Godgrown

Updates from November, 2005 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Mark 12:48 pm on November 9, 2005 Permalink | Reply  

  Something I didn’t see coming… 

  A lot has happened in the past 6 hours…

  This morning is my usual ministers meeting with HOPE Church of Christ. I’ve enjoyed going there week in, week out discussing our “goings on” in our particular ministries. This morning however, Len, (our worship minister) started the conversation off with a heavy announcement. “This Sunday will be my last Sunday as worship minister at HOPE.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Len had just begun his service with HOPE less than 3 months ago, and already the elders have asked him to step down.

  He seemed visibly hurt, and I was honestly feeling for him. I still do not have all the answers, so I have to be careful with my thoughts and words today, but I’m hoping that tonight we will have an elder’s meeting that will explain why they chose this route for him.

  I’ve been thinking about this – maybe this is just my mind going bonkers after Len’s confession – I’m thinking about offering my position at HOPE Church to Len. He is gifted in all the areas needed for this ministry, and he has a family of 4 to support, something I won’t be dealing with for a long time (hopefully!). This afternoon I am going to talk with Kent Smith about this decision and make sure I’m not totally off my rocker for thinking this. Who knows, maybe this is God’s impetus for Katrina and I starting our own house church…

  Please be in prayer as we seek God’s will and follow after him.

  
   

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  Mark 10:29 pm on November 4, 2005 Permalink | Reply  

  Greenhouse, and where God wants me. 

  Greenhouse is underway here in Abilene, Texas – and I couldn’t be more excited!

  Greenhouse is a conference meeting for all individuals regionally (although we have some who’ve come down from Minnesota) to be introduced to a whole new way of living the Christian life. Organic church is a grassroots movement, always staying simply, and rapidly reproducible. There is no building to pay for, no ministers to staff, no church directory to keep up-to-date. In the words of Paul Kaak and Neil Cole, church is “the presence of Jesus among his people called out as a spiritual family to pursue His mission on this planet.” This is not another “If we build it, they will come” church growth model. It seeps right down to the life that gets lived out Monday thru Sunday, and even some during worship time too!

  The best part about Greenhouse so far has been my tablemates (is that a word?). At times during the conference this evening, the presenters invited us to talk to those sitting with us around the table. It has just been such a blessing to hear how each person is catching the vision of how simple church can be, and how FUN it can be to live the Christian life on a mission with God! There are four college students among this group who have been praying for over a year about beginning a church planting movement in North America after they graduate. What is nuts about this is that two of them are interns for the largest megachurch in town! God works in mysterious ways!

  I am realizing that all this stuff I’ve been dreaming about is stuff I will actually be living out very soon. That frightens me more than you realize! As if I could actually plant a church! As if I could actually disciple someone into the image of Christ! Who am I? What do I have to bring to the table? Hearing the stories of church planters tonight made me worried that I was not up to the task.

  Maybe that is where God wants me.

  
   
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  Mark 10:45 am on November 4, 2005 Permalink | Reply  

  Dirty Lungs 

  
  “If you want to win this world to Christ, you are going to have to sit in the smoking section”
  – Neil Cole.

  Sure am looking foward to getting my hands (lungs) dirty for the sake of the world. I’m tired to living inside the bubble. I’m ready to stop what I had planned to do, in order to meet the world. I’m ready to sit down in places I don’t feel comfortable, just for a chance to share a meal and a conversation with someone who is hungry for God.

  This weekend is Abilene’s Greenhouse Conference. I look forward to telling you more about that later!