Why 54 International?

Why "54 International"?

I actually own a 1954 International pickup truck like this one. My dad bought it in 1956 after the seed corn company who bought it new went out of business and was selling their fleet of sales/delivery trucks. For years you could see "Cornhusker Hybrids" on the side boards of the truck.

In 1987, after graduating from college, I drug the truck out of my Dad's granary on the farm in Nebraska, went through it with a mechanic friend, put new brakes, tires, and some other mechanical stuff, then drove it from Nebraska to Oregon with my wife following in our car. That truck has followed me all around except to BC. Currently it is parked in a farmers shed in Saskatchewan, waiting for me to bring her "home".

I called this blog 54 International, why? I wanted something that reflects me, or who I try to be - and this old truck does. Simple, pretty reliable, does its best to get the job done. Will never be a classic, but will always be a good friend. Never going to win a show for good looks. Not too complicated.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The church - "Are we there yet?"

We had our SLT (Spiritual Life Team) meeting last night and I asked these great people what they wanted our church to look and feel like. This is just the first go around but I thought you'd like to see the list. We'll be adding and clarifying as we progress.
  • Worship alive and relevant
  • An open and inviting environment
  • Welcoming (sincere and friendly)
  • Youth are welcome and are in a safe place - seeking a healthy environment
  • The pastor is real (authentic) preaching the word in a relevant way
  • Growth in maturity as Christians
  • Lives are changing
  • A place where Christians are caring for each other and those coming in and those around us in the world
  • Emotionally and spiritually healthy
  • People surrendering their lives to Christ and his Lordship
A complete list? Not yet. What do you want the church to look, feel, taste, smell, sound like? Give me your thoughts, clarifications and additions.

Peace,
Arden
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2009 at 7:36 PM

    Looks like the same list I've seen for years.

    Are we looking to make church relevant for believers or non-believers?
    Is our focus inward or outward?

    Who decides what is relevant/important vs what is outdated/non-essential?

    ReplyDelete

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