Last weekend I presented 4 words that are critical for us to understand as the world understands.
Trust
Truth
Tolerance
Brokenness
All of these words are connected. For instance, how can I trust you if I don't believe you are telling me the truth? How can I know you will tolerate me or my lifestyle if I tell you the truth about myself? Can I trust you with the truth about me? How can you possibly understand my brokenness if you don't know me? Can I trust you with my hurt and believe you will hear my heart? Are you willing to love me rather than judge me?
All of these words and questions are critical for us to wrestle through both individually and together. How can we ever hope to reach any level of healthy, missional community unless we're also allowing some uncomfortable self examination?
Here's another quote that keeps rattling around in my brain:
From Pate and Wilkes, "Evangelism Where You Live"
"When a local fellowship of Christ-followers turns inward to perpetuate programs rather than serve in the name of Jesus, it has lost its raison d'etre (reason for being) and is no longer of use for the reason Christ created it. (and a couple of sentences later) Just as the human persona is, it also does, and, so, the church is the "body of Christ," but it also does what Christ has co-missioned with it to accomplish as His Presence in the community."
Have we become so blind? Has our "reason for being" been co-opted by self-service, self-preservation and a selfish permission to both be in and of the world so that we no longer see the church as the body of Christ fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission?
So what does it look like if we are seeking to be "His Presence" in our community? Is it a change of heart or attitude? Will it require us to significantly alter the way we live life? Will we need to eschew the epidemic of busyness in order to truly enter into the lives of others?
I don't know about you, but this is beginning to get messy. Cool.
Let me have it.
Arden
I just met with a new friend to talk about Christ and spirituality over dinner. He feels his all inclusive, "Christ conscious", non dogmatic, respect for all "ascended masters" spirituality is what is going to lead to our advancement as the embodiment of god. It is only because we have created a relationship based on trust, tolerance and the knowledge that we are each coming from a position of love that even allows us to dialogue about Jesus with each other. Without that foundation our conversation would not even have begun because he would have perceived me as some sort of Christian dogmatic attack dog.
ReplyDeleteWe need to authentically love people and build relationships with them so that when we talk of Christ the door to their heart remains open and is not slammed in our face.
I pray, as you talked about in your sermon, that the effort I put into building an authentic relationship with my new friend means the seeds that were planted in his heart are landing on fertile ground and are not choked out by thorns or blown away by the wind.
Wow, this is so cool. I find most people willing to listen to our beliefs if we listen to theirs first. God works in hearts in amazing ways.
ReplyDeleteStay away from Gene Wilkes. He is a false prophet heavily influenced by a woman controlled by a spirit of Jezebel
ReplyDelete