Community
"Community"? Where do you find it? What is it? We all were created to connect. No one wants to live in isolation (although life is less complicated that way), we want to be in meaningful relationships. I love (not really) road signs off the interstate exits that advertise websites for singles to connect... its really the thought that I might make some sort of meaningful connection with someone. And that is going to lead to... well... lets be honest, most that get on those places might get more than they bargained for. No one is that innocent. I was just talking to a single who met someone on a website designed here in the Cini area to meet other "Christian" singles and ended up hooking up by the end of the night! Are we that lonely? No, just looking for meaningful connection. At the end of the hook up, was it really what you really wanted? Did it fill the void that you was longing for? Ultimately, humans were never intended to fill the void that God was intended to uniquely fill. (Read Romans 8:19-21)- Christ is that HOPE in our futility of attempting to fill our lives with meaningless relationships.
Enter community. I still struggle with the mystery of how to model and teach this, but at the end of the day, its one of the most beautiful things on the planet when I see the people of God completely care for one another in thier pain, struggles, and/ or joy and especially when it seems completely natural to do so. Not manufactured, not as a result of a program or done by paid staff. So if you find it in a small group or at IHOP at free pancake night, or even alone on a Friday night curled up on the couch with your bible, the thing I need to remember is what I really need is God. I need Him, and "my community" to point me to Him, not itself.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
5 Challenges to this Generation and the 5 Responses
1. To increase the Glory of the living God in the everyday lives of this generation. Psalm 86:11-12; Isaiah 43:7
Our Response: God, give me a desire for you like the desire you have for me.
2. To lead this generation into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our Response: God, break my heart for those who I come in contact with everyday.
3. To Provide this generation with the understanding that the Christian life is not to be lived alone. Psalm 133:1; John 17:20-26; 13:34-35 (providential relationships)
Our Response: God, give me a desire to value the relationships that you have put into my life. Seek people out that will prod, protect, and polish you. It’s a simple ways of saying it’s a part of our progressive sanctification.
4. To link this generation with a church home where they can live out the Christian life. Ephesians 3:20-21; Hebrews 10:23-25; Acts 2:41-47
Our Response: God, renew in me a love for your church, the body of Christ.
5. To empower this generation with a desire to invest their lives into the genuine movement of God. Psalm 86:9; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Isaiah 49:6; Revelation 5:9-14.
Our Response: God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. To increase the Glory of the living God in the everyday lives of this generation. Psalm 86:11-12; Isaiah 43:7
Our Response: God, give me a desire for you like the desire you have for me.
2. To lead this generation into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our Response: God, break my heart for those who I come in contact with everyday.
3. To Provide this generation with the understanding that the Christian life is not to be lived alone. Psalm 133:1; John 17:20-26; 13:34-35 (providential relationships)
Our Response: God, give me a desire to value the relationships that you have put into my life. Seek people out that will prod, protect, and polish you. It’s a simple ways of saying it’s a part of our progressive sanctification.
4. To link this generation with a church home where they can live out the Christian life. Ephesians 3:20-21; Hebrews 10:23-25; Acts 2:41-47
Our Response: God, renew in me a love for your church, the body of Christ.
5. To empower this generation with a desire to invest their lives into the genuine movement of God. Psalm 86:9; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Isaiah 49:6; Revelation 5:9-14.
Our Response: God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
PIT Crew Vblog February 2009
To my PIT Crew,
Welcome to the first ever PIT Crew update and via video blog! Its a little choppy and has a big light glare, "my halo" above my head that is a little distracting, but hopefully will be helpful for you to stay connected to what is happening in my realm and world. Thank you for partnering with me to pray. I will send an email link to this site out once a month to keep you updated, or you could sign up to "follow" this blog. This one is about 5 minutes... I will try to keep them around 2-3 minutes in the future. (Don't all preachers say that?)
Welcome to the first ever PIT Crew update and via video blog! Its a little choppy and has a big light glare, "my halo" above my head that is a little distracting, but hopefully will be helpful for you to stay connected to what is happening in my realm and world. Thank you for partnering with me to pray. I will send an email link to this site out once a month to keep you updated, or you could sign up to "follow" this blog. This one is about 5 minutes... I will try to keep them around 2-3 minutes in the future. (Don't all preachers say that?)
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