Thought for the Week

One of my favorite reads is www.absojesus.wordpress.com. There are daily thought provoking comics. They are challenging, convicting, and sometime upsetting but they cause you to think. Here is one of my recent favorites.

a follow up

I have noticed people have been checking in to see others stories…this is great!

After a conversation with someone last night they expressed pressure to do something very quickly with the money. I encouraged them…just as I encourage you…take your time! Ask God to show you something in the next month that he wants to do with that money.

It is not a burden…it is a honor to be trusted with His money to bless someone else.

Being Missional

Being missional means that the church sees itself as being missionaries, rather than having a missions department, and that we see ourselves as missionaries right where we live

Being missional means that we see ourselves as representatives of Jesus “sent” into our communities, and that we align everything we do with the missio dei (mission of God)

Being missional means we see the church not as a place we go only on Sunday, but as something we do throughout the week

Being missional means that we understand we don’t “bring Jesus” to people but that we realize Jesus is active in culture and we join him in what he is doing

Being missional means we are very much in the world and engaged in culture but are not conforming to the world

Being missional means we serve our communities, and that we build relationships with the people in them, rather than seeing them as evangelistic targets

Being missional means being all the more dependent on Jesus and the Spirit through prayer, the Scripture, and each other in community

From Dan Kimball’s book: They Like Jesus but Not the Church

Jesus and Some Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Last night (Friday the 28th) we launched the first ever Gathering at FBC.

People filled the new coffee bar area to enjoy coffee from the Coffee Mill and other various drinks while connecting with old and new friends.  It was very exciting to have two infants join us for the night although they did not add a whole lot to the conversation.

The Gathering began with a random video that was quite funny.  I shared with the group for awhile some of what God has been leading me with in light of this group.  There were three main elements…

1. We have the opportunity to be part of something bigger then ourselves (Acts 1:12-13).  We looked at the disciples gathered with a message that would change the world in a room in this passage.  As believers we can link ourselves back to them and their mission…our mission today.

2.  We have the opportunity to join with others in mission (John 17).  Our desire is to develop deep relationships and community with the goal to be a light for Christ.  This happens outside the church walls and in our everyday lives at work, home, school, etc.

3. We need to be where Jesus is at (Rev. 3:20).  Jesus said “Here I Am”.  Are we living and serving where Jesus is at or running with our own plan?

We closed our night with worship lead by a great team.

After worship people spent time after word talking for a good hour.

Friday night was a GREAT starting point and foundation to some great things that the Lord will continue to do in and through the lives of the individuals who commit themselves to Him.

Missional Community

Tim Keller gives a glimpse of a conversation toward some important values and issues when it comes to being a missional community and relating to the world by breaking or throwing away a bubble of Christianity and experiencing and being Jesus.