On my Mind this Week
I can’t believe its already Friday! This past week has flown by so fast. Last weekend as most of you know was Mother’s Day, so my work at the restaurant pretty well took over everything else. This week has been about imagining and implimenting the groundwork for our church network’s bank account, and network website. Check out the website here. It will be a site where leaders can recieve training, where those in Chicago can connect with others in the underground network (though Facebook-style connectivity), and sojourners can learn more about Jesus.
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The bank account is essentially a ministry expense account. We’re working on setting up a budget and all the fun things that go along with that, so that faith communities in the network can contribute to it and participate in doing ministry and serving God together. I’ve posted an article on Organic Economics for the network, but I’ll link to it here too. Its essentially a short document on some creative suggestions for how to handle a common fund as an organic network. If you have any other ideas, post them in the comments below!
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All this laying-the-foundation stuff is fine and dandy, but I’m ready to move on. I’m ready to flex some creative muscle, and do something besides web design and paperwork. What are some latent ways the Kingdom is bubbling up in Chicago? What are some ways to subvert the power systems in our city, to put them on public display and reveal the brokeness inherent in the system? How can we display Jesus, both in our everyday friendships and in special occasions/events this summer? These are the questions that are on my mind now.
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David Watson has been presenting some of his work on disciple making to several of my friends in Dallas. People like Jared Looney, Phil McCollum, Gailyn Van Rheenen, and others are there – and I’m wishing I could be too. But they’re streaming it online for your viewing enjoyment. Watch now!
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Lastly, I’ve been working with others pretty intentionally on a “reproductive catechesis.” …No, this is not sex-ed! Have you ever wondered what Christian education is for? I believe that there is a cycle that we have broken in modern Christianity that needs to be amended. We have brought people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. But rarely do we ask them to move on to any form of maturity in Christ. Even more rare is giving them the expectation from Day 1 that their mission is to then bring others to Jesus, thus completing the cycle. Its a one way street – a half-cycle, which will not develop into much. I’m working with others in Chicago to create a pathway that brings people intentionally to a saving relationship with Jesus and his people, move them on to maturity, and in the process give them a chance to show Jesus to others. Each one, reach one. If every Christian focused in on doing this once a year, the whole world could be reached in less than 20 years. All 7 billion of us. Let that sink in.
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Oh, and Lost’s season finale was crazy. Cubs are tied for 1 in the Central Division. Katrina makes the best calzones in the universe (maybe even the multi-verse, although a calzone face-off between Katrina and parrallel-universe Katrina would be pretty interesting). And biking is totally in again.
millertalbot is discussing. 
Guy Muse 11:26 am on November 15, 2008 Permalink
Interesting reading on several different levels. I enjoyed the YouTube video of your church planter friend. And congrats on being part of the historical event that took place there in Chicago. Even though I voted McCain, had I been there, I might have tried to go myself.