a transformation process, that we now know, spread into the world around them. The only direction they received wasn’t so much direction as it was prophecy.

Jesus said to them before going home, “… but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” How is that for directive guidance, basically Jesus just said you are going to travel, you are going to travel to you neighbor in the house next door, you are going to travel to your estranged brothers in Judea, you are going to travel to the people hate in Samaria, and you are going to go to places you never dreamt and probably didn’t want to go, you are going to the ends of the earth.

Great.

I’m sure they were thinking ok,
How do we do this?

What does this look like?

How will this make me money to live off of?

Do we start preaching?

Do we start feeding the poor?

Maybe I should start fishing again; I know how to do that?

Jesus, seriously, could you have been a little more specific with what this looks like?

As the story continues they decide to eat together, worship together, pray together, and live life like they were with Jesus. They chose to live life.

The crazy thing about them living life was that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on them and 2,000 joined their numbers in one day. I don’t think it was ever in their plans to have 2,000 new people join their family in one day, I mean they were just trying to live life the way that was shown to them. But the transformation around them just flowed out of this way of life.

As their crew grew they realized that they needed to organize a bit better, because things where being over looked. Widows weren’t getting the food they needed, people filled that role, there was a lot of resource that could be used for those in need, so they organize for that, different people from different cultures where joining their crew, so they adjusted for that, they started teleporting around the world, so they had to adjust for that, visitors from other regions where coming and going continually so they needed to be open for that. But even with all these structures that needed to be put in place, they still tried to live life the way Jesus had shown. In fact this crew of people became known as, “The Way”, because they were demonstrating the way to life, both eternal life as well as life here and today.
This crew made many mistakes, but had grace to adjust and shifted accordingly. This crew was open to be challenged and was also very encouraging of one another. There were arguments, there were new things birthed, people had disputes on how things should look, but ultimately people had grace and peace for one another and that allowed them to move forward.

Now I know we didn’t hang out with Jesus in the flesh, and we by no means have 2,000 coming, (which I am quite glad about, that could get hectic.) but we are in a place of wrestling out what it looks like to live life as well as position this Thursday night thing in such a way that we can grow, and others can join us in our journey to The Way of life.
As we pray about the direction of our crew, our family, our mini tribe lets keep life in prayer as well. Let’s not forget that Thursday night is not about Thursday night, but it’s about something greater. It’s to help us Encounter the Living God, to learn how to live life, and we can never forget it is to help the oppressed, the tired, and the broken. Let’s surely put the structures in place that need to be in place, but let’s not let the structures become more important then Jesus and those around us. Let’s pray for wisdom, compassion, and a deep love for one another. With those things our love for Christ will grow, and our life will start shining in ways we don’t even realize.

I am super excited as usual with all that God is doing and has done in us and through us. I am stoked that new people have decided to join us in this journey and want to contribute. It is really exciting. We started this thing a year ago talking about the story of the bible and how God blessed Abraham to be a blessing to the nations. How the Cut Covenant that was made with Abraham continued through the Jews, and into Jesus Ministry, and that same covenant is ours. We have surely been blessed in this group, with good food, challenging and encouraging words, friendship and love. So lets bless others with those as well. Maybe living this life will take us as well to the ends of the earth!

Grace and peace
Chris

Tree Climbers

In the Bible there is a story of a man named Zacchaeus. I'm sure you are probably familiar with this story. This man Zacchaeus was a very wealthy man, maybe even the wealthiest in one of the richest and most plush cities of the day. One day he hears that this teacher is coming through his city, not just any teacher, but one who has been causing quite a ruckus in the surround territories. A teacher who's teachings are so compelling they draw crowds that are unheard of. These teachings are the teachings of life, but so challenging many walk away sad. A teacher who's life brings an authority to his teachings that no one has ever seen before. Because of this teacher, God man, Jesus many walk away free, liberated, healed, and praising God. Zacchaeus wanting to know what this man is all about decides to position himself in such a place to see and maybe even encounter this Jesus. This short man Zacchaeus takes the risk of standing out, being attacked(he had a lot of enemies), and looking like a fool by climbing a tree to see Jesus. When Jesus walks past he looks straight at Zacchaeus, and tells him that he wants to stay at his house. As the story goes Zacchaeus decides to give away half of what he owns to the poor, as well as apologize and make amends to those who he has wronged.

The bible is full of these stories, stories of people taking huge risks of being vulnerable, weak, stepping out in faith to position themselves to see Jesus, to experience God.

There is another story of an "Unclean" women who has been sick for many years who pushes through a crowd to just barely touch Jesus clothing.

There is the story of a man in the Roman military who is extremely generous with his possessions, and gives much to the Lord by giving to the poor.

There is a story about a two blind men who follow Jesus calling out to him, and follow him into a home, despite being ridiculed.

There is a story of a community of people who believe so much in this Jesus they decide to pray and worship and eat together daily.

There are many more stories that are similar to these. Stories of people or groups of people who very intentionally position themselves to see God. Some of these stories are stories of great risk and faith and others are stories of people doing things that might come more naturally to them. But even though they all positioned themselves in different ways, in the end they intentionally put themselves in a space to see and experience God. The common ending to all of these stories, is that they all end with a powerful and life changing encounter with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

This past Thursday once again was very encouraging for me. We talked about how we feel as though we are in a transitional phase. In the words of Josh we are smashing the hierarchy, and wanting to lead this group together. We all expressed a desire to step out in new ways, ways of accountability, ways of going deeper with Jesus, ways of being more vulnerable, ways of encouraging those around us, ways of being challenged, most importantly stepping out in new ways to experience Jesus.

I feel as though we as a tribe, community, family are at a place in our story that is similar to the stories I told up top. God is giving us the opportunity to step into a position to experience him, to learn from him, and to be healed by him. This position will look different for each of us, but all of us can encourage each other to do that.

As we continue on this really exciting journey lets ask ourselves some questions, and encourage each other in these questions.

Where do we as a group want to go, or where do we feel God is leading us?

Where do we as individuals feel called to go?

What does it look like for us to position ourselves to see Jesus,

Do we have to climb a tree,

Push through a crowd,

Give away half of what we own,

Walking in what seems to be the dark until we get to the room Jesus is in,

Pray and worship and eat with friends,

Seeking forgiveness from those we've wronged,

Or forgiving those who have wronged us,

What will it look like for us to get a glimpse of the Creator, liberator, Savior?

This can be a scary leap of faith for us, but thank God we are not alone in it. We are all here for one another to support and love and encourage. Lets be a community that supports each other in our doubts, in our fears, in our weakness, in our joys, in our success, and in our freeing encounters with the Majestic Creator.

Once again I am excited to be asking these questions and taking these risks with everyone of you. I am so grateful to have all of you in my life. I'm excited to see where God will lead, what He will say, and how He will bring Healing, Joy and Freedom to us.

Let's go deeper, encourage each other, and lead this thing together.

Grace and peace,
Chris

Tired, Broken, Confused, Strong

The Gospel, what a crazy and deep thing. When I say crazy I of course mean unbelievably awesome, deep and far reaching into everything we call life.

The book of Acts is one of my favorite books. Its a story of a community of people trying to figure out what it means to live the teachings of Jesus. It's a story of people doing incredible things through the power of the Holy spirit, and also missing some of the point of what Jesus was saying when he living among them. It is so comforting to read this book and to read how they kept missing the point, yet they were still used so mightily. This crew of people were on a journey of discovering life and freedom from there hatred of others, there struggles with sin, there exlcusionism, and their relationship with man and God, but while on this journey God was using them to Heal the sick, Bring sight to the blind, Destroy poverty in their community, destroy poverty in the world and introducing people to the person of Jesus in a deep intimate and communal way.

This movement was started with couple hundred of the people that lived with Jesus, worked with Jesus, with him when he died, with him when he rose, and there when the Holy spirit dropped on them. Yet they still had to learn who this Jesus was and what he was about as they lived life together. They were, in a sense, the first wave of this new movement of the Way. There message was very familiar to the Jewish message but was a little different on some points. They lived in a land that hadn't heard the message of Jesus, the message of true freedom, the message of Life. This tribe of people were trying to figure out what it looked like to live this message, because simply speaking it wasn't enough to turn the world upside down. They learned to be generous, to love one another, to serve those who weren't in there tribe. But this was a process we read about. There were certainly points of break through were they really got some of the principles, but then there were other parts that took them a bit of time to figure out.

The other day I was watching the Inauguration at the Temple Student Center. I noticed a few things as I was listening to the speeches and seeing the people around me. I noticed that when Obama, or the Rev. who gave the closing benediction mentioned anything bible, religious, or Christian, people around me would react in a negative way. They would either shake their heads, or give a grunt that expressed how they felt it was not needed to speak of God. Not everyone responded in this way, it was really only a handful of people that would act this way. But it got me thinking of the story of Acts. It made me think that we in some ways are in a very similar place as the early church. We today live in a culture that has heard a message that is kind of like the message that we want to live, the message of the gospel, the message of the life of the person of Jesus, but they, the people around us, haven't truly heard it. They may have heard a piece here or a piece there, or heard a story that is similar in a lot of ways to the one we are exploring. They may have tasted the kingdom of God here or there, but I don't think they have heard the story of the person of Jesus that starts with in the beginning, and ends with liberation, freedom, and joy.

I then got really excited, and thought, "What an honour that I get to explore this life and live it in such a way that I have the privilege to introduce the people around me to the person of Jesus." I was comforted remembering about the church of Acts and how messed up they were, and I thought, "Yes! Even I can be apart of this global ruckus God is wanting to continue, despite how F'ed up I am, and how I truly don't understand this message fully." All I know is that I need to love others, break myself open and serve those I come in contact with, not to "save souls", or to get people into the "church club", but because thats what Jesus did for me, and I want people to meet this God Man that has brought freedom to my life.

Last night was an awesome night. I was well encouraged. We sat together after sharing a meal and shared our lives a little bit more intimately together. We shared what God has been doing, how we have been falling short, how we are scared, how we don't get it, how this Way of life continues to elude us, how we are worried, and how we are week. But I truly believe that in our brokeness of Thursday night the Holy Spirit was there in power and might. He was there ministering to us. There encouraging us. There saying its ok to be weak, I am there for you, you don't have to get up because I will get down on the ground with you. I feel as though the verse that says in our weakness God is made strong, makes a little more sense to me. It encourages me to be weak a bit more often.

As we move forward into this exciting year, lets encourage each other to be weak, let's spur each other to live life more intimately with God and more intimately with those around us. Let's invite people into our lives, and break ourselves open and poor ourselves out for those around us. Let's continue to let our lives be living stones that are building a shelter for those in needs. Let's allow our lives to be woven together for those who are cold and lonely. Who knows where God will lead us, what he will teach us, and how he will use us!

Well crew, I am well encouraged as I said, and am so blessed to have everyone of you in my life, you make it easier for me to live a bit weaker, because I know you all are there for me! Thanks for the Love and Support.

Let's all lead this group together.

until next time,

Grace and Peace,

Chris

He's Got It

How fitting that we start this New Year in the same way we started last year, In the Beginning.

Vernon shared with us what God has been teaching him through Luke 6, as well as how that ties so beautifully to everything else in the Bible. We were talking about fruit and seeds and asking ultimately what kinda of plant are we and what is our heart growing.

It was great to see how God is seeking to teach us about who He is in everything, even in a simple little plant. That In the Beginning he was teaching us not only about how he made plants, but teaching us about the human condition. How he has made us to bear fruit, to tend the gardens, and to be apart of his harvest. In the Beginning He shows us that he has already put the seeds in the ground and in our hearts, not just any seeds, but good seeds to multiply beauty and truth.

It is challenging to examine our own lives and see how God is looking to grow the seeds in us. Some times its hard to actually believe that God has already put good seed in us, let people who we don't even like. Sometimes when we are getting ready to ask God to grow us more into His image we become afraid of the branches he might cut off, the dead branches, the branches we think are who we are and supporting us. We are afraid of giving up control of our own lives and the control we wish we had on those around us. But the truth that we need to grasp, is that when we loose control we are truly free.

No more dead branches getting in the way of the fresh, renewed, and restored branches. We don't have to worry about being wrong or right because its not ours to be right or wrong about.

No more clinging to things that fade and die like our material things, our jobs, our money, and our false sense of security, but being secure in the one thing that has already conquered death and decay, Christ.

But it can truly be quite terrifying to believe that God is in control and not us because we have known the other for so long. If we are to be honest with ourselves, and look at the way we live, we almost trust the dieing and the decay in our lives more then we trust God at work in us. Trusting God and stepping into the unknown is a scary thing, but a freeing thing. If we have nothing to loose then what can we be afraid of because we have already lost it? If we have everything to gain what are we worried about, we will only gain? If we have already put all of our desires and wants to death what are we afraid of we have already died can won't be disappointed when we don't get what we want, or think we deserve? If we know God then it is not an unknown because we are stepping into him, and the fruit will just happen, it will over flow out of our love and knowledge of God. Because love and knowledge for God is Love and Grace for those around us.

And Knowing God is Knowing our neighbor.

This year let's as a community as well as individuals seek to abide in God continually

in the mornings and in the evenings,

with friends and family and while alone,

in joy and in sorrow,

at the barbary and at our places of work,

while teaching and while being taught,

at our schools and on septa.

Let's encourage one another and Seek to renew our hearts and our minds so that we with out even thinking about it bear lasting fruit. Lets live life seeking to have Gods eyes for other people so that we can see what seeds God has placed in them, and seek to partner with the Holy Spirit and grow those seeds in others.

Let's Seek first the Kingdom of Christ, which is Justice, mercy, love and grace for everyone, and everything else will just flow with us, in us, and through us.

Let's throw off everything that so easily wraps us up, entangles us, and trips us and live this life that God has prepared for us.

I'm Excited to hear how God moves this week in our lives, and excited to see how God grows all of us more and more into a representation of Him.

As usual Grace and peace!

Chris

If you ever want to blog anything God has put on your heart Go for it. Just let me know and you can.

Waiting Tables

The past couple of days I have been reading through the book of Acts. It's an amazing book that always gets me well stoked. Today I was reading chapter 7, which talks about Stephen and his stoning. As I was reading Stephen's response to the religious leaders when they were accusing him of blaspheme, there was something that really stood out to me.

Stephen opens up his speech with the beginning of the history of the Jewish people, his people. He tells the story of Abraham and the faith that he had and goes right down the Jewish timeline to Moses freeing the Israelites from Egypt. Steven Continues down the timeline building up to where they are in that line, a resurrected Jesus and a movement that turning the world up side down.

But when Steven was talking about Moses something really jumped out at me. Steven talked about where God calls moses out of the wilderness to save his people, answer the cry, and he quotes scripture saying,

( Acts7:35) "It was Moses whom they rejected when they said, 'Who made you a ruler and judge?' and whom God has now sent as both ruler and liberator through the angel who appeared to him in the bush."

When I read that this morning it jumped out at me.

I just finished reading a book called "Jesus Wants to Save Christians," by Rob Bell. (I encourage everyone to read it, its an easy read.) In the book there is a continual reference to Jesus being the new Moses. The new person to lead the Israelites, and now the whole world, to freedom from Egypt, from oppressions and addictions.

I also saw on TV several weeks ago something about Judaism and Christianity and all the parallels in our holidays and ceremonies. Many of the teachers, theologians, and priest interviewed would refer to Jesus as the new Moses. They would explain, even the Jewish teachers, how the gospels are written in a way that parallels the Jewish peoples stories. (If you are interest in more specifics ask and I will explain. It's really quite beautiful and eye opening.)

I have also been thinking about the idea of Life. And realizing how God is concerned with Life. He brought a message that many called the Way, because it was and is the way to Life. Just like God was trying to teach the Israelites how to live in the wilderness, Jesus was showing people how to live in exile, in a world that is terribly broken. The gospel is more about this earth and where we are now then it is about death and what happens when we die. It is a Gospel of freedom, it is a Gospel of Joy, it is a Gospel of wellness, it is a Gospel of the Way. Not a gospel of Death.

Right now you maybe be thinking, Chris needs more writing classes so he can learn to deliver his point with out jumping everywhere. To that I say, "your probably right."

So now back to Acts 7:35. When Stephen says that bit about Moses, I realized he was saying something much deeper then a piece of history that the religious leaders were already well acquainted with. I realized that Stephen was showing the religious leaders the connection to Jesus and Moses and that just like Moses led this group of people to "freedom", Jesus is the new Way to true freedom; the One who would lead them out of Egypt, or Babylon, or Assyria, or Roman, or a Deeper kind of oppression and slavery then any of those physical places, a freedom from Sin.

And think the holy job Stephen had was waiting on tables (Acts 6:2). Man what does God want to do in our jobs, in the places we go and hang out. Exciting! If a table waiter caused such a ruckus in Jerusalem and a ruckus that spread to the ends of the earth, what kind of ruckus does God want us to cause in Philly and where will it end up?

It also struck me how often times we think of Jesus as a judge who came with intent of judging us, but really the scriptures say he came to show us a way out because we are already condemned. He was the Scape Goat for us and everyone around us. God didn't appoint Christ as Ruler and Judge, but God appointed Christ as Ruler and Liberator! Praise God for that.

Like Vernon said the other night " I LOVE IT, (leg kick) when I find these parallels!! haha. "

Hopefully if you got this far in my writing it encouraged you or at least made sense.

Any thoughts?

Grace and peace
Chris