I am reading through the Relevant Church, kinda skipping around. I just finished Holly Rankin Zaher's chapter on Three Nails, an emerging Episcopal Church plant in the Pittsburgh area.
I'm not sure exactly what it was about the story of Three Nails that got me so fired up, but it did. As I read about their planning and praying and discussing what an emerging community of faith might look like, my heart literally began to pound.
There is excitement about the new and untried. There is excitement about maybe reaching people for Christ. There is excitement about something new!!!???
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Keeping me up at night
I have been losing sleep lately, not because my kids are sick or I'm stressed out about getting kids signed up for summer camp but over a friend.
A former student from our high school group, decided art school wasn't for him. So he is home now. He did great at school, good grades, made friends; just came to the decision that he wasn't sure he wanted to waste his parents money on another semester of something he just wasn't sure about.
So the thought that is keeping me awake is this: I don't think he really got involved in any kind of church while he was at school. Will he come back to church? The thought that thought grows into is: Once, all our kids leave high school will they find a church? Once their parents aren't there to kick them out of bed, will they get up and go to church? Will they pick up their bibles? Will they search out other people following Christ? Is church, our church, a place, both literally and figuratively, where post-high school age people can come, will want to come, to explore faith and Jesus Christ?
Am I even asking the right question? Is our community of faith, a community that is willing to hang out with young adults?
I am happy my friend is home. It will be good to reconnect with them.
This is a subject I hope to return to often. Its potential upside is huge as far as reaching young adults goes, and it's potential downside is just as large, in that we are at risk of losing a generation.
A former student from our high school group, decided art school wasn't for him. So he is home now. He did great at school, good grades, made friends; just came to the decision that he wasn't sure he wanted to waste his parents money on another semester of something he just wasn't sure about.
So the thought that is keeping me awake is this: I don't think he really got involved in any kind of church while he was at school. Will he come back to church? The thought that thought grows into is: Once, all our kids leave high school will they find a church? Once their parents aren't there to kick them out of bed, will they get up and go to church? Will they pick up their bibles? Will they search out other people following Christ? Is church, our church, a place, both literally and figuratively, where post-high school age people can come, will want to come, to explore faith and Jesus Christ?
Am I even asking the right question? Is our community of faith, a community that is willing to hang out with young adults?
I am happy my friend is home. It will be good to reconnect with them.
This is a subject I hope to return to often. Its potential upside is huge as far as reaching young adults goes, and it's potential downside is just as large, in that we are at risk of losing a generation.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Monday, April 04, 2005
Chained to my circumstances
We started a series at church this week called Life to the Full. I knew it would reach a lot of people right where they are at . I didn't expect to be one of those people. Week 1 was called Releasing the Chains, as each person entered the room they were handed a small card with a picture of a big ol' chain on it. Rich used examples of how Christ freed people from various chains, the paralytic whose 4 friends lowered him through the roof, Legion and the herd of pigs, and the Pharissee and the tax collector at the altar. The service ended with Rich asking us to spend a few minutes with God asking him to release us from our chains, whatever they might be. Then to take that picture of the chain and leave it at the foot of the cross at the front of the room, symbollically asking Christ to free us of our chains.
Up until that moment, I would have said I didn't have any chains. But God's spirit moved in me; showed me how I am chained to my circumstances. Rather than resting in Christ's presence, I slog and bumble and hurk and jerk from one circumstance to the next. High as a kite one moment from an awesome conversation with someone.... dragging tail the next, looking like someone just shot my puppy because the guy at Home Depot handed me the wrong washer and i didn't realize it until I got home. Giddy as a school girl one momemnt because someone just told me how one of my messages really spoke to them...feeling like someone hit me in the stomach with a bat the next, because there is realtional drama amongst our high school students.
I really do want to grow up, to be mature in my faith. Unfortunately, the more I thought about it the more I have allowed myself to be at the total mercy of my circumstances rather than at Jesus' total mercy. So I got up, walked to front of the room and left the chain of my circumstances at the foot of cross.
Up until that moment, I would have said I didn't have any chains. But God's spirit moved in me; showed me how I am chained to my circumstances. Rather than resting in Christ's presence, I slog and bumble and hurk and jerk from one circumstance to the next. High as a kite one moment from an awesome conversation with someone.... dragging tail the next, looking like someone just shot my puppy because the guy at Home Depot handed me the wrong washer and i didn't realize it until I got home. Giddy as a school girl one momemnt because someone just told me how one of my messages really spoke to them...feeling like someone hit me in the stomach with a bat the next, because there is realtional drama amongst our high school students.
I really do want to grow up, to be mature in my faith. Unfortunately, the more I thought about it the more I have allowed myself to be at the total mercy of my circumstances rather than at Jesus' total mercy. So I got up, walked to front of the room and left the chain of my circumstances at the foot of cross.
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