be refreshed

Even though we may be sitting in a crowd, we can still feel alone. Even though our holiday season may be filled with parties and business, we may still feel isolated. It was interesting in our Monday night Bible study this week we looked at Acts 3. In it, the passage says a guy was placed outside the temple everyday to beg. This brought to mind that he probably saw Jesus walk by a few times, in the past months and years. But on this day he was healed by Peter. God had waited until this day to heal him. God Himself, in Jesus, saw this man, but waited to heal him until the Holy Spirit healed him that day, via Peter.

God's timing can be funny. Sometimes our seasons feel dry, and we wonder when we'll drink again. Other times He blesses us with rich times of refreshing. We had a great discussion about His timing on Monday. I was struck by God's timing to heal this man in this passage. After this healing, a crowd gathered, and Peter explained things to them. And in 3:19, with the fully restored, healed man clinging to John and Peter out of joy, Peter says "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord..." The NASB says, "...in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord..." The
Message, "Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you..." While the restored man before them, Peter speaks of allowing God to refresh them. If you've been in a desert, remember God is a God of refreshing. His timing is funny, but He is a God who WILL bring refreshing, restoration, and healing. I pray that He will bless you this week w/ at least a taste of that refreshment, and I hope that you will be be immersed in His presence and encouragement.

prayer

FYI - I've posted the December prayer letter in the prayer section of the blog. I invite you to check it out.

calgary

A couple weeks back I went to a church planting conference in Calgary. It was a week long thing, but I feel like I could have left after the first afternoon. One of my favorite authors, Michael Frost, spoke a few different times, and surprised us the first afternoon we were there. He talked about four historic elements of church: worship, community, discipleship, and mission. Each of these, in his mind, are equal, none with a lesser value. In theory they should all have equal play in the church, but he believes that is impossible b/c we are human, and will always allow one to organize the others.

#1:
Worship
/\
Community – Discipleship – Mission

Historically, the church has organized around worship. If you wanted to get plugged into community (small groups, etc.) you found out about it at Sunday worship. The primary vehicle of teaching the faith was the Sunday sermon. And the primary way you reach out to the “lost” was the invite them to the Sunday gathering.

#2:
Community
/\
Worship - Discipleship – Mission

Another option is to allow community to organize the church. Frost stated that this gets played out into a cliquish end, where a close-nit group of friends praise God, learn, and serve the community together, but the inclusion of outsiders or the “lost” is difficult. I would like to hear him explain this one more

#3:
Discipleship
/\
Worship – Community Mission

The next option is to allow discipleship to organize church. His critique here was that the church’s mission becomes to learn, rather than promote kingdom growth. This I found the weakest point of his argument, so again I’d like to hear more.

#4:
Mission
/\
Worship – Community – Discipleship

Lastly, and the one advocated by Frost, is to allow mission to organize church. He states that if the church focuses on mission (bringing and sharing the kingdom of God to the neighborhood) than the others come alive. When after spending times w/ guys at the pub, you finally see a friend open to the gospel of Christ, it causes your community to want to worship. And, if that conversation goes bad, the community is at the feet of the Father pleading again for change. When you head out on a short term mission trip, you return weeping for joy over the connection you had w/ those on the trip (the trip that focused on mission). Community is tightened. And as you confront challenging people and faith questions w/ those at the coffee shop, the community is forced to plunge into scripture together – discipleship.

I’m not saying the other models are bad, but I found the argument for a mission-organized church to be very convincing. We are young enough in are development to reinvent anything w/ the church plant. So his brief and simple presentation was very thought provoking. I am excited to dialog w/ you all about this, as we continue to articulate God’s call on our life.

partnering w/ mosaic

K8 and I have found a local church home in Bellingham at Mosaic (http://mosaicnw.com/). They match our vision for living out our faith, emphasizing community, growing in Christ, and service. We have also made a decision to partner w/ them in launching the new church. My hope is that we will be able to deepen our relationships there, and that God would lay on people's hearts to join us for a season. We consider ourselves to be a part of their family, and are excited to see how God has grown their church, both numerically and in faith.

Part of Mosaic's numeric growth plays into the their partnership w/ us. Mosaic is currently considering starting a 2nd gathering in the evening. It's intention is two-fold, first: to help Mosaic in maintaining its priority of intimate community, allowing gatherings to remain "not huge" and authentic, and second: to intentionally create space for a new church w/ us, creating a greenhouse for growth. I am very excited for this option, as it services Mosaic, maintains relationship and vision, and gives new leaders, like myself, the opportunity to contribute to community and the Kingdom. This new gathering may start as early as Nov. 22nd.

Here's what Matt from Mosaic said concerning the 2nd gathering:

"MOSAIC IN THE….EVENING? – We are considering a 2nd gathering at Mosaic and would love to hear your thoughts!

"WHY? – Space & New Communities. Have you noticed that often, we are quite full? Believe it or not, growing in numbers has never been our goal. As a matter of fact, numerical growth can work against our desire to see real community rather than just a lot of people attending a church service. But, sometimes growth happens and we are given the responsibility to lead the growth in a way that is consistent with WHO we are called to be as a community. We are called to be a community that attempts to orient our lives around the person and teaching of Jesus and to do this by endeavoring to live five rhythms – Beautify, Listen, Eat, Study & Send (BLESS). You need to know that anything we do will be intentional in these five areas.

"2 Purposes For The Evening – Space & Sending. Not only would the evening provide some space for our community to grow, but we have always believed we are to be a community that multiplies missional faith communities; ie, to live our “SEND” rhythm, not just talk about it. As many of you know, we have been working with our friends and co-workers, Aaron & Kate Walters, toward the establishment of a new missional community in the Happy Valley area. This 2nd gathering would give the Walter’s a great opportunity to get to know more people and to share their heart for Happy Valley.

"SO…We are considering this 2nd gathering being at the Majestic on Sunday evenings around 5pm. We would still share a meal (probably soup, salad, pasta & bread), attempting to get to know each other around the table, while continuing to express our rhythms in our gatherings and in our lives. We will continue to come together for our BEAUTIFY rhythm Sunday’s as well as the times when we gather in homes rather than at the Majestic. It is likely that we would also combine a lot during the summer months.

"PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, we must remain committed to building strong relationships and not just attending a meeting!

"MEETING ATTENDANCE DOES NOT EQUAL “COMMUNITY”!

"Let us know what you think about this possibility and we will keep you informed about intentions to begin gathering in both the morning and the evening. Right now we are considering November 22 – December 13 and then again beginning January 3rd."

my wife the writer

Yesterday in the mail we received a copy of an academic journal. The last article in the journal was written by my wife, K8. It is an abbreviated version of her master thesis, about how women who grow up a Third Culture Kids develop their identity as women. I am so proud of K8. This was a life goal for her, to have her thesis published. And now, it is a reality. I am stoked that more people will be able to benefit from her research, as they discern their futures or present. Very cool, eh? Well done, babe!

how's He working?

Like a good boy, I was reading my Bible this week (the Gospel of Luke in fact), and I got to thinking. In Luke 7, Jesus is at work; He heals someone and raises someone from the dead. Then some disciples of John the Baptist report to John what they are seeing, and John sends them to Jesus to ask if He is the messiah who they have been waiting for. In Luke 7:21, 22, we read, "At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers [John disciples], 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.'" The proof Jesus chooses to report to John's disciples is seen in the results or actions of His ministry.

What got me thinking was this question: How would we answer someone today to show that God is working through what we do? If you are a Christ follower, how would you explain to others that Christ is working in your life, and in your community? What would you say? Answering that question makes me wonder how I am using my time, and how I could use it better. I believe that as we work toward starting a new faith community, God is working through us to draw people out of spiritual and social isolation. Spiritually lonely people are finding fellowship, and the lonely are being visited.

Drawing folks away from isolation is one thing I think He is doing through us here in Bellingham, but I think there is a lot more we can be doing. I don't feel guilty about this, but rather excited to see how He will use us as we continue to step out in faith, for His glory. What would it be like if we all "went for it" a little more, and stepped out of our comfortable relations and situations and gave a hand of compassion and a word of encouragement to those we feel like we "should" be reaching out to? It is cool to think about how God would use us, for His Kingdom.

mercy run

Here's a beautiful piece from Calvin's "Institutes" II.7.7+8. It speaks to God's mercy, in light of humanity's weakness. I found this passage encouraging, because we often try to make things happen to better ourselves or our situation, but by our own efforts we fall short. Despite our imperfections, we find perfection in Christ's grace.

Calvin in this section is speaking of the how the law is a mirror, where we see our deficiencies. He continues in II.7.7 saying, the law "gives a brighter display of the divine goodness... [and]additional sweetness is given to divine grace, which comes to our aid without the law, and additional loveliness to the mercy which confers it, because they proclaim that God is never weary in doing good, and in loading us with new gifts.

[II.7.8] "But while the unrighteousness and condemnation of all are attested by the law, it does not follow (if we make the proper use of it) that we are immediately to give up all hope and rush headlong on despair... The Apostle testifies that the law pronounces its sentence of condemnation in order “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God,” (Rom. 3:19). In another place, however, the same Apostle declares, that “God has concluded them all in unbelief;” not that he might destroy all, or allow all to perish, but that “he might have mercy upon all,” (Rom. 11:32); in other words, that divesting themselves of an absurd opinion of their own virtue, they may perceive how they are wholly dependent on the hand of God; that feeling how naked and destitute they are, they may take refuge in his mercy, rely upon it, and cover themselves up entirely with it; renouncing all righteousness and merit, and clinging to mercy alone, as offered in Christ to all who long and look for it in true faith."

armor

A couple weeks ago I was invited to give an update on the church plant in a local church (Hope in Christ). Pastor Scott was preaching on Ephesians 6:19, 20. Prior to these verses, the Apostle Paul tells us to put on the armor of God. In preparing for the update I was reflecting on this armor. I believe when Christians hear or read this passage our thoughts automatically go toward defense, which begs the question: "Who are we defending against?" Some would say the devil or the world, which is true to a point. What happens is we put on this armor w/ a posture of defending ourselves against outsiders, we become xenophobic. We begin to build walls against the very people and institutions we are called to serve and love. I was encouraged that Scott's message was not about building up the defenses/staying put, but spreading the love of Christ.

After talking about the armor of God, Paul says in verse 19, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel..." With the armor of God in mind, Paul asks that he could confidently proclaim the love of Christ. He was not staying put or being defensive, but stepping out in love. My prayer for those of us who are believers in Christ, is that we would go, that we would not stay put and fortify the walls, that we would confidently share the hope of Christ w/ those who do not know Him, sharing that God is for us and them not against us or them. We are not called to live in ghettos, but to share our lives and love w/ others, standing in the confidence that we are protected by God.

the run

This weekend we ran our half-marathon. It wasn't really just "our's", as there were 1,600 other people running. We ran in Leavenworth, WA, a beautiful spot. With a clear day, colors starting to come out, and a mountainous backdrop, we felt pretty good about the run. A few of our friends joined us, so it was a sweet time of hanging, running, and QT in the car.

Every time I finish a race it feels great, mostly b/c I can take a breather from training. The end marks the completion of a season of building up, of preparation, and sacrifice. Even though "our" race is over, I still feel I am in such a season. With my work, things are suddenly moving faster. Last week I was a part of starting 2 new small groups, while maintaining our Monday night Bible study. This week I start my 3rd week of working at the coffee house, and will begin mentoring some college guys, while getting ready to begin a couple other monthly groups w/ K8. It is not a season of resting, but building.

The autumn season seems to have this feel for many of us, things are more regular and routine and busy. My prayer for you, and me, is that as this season of building and busyness continues, we would take time to breathe, to rest in the midst of it, to spend a little QT w/ friends and family. My prayer is also that it would be a fruitful time of building, of seeing our savior in the midst of the busyness, to remained focused on what is most important in each moment. I am excited to see what fruit God brings forth as we step out and follow the callings He's placed on our lives. I'm also excited not to run for a couple weeks.

october prayer

Check out our latest prayer letter. Click the "prayer" link to the right to get to it. And, as always let me know how I can be praying for you. Thanks for your support and prayers.

working man

I'm loving the fall so far. I can handle this weather for sure, but I know that it will change. It is a season of transitions. Each of our summer rhythms are changing into new fall rhythms. Along w/ starting new small groups, beginning mentoring college guys, and continuing our Monday Bible study, I've starting working part time at a great neighborhood coffee house, The Firehouse Cafe (http://homepage.mac.com/mattchristman/firehouse/index.html). In my humble opinion, it is by far the best neighborhood hub, gathering neighbors and building community. I'll be working about 20 hours a week, and will see if this is too much this quarter (then adjust if necessary). I'm excited to have already begun meeting folks and develop new relationships. I figure I could knock on 50 doors, or work for a few hours and meet more people in a manner that is more organic, non-intrusive, and natural. I feel very blessed that God opened this door for me. You can pray that He would continue opening relational doors as I build deeper relationships w/ coworkers and regular customers.

lectio divina

While doing a tiny bit of research for a friend I stumbled upon this well worn gem called "lectio divina". It's an old Christian practice that beautifully, and meditatively, brings prayer and scripture reading together. It can be a powerful practice. I was reminded of it again while looking through the book "The Inner Room: A Journey into Lay Monasticism", by Mark Plaiss (2003). I think I may try to incorporate lectio divina into my week, and see how it goes. I invite you to join me, perhaps with reading the Psalms. Let me know how it goes if you do. Here's the excerpt from the book:

Chapter 12: More Prayer
“…Monasticism has a special tradition with scripture. That tradition is known as lectio divina, or holy reading. First and foremost, lectio is prayer. In lectio you do not so much read scripture as heart it with your heart. Lectio is not an academic exercise. In lectio you do not read scripture to decipher theology or prove a point. Lectio is not about knowing God, it is about experiencing God. Lectio is about listening.

Lectio is not a devotional. In a devotional, the person is active, petitioning, praising or beseeching God. The line of action goes from person to God. Lectio is just the opposite; God comes to the person and the person listens.

Lectio divina begins with a deep reverence for the Word. In Bible study, one may mark the text, underlining certain passages or scribbling comments in the margins of the page. That is not the case with lectio. Here, you do not impose your opinions or thoughts on the text.

You do not, however, simply grab a copy of the Bible, flop down in a chair, open the book and begin immediately to plow through Paul. Before entering into lectio, you cut yourself off from where you have been: going to another room of the house, leaving the house and going to church, stepping outside to the quiet of the yard or a park. Having found the appropriate site for prayer, you prepare your mind and soul for prayer. You take some deep breaths; you ask for God’s presence. One such prayer might be, “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love.” Many kneel or light candles as this prayer is prayed. The idea is that you are separating yourself – emotionally, physically, and spiritually – from what you had been doing prior to lectio.

You begin by reading the text slowly, and aloud, if desired. Reading aloud dispels distractions and helps to internalize the words being read. There is something about words rolling off the tongue that gives them more impact. You read until a certain word or phrase strikes a chord. That word or phrase is then repeated over and over, allowing it to seep into the soul. This rumination is the prayer. This is the essence of lectio. The chewing and the gnawing of the Word brings God into the depths of your being.

How much text should be covered in one reading? That is the beauty of lectio. There are no rules, and therefore no pressure, about the amount of text to be read at any one sitting. On time only a single verse may be covered. At another time only half of a verse may be read. Still other times several verses of scripture may be covered. Several months may be required to read an entire book of the Bible. The amount of text covered is never the issue. The issue is allowing whatever is read to be mulled over in the heart, allowing God to enter your being.

Although the amount of text to be covered is never important, consistently practicing lectio is important. Lectio should become a habit. Breaking open the Word should be a regular form of prayer…”

redemption song

I have given up on trying to finish John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion" in a year, but I continue to read and meditate on this great work. Today I finished Book II, Chapter 6, which focuses on Christ as our redeemer. I'd like to share a piece of the this chapter’s final section on the comfort we have in Christ:

“I wish to impress upon my readers... that the first step in piety is, to acknowledge that God is a Father, to defend, govern, and cherish us, until he brings us to the eternal inheritance of his kingdom; that hence it is plain, as we lately observed, there is no saving knowledge of God without Christ, and that, consequently, from the beginning of the world Christ was held forth to all the elect as the object of their faith and confidence. In this sense, Irenæus says, that the Father, who is boundless in himself, is bounded in the Son, because he has accommodated himself to our capacity, lest our minds should be swallowed up by the immensity of his glory (Irenaeus, lib. 4 cap. 8)... the meaning merely is, that God is comprehended in Christ alone."

I love this piece; it causes me to give praise to God, that He is a Father who defends us, sustains us, CHERISHES us, and faithfully brings us the end. He does all of this through His Son, Jesus. I especially love the quote from Irenæus. Knowing that if we as humans, w/ our limited bodies and minds, were to fully engage w/ God’s glory, we would be consumed by His awesomeness. So desiring relationship w/ humanity, God sent Jesus so that we may approach Him safely. It is a beautiful picture of God's grace, His power, and our need for Him.

support

This past week our car broke down. “Big Red” was a little jumpy as we drove around, so I got on the horn and called around. I spoke w/ folks from auto parts store and a couple mechanics, and the common denominator was our “mass airflow sensor.” I looked at our existing one and it was visibly damaged, so I figured it was a sure thing. By the time I figured out that this was probably the problem, the car wasn’t starting at all. Poor Big Red.

It was from this point forward I realized again how blessed we are by the people around us. A friend and neighbor from cohousing drove me to an auto parts store to order a new airflow sensor, which was a fun time of chatting and getting to know her a bit more. The next day, another friend/neighbor drove me back to the store to pick up the part. Again it was a great time of connection. Returning home to our dead car, I installed the new part; and to my dismay Big Red didn’t start! Apparently, my gamble to save a few bucks did not pay off. So figuring I had created enough damage, I resolved to take the car to the shop. But how to get it there? Again, my neighbor came to my aid and said he would tow me to the mechanic, but he didn’t have a tow strap. So we knocked on some doors around cohousing, and another neighbor/friend couple helped out, by cutting us some thick rope for the tow. Thankful, we towed the car to the shop w/ no troubles. Being Saturday, the shop was about to close, and said they could not look at it until Monday. Knowing Sunday was the next day and I had to lead music in Lynden (30 minutes away) that evening, I wondered how we were going to make it there. But, you guessed it; someone else came to our aid. Our good friends from Lynden drove down and hung out w/ us Saturday evening, bringing w/ them a loaner car for us to use. We were able to meet all of our obligations on Sunday as a result of having this loaner car.

The (hopeful) end to our car story came this morning when I received a call from the shop. They said that, in fact, I did install the right part, but neglected to finish the job by connecting a tube that came loose at some point, that I did not notice. I picked up the car, w/ no charge from the mechanic, drove it home (running like a champ – hooray for Big Red), and dropped off the loaner car to our friend’s place of work, here in town.

This whole experience was a bit of a pain in the neck, but made me realize, again, how blessed we are by those around us. In the short time we have lived in WA, we’ve made great friends who have supported us in incredible ways, practically, relationally, and prayerfully. Being on the receiving end of these things makes me resolve, again, to be there for folks who need some help and/or encouragement. Last week I was encouraged by Hebrews 10:23-25. I want to learn from and live out what it says. It reads, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” I would encourage you this season to join me, and think about how you can live these words out. He has blessed us richly in many ways; so, let us be a blessing, in His name.

looking ahead

As the rain comes down a bit today, I’m reminded that fall is not too far away. Fall is a great time to start things, find our life rhythms again, and to again connect w/ our communities on a more regular basis. With these aspects of fall in mind, I am looking, daydreaming ahead and planning.

In the fall I’d love to find new expressions of our life and church rhythms. Those being: to be social, to deepen our spiritual walk in Him, and to live out our faith through service. I hope that as the church plant continues gaining momentum we will actively pursue times w/ each other, to simply hang out and be social, whether it is w/ movies nights, coffee times, the Wii bowling tournament I’ve been daydreaming about, or spontaneous times together. I hope we’ll communally deepen our spiritual walks together. We’re planning on continuing w/ our Monday Bible group, and will meet together to pray and daydream about the future of this ministry. Some of my daydreams include starting a men’s morning group and another small group (maybe focused on prayer and food?). I also hope that we’ll find room to serve our neighbors, neighborhood, and city together, maybe w/ a monthly service project in Happy Valley.

I believe we are all called to live these communal and personal rhythms of being social, deepening our spiritual lives in Him, and living our faith in service. Social, Spiritual, Service: these are aspects of the lifestyle I want to live, and would love to live out w/ you in the church plant. Let me know if any or all of this sounds good to you. We’d love some help in starting these new groups, or for you to simply join us along the way. It is an exciting time, and I am excited for this next season.

encouragement from the trail

In the last couple of weeks I have been very encouraged by my neighbors here at cohousing. We have truly enjoyed all of our neighbors. They have welcomed us in ways I never thought possible. We connected right away w/ one couple here (in fact, before we even moved in). They have since become dear friends, w/ whom we share struggles and joys w/. Just recently, we have gotten to know other neighbors more closely and are building new friendships. A couple weeks ago one neighbor, w/ whom we talk and laugh w/ on a regular basis, out of the blue brought up spiritual matters w/ us, sharing where they've come from and where they're at now. I felt so honored that they would share this aspect of their life w/ us, knowing our vocation and all. These topics of conversation have continued ever since. Then, just this week another neighbor shared awesome words of encouragement w/ us. They said that since we have moved in (3 or so months ago), folks around here have rethought their perceptions of Christians. They've seen how we and our friends have welcomed and been friendly w/ others, how we parent, and how we're not too weird. This perception of us has shattered some people’s old paradigms of a stuffy, overbearing, and legalistic Christian faith. Again I felt so blessed to hear these words. I will tuck them away, and bring them out on a rainy day when I need a boost. I love my neighbors, and pray that we can continue to allow the Holy Spirit to tactfully guide our interactions, for His glory.

prayer

I decided to post all the old prayer letters that I've sent out to interested folks, since November 2008. They show the progression of my thinking and the process of what we're doing. This month's prayer requests are on this coming month's prayer letter. You can access all of them on the prayer link to the left.

friend?

I'm on facebook. I laugh at many of the friends I have there. The term friend is such a broad term on places like myspace and facebook. I am "friends" w/ several folks I don't really know: some kid from elementary school, an old friend's little brother, and someone I was on a week-long trip w/. They are great people, but I don't know them very well and we are “friends”.

With the church plant, I am finding that my main job is to make friends, to meet people. I could send out a facebook announcement or a mass email or advertise in the newspaper and telephone poles, saying a new church is starting and ask folks to check us out. But that seems too impersonal to me. I am in the belief that people desire authentic community. This belief places a high priority on relationship rather than structure. It also calls for a slower process of getting things rolling. Building relationships is slow at times, but foundational. In a culture that bucks authority and institutions, relationships are everything. One comes to a party, b/c they are invited and trust the one inviting them. There is power in relationships and friendship.

It is a power of trust and trusting; and, trust takes time. I believe I am beginning to see that our strategy is starting to pay off. Neighbors, who were once (and maybe still are) suspicious are now bringing up spiritual topics w/ us. I think they trust that we are not going to beat them w/ our Bibles, but journey w/ us as we explore faith w/ them. They are becoming friends in the real sense of the word. My prayer is that trust will grow, faith in Him will grow, and friends will be made.

time to train

Who's up for a small road trip to Leavenworth, WA? Every year this Bavarian town in the mountains hosts a sweet Octoberfest, w/ lots of good beer, lederhosen and sausages. Part of the festivities is a half marathon and marathon. This year K8 and I are going to continue an old tradition and run the half, and then have a beer and brat afterwards (just what every runner wants after a long run). We would love some company on the road. The race is on Oct. 3. All the info is at the website: http://www.leavenworthmarathon.com/

If you're interested in joining us let me know, and we can do some training runs together. For us, our official training starts this Monday, July 27. There are lots of good training plans online, depending on your goals. The one we are using is below. See you on the road?

WEEK=MON-TUES-WED-THURS-FRI----SAT-SUN===TOTAL MILES
1======3----Rest--3------3------Rest---4----Rest==13
2======3----Rest--4------3------Rest---5----Rest==15
3======3----Rest--4------3------Rest---6----Rest==16
4======3----Rest--5------3------Rest---8----Rest==19
5======3----Rest--5------3------Rest---10---Rest==21
6======4----Rest--5------4------Rest---11---Rest==24
7======4----Rest--6------4------Rest---12---Rest==26
8======4----Rest--5------4------Rest---9----Rest==22
9======3----Rest--4------3------Rest---8----Rest==18
10=====3----Rest--3--(Walk 2)--Rest--RACE--x---==21

my amazon order

I didn't realize it until it came, but my amazon.com order probably seemed quite random to the guy who packed it. It contained 2 items. The first is a classic Christian work of theology which has influenced untold numbers of people, Augustine's "City of God." I'm excited to have it on my shelf, and read it in the near future. The second item was a yoga DVD, "Power to the Peaceful." It is a fun workout that we lost a while back. The combo of the 2 seemed a little random, but that's me I guess. I am equally excited for both, but for different reasons. Here's to being who we are.

gigs

After being away for a few days visiting family, I finally feel in back my rhythm of work and ministry. Since being a back, I’ve lead music at my parent church, Bethel CRC, and wrote a proposal for a community development grant through AmeriCorp, among other things.

This week my focus has been prepping for the series of sermons I’m preaching this summer in various churches. I was thinking today about the honor and responsibility of preaching the Word, proclaiming the Good News of Christ. Ephesians 2:4-9 speaks to this: “4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.” I’m stoked to again bring this Good News of God’s grace toward us.

If you’re interested, I’d love to worship w/ you at one of my preaching gigs:
-July 19 - Bethel CRC in Lynden (http://www.bethelcrc.org/) @ 10:30am & 6pm
-July 26 & August 2 – Bridge Community Church in Langley, BC (http://bridgelangley.org/) @ 10:30am
-August 16 - Bethel CRC in Lynden @ 10:30am & 6pm
-August 23 – Mosaic Church in Bellingham (http://www.mosaicnw.com/) @ 10am
-September 13 - Bethel CRC in Lynden @ 10:30am

wonderings on cana

I just got back from being out of town. Early in my trip we were able to attend my cousin's wedding at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of Notre Dame. All the wedding activities were a lot of fun. In a couple weeks I am going to be preaching on John 2:1-11, the passage where Jesus turns water into wine. It took place at a wedding where the wine was running out. This would have been a social disaster for the family, but Jesus saves the day by making some awesome wine. I'm just starting my prep work for the sermon, but I could not help but contrast the text w/ my cousin's wedding. I've read this passage in John 2 many times, but I still don't think I get the whole picture. I wish I could have been there to see Jesus interact w/ other guests. What was He like at this event; what was the event itself like?

Sometimes I wonder if we interpret scripture based off of stoic, dry, sanitized painting of the past. Like this one to the right. Now I'm not an art history person, w/ any knowledge about anything, but this sure seems like a lame party to me, one where no wine is flowing. Is it a wedding feast or a funeral? My question is how we view Jesus today. Do we view Him as a somber guest at a lame party? Do we view Him as a someone distant and quiet? Or do we view Him as something different? I'm not done making conclusion on this passage (and probably never will be), but I think a better picture of Jesus is one where He desires for us to thrive, where we are restored, redeemed, and revived. The making of water into wine can be seen as a picture of turning something ordinary into something worth celebrating. This is a picture of our relationship w/ Him. As regenerates us, He turns our lives of survival into lives that thrive in Him and experience the full range of emotions, includes fun and celebration.

There could have been multiple reasons why they ran out of wine that day: maybe they were poor and didn't have the money to buy enough wine, maybe they had the money but didn't plan well, or maybe folks were simply drinking more than what was planned for (meaning people were having a great time). I think the party was hopping that day. I think Jesus was laughing and celebrating w/ everyone else. I think He saved the day. And I think the best is yet to come. That's the Jesus I see in the passage.

books

K8 and I are heading out this week for a couple weeks off. We’ll be visiting family. My cousin is getting married at Notre Dame, and after a few days there then we’ll go to the Black Hills to hang w/ K8’s family. So we’re packing, which isn’t something I usually put much thought towards. But I have a dilemma, what books do I take w/ me? It’s a toughy. I am currently reading a lot of different things, some personal, some professional, some fun, some not, but all worthy.

So I need to make a decision. It’s a matter of suitcase space and reality (what am I actually going to possibly ready maybe. I usually bring more than I will read). At the moment, none of these books are on my Kindle, surprisingly. So I need to make a decision. I’ll figure it out, but I thought it would be fun to share what I’m reading right now, and maybe someone can give me some insight on which would be better for vacation.

Here they are:
-John Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion” (A classic book of theology, guaranteed to get some “church nerd” jokes from my loved one’s)
-“World Café” by Juanita Brown (A book describing a method of bring community folks together to discuss common interests, community organizing goodness)
-“My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult (an interesting novel, generally read by women, but I’m down)
-My Bible (it’s the good book after all)
-“Exiles” by Michael Frost (a book about living a missionally our culture which doesn’t feel obligated to the Christian faith)
-“Plan B” by me (it’s my half-way done attempt at writing fiction, which I want to finish this summer, but haven’t written on in a few months)
-“The Disappearance of the Universe” by Gary Renard (a Gnostic/”new agey” book I’m reading for a spirituality study group w/ neighbors)

incarnational ministry

In the world of new church development/church planting much is being said about being incarnational versus attractional in one's approach. One way to differentiate the two is to say that incarnational means "going out to the people", while being attractional means "calling the people in". Some do not like these labels, but it makes one think about how the church relates to its neighbors. I'm not going to give any dissertation here on the benefits and costs of each, but I will offer this quote I read this week from "The Tangible Kingdom" by Hugh Halter & Matt Smay. It offers an interesting component of incarnational ministry.

"The incarnational big-story gospel will require a place of discovery, where people will be able to see the truth before they hear about it. This place will not be a location but a community of people who are inclusive of everyone. These people will be making eternity attractive by how they live such selfless lives now, and will be modeling life in a New Kingdom in ways that will make it easy for other people to give it a try. People like this aren’t desperate to convert everyone; they are desperate to be like Christ and to be where Christ is. Their heartbeat to be transformed into the image of Christ, and to pray and work for little specks of transformation in everyone and everything they touch. Success is faithfulness. The rest is up to God."

time

One interesting discovery I've made recently has to do w/ my use of time. There are days when the day is mine and I can do what I wish (hang w/ folks, read, do whatever). Other days, I have competing very valuable things I can to choose from. For instance on Tuesday evenings, there are several beneficial activities I feel I "should" participate in for the good of our ministry. I can go to a running club where I can meet people from the community, I can attend a study group w/ some spiritually-open neighbors, or I can attend a small group from another church. Tuesday evenings represent my week in general.

The question is a philosophical question of my time. With the task of gathering folks together for the church plant, I have a choice of options. Do I focus on meeting folks from the community, who may or may not be spiritually open? Do I focus on spiritually open folks, who do not have a Christian leaning (and maybe do not even want to go there)? Or do I focus on meeting and gathering Christian people to form some sort of core group? What should be my focus of time? Right now my answer is to do all three. But the problem comes on Tuesday night, when they all meet at the same time; I'm forced to make a decision. It becomes a strange balance of being faithful w/ my time and which is best for that week/day. Whatever I decide on the given week/day, it is a challenging decision. It creates another opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit and step out in faith.

the weekly freak out

In the work we find ourselves in we feel very supported by different churches, friends, and family. But usually, about once a week, I have a little freak out. I question what we're doing and how we're doing it, wondering who will join us and how we will sustain the long road ahead. These freak outs are usually drawn from self-imposed pressure to perform. Usually it comes in moments when I think about the performance objectives I place on myself or worrying about how I am going to pull it all together. "Me", "I", and "self", do you see the Aaron-centric perspective in these moments. The freak outs come when I worry about how I will be viewed by others, how I will make it happen, or how I think I am doing. "Me, me, me."

Usually the freak outs end when I go for a walk, and allow the Spirit to again breathe life into me, reflecting on the scriptures, and the truth that God is in control, this is His church, His ministry, His servant. A fellow church planter in Seattle gave me this advice, he said, "Always remember that you are a child of God." Whether the church we start is an awesome success or a horrible failure, I am His child. Whatever happens, I am His. I think it is healthy to have the weekly freak out; it keeps me humble and rooted in the One who has called us. I would prefer however to grow in maintaining a God-centered perspective in life, rather than drifting toward that Aaron-centric perspective which results in the freak out. My prayer is that we will all grow in our knowledge that we are His, that we are under His blanket of love, and that we live only under His grace.

a good reminder

I found this piece of truth from John Calvin's "Institutes" an encouragement yesterday. To remember that we are in God's hand, and to recognize this grace and release ourselves to it is a comfort, even in the midst of crazy weeks and seasons. This nugget comes from II.2.11 of the Institutes:

"I have always been exceedingly delighted with the words of Chrysostom, 'The foundation of our philosophy is humility;' and still more with those of Augustine, 'As the orator, when asked, What is the first precept in eloquence? answered, Delivery: What is the second? Delivery: What the third? Delivery: so, if you ask me in regard to the precepts of the Christian Religion, I will answer, first, second, and third, Humility.' By humility he means not when a man, with a consciousness of some virtue, refrains from pride, but when he truly feels that he has no refuge but in humility. This is clear from another passage, 'Let no man,' says he, 'flatter himself: of himself he is a devil: his happiness he owes entirely to God. What have you of your own but sin? Take your sin which is your own; for righteousness is of God.'"

day dreaming

"People don't come to church for preachments, of course, but to daydream about God" (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr). On Friday, we gathered some folks in our home to daydream about church. The folks who came have supported us in the church plant endeavor in one way or another, and I invited them to come and support us again as we begin to put words to our thoughts on church. I asked the crew what they value in their current church or what they would love to see in church. I was surprised when nearly everyone expressed the importance of community. Using different words, they expressed that church is/should be a place where one feels supported and can support others, where one is known, where one feels relationally safe, where one is a part of something greater than themselves, and where one is not just one, but one together w/ others... church is/should be an authentic community.

I believe we all long for authentic community, the place described by the group Friday. I love the idea of living a life w/ others where we are: 1) intentionally growing inwards (creating safe, fun places where we grow socially together and others feel the warmth of Christ), 2) intentionally growing upwards (growing in our faith and knowledge of our creator together), and 3) intentionally growing outwards (discovering and experimenting how we can live our faith in Jesus out in our neighborhoods, serving others). I love the idea of living a congruent life w/ others where these 3 rhythms of life inform each other. I believe others will be attracted to such congruency, and God will use it to draw folks to Himself. My prayer is our daydreams about God and church will continue to find words and feet and we move forward together.

room to breathe

I just finished a book entitled "How We Decide", by Jonah Lehrer. The title says it all; it’s a book about how our brains make decisions. Traditionally, it was thought that purely relying on our rational mind, w/ as little emotion as possible, was best. But, the author asserts that using all facets of our minds (both reason and feeling), in a balanced manner produces the best results. Not only that, but knowing when to step back and think, and when to follow your hunch, and being aware enough to know when to employ each. It was a fascinating read, w/ lots of interesting examples and research. One study explained in the book kept jiggling in my head after I read it. Here’s the excerpt from the book:

“Consider this experiment. You're sitting in a bare room, with just a table and a chair. A scientist in a white lab coat walks in and says that he's conducting a study of long-term memory. The scientist gives you a seven-digit number to remember and asks you to walk down the hall to the room where your memory will be tested. On the way to the testing room, you pass a refreshment table for subjects taking part in the experiment. You are given a choice between a decadent slice of German chocolate cake and a bowl of fruit salad. What do you choose? Now let's replay the experiment. You are sitting in the same room. The same scientist gives you the same explanation. The only difference is that instead of being asked to remember a seven-digit number, you are given only two numbers, a far easier mental task. You then walk down the hall and are given the same choice between cake and fruit. You probably don't think the number of digits will affect your choice; if you choose the chocolate cake, it is because you want cake. But you'd be wrong. The scientist who explained the experiment was lying; this isn't a study of long-term memory, it's a study of self-control. When the results from the two different memory groups were tallied, the scientists observed a striking shift in behavior. Fifty-nine percent of people trying to remember seven digits chose the cake, compared to only 37 percent of the two-digit subjects. Distracting the brain with a challenging memory task made a person much more likely to give in to temptation and choose the calorie-dense dessert… The subjects' self-control was overwhelmed by five extra numbers.”

What I found so interesting about this study was how it related to another book I read a few years back, "Margin" by Richard Swenson. In "Margin", Swenson asserts that we live a marginless existence, where our time is maxed out, finances are constantly stretched, and, as a result, our relationships are on the back burner. He advocates the act of simplifying our lives, allowing for more margin; margin to give to others from our time and wealth, and margin to be present w/ others doing the things we love.

The parallel from the study from "How We Decide" w/ the choices in refreshments and living w/ margin seemed obvious. When we max out our lives, financially, mentally, and relationally, we end up living a life we will wish we did different. We make lifestyle choices that we may regret, ranging from an unhealthy diet to having a distant relationship w/ our family. In John 10:10, Christ tells us, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” He came to give us not only a life, but a rich life. I believe many of the values we hold in North America are not helping us live the full lives Jesus desires for us. I believe this fuller life He desires for us is a life that allows us room to breathe, room to observe what God is doing around us (and praise Him for it), room to jump on board w/ what He is doing, and room to engage those around us who are both joy-filled and full of grief.

I don’t want to be overwhelmed by 5 extra numbers, or five things that will take me away from being present w/ others or would blur my vision of the God who is constantly present w/ us. I’m not advocating that we quit our jobs or blow off responsibility; I am, however advocating that we chill out a bit, take a deep breath, and consider how we can engage ourselves in the things that have greater purpose, and perhaps trim the unnecessary things that may slow us down from loving God, and loving others.

stamps

Come May 11th the cost to mail a letter will go up by 2 cents in the States. I thought this would be an easy and inexpensive way to bless my neighbors. Most of us still use snail mail, and it stinks when we’re caught on the increase. So next week I’m going to pass out envelops w/ some 2-cent stamps in them and my card.

As we are about to start our new church I find myself daydreaming about this community to-be. My hope is to live life w/ a community of people who share common lifestyle desires. 3 characteristics of my desired lifestyle include: 1) Hanging out together (over meals and/or drinks, and participating in what’s already happening (like the running club in the previous post), 2) Growing together in Christ (through reading the Bible, praying, worshipping, and eating), and 3) blessing our neighbors together (whether it’s regular service to others, or random things like giving away stamps. In these 3 things the common thread is authentic community w/ friends and God. If any or all of these aspects seem cool to you let me know. Jesus told us that the 2 most important things is to love God and love others; my prayer is that this will be the lifestyle I live and our new church focuses on.

i'm proud of my wife

I'm proud of my wife. Yesterday, we received news that a refined version of her master's thesis is going to published in an special edition of an academic journal called, "Mental Health, Religion, and Culture" (http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/carfax/13674676.html). We don't know when it will be in print, but we know she got in. Her research revolved around how women develop their identity as women, when they grow up in cultures that are not their home culture. These people are often called "Third Culture Kids," and include children of missionaries, international business people, and overseas military personnel. My prayer is that her research will help folks understand their upbringing and further empower them to be all they can be. Kate, my wife, worked very hard on this, and deserves this recognition. Getting research published was a goal she never thought she would accomplish... but she did it! She's smart and beautiful. Well done Kate; I'm very proud of all you do!

the run

This week I went to my 1st community run w/ Fairhaven Runners, a running store near our home. Every Tues. @ 6pm they have an “all paces run.” I thought it would be a great way to meet folks and make a community connection. I enjoy running, so it seemed like a natural fit. It was a cool time. I can tell that people know each other. They were very welcoming.

I ended up running w/ the group that was a bit above me, but it was a good challenge. I would never run at that pace by myself, but w/ the group I was able to keep up. Synergy, I guess. When we run together we are able to encourage each other along. In the case w/ this running group, they did not verbally push each other on. I was encouraged simply by their presence. I was thinking this is similar to our lives as well. I believe we are able to do more, and do it better, when we are in community. To be surrounded by folks who share the same rhythms of life offers support, accountability, friendship, and resources. As I think about the church we plan to start, the picture of group running together fits. Together we had purpose and synergy. My prayer is that we will run better together.

coming together

Tis the season to come together. I've been thinking about the strategy, vision, and values I hope the new church will have. As I do so, it feels a bit artificial (not my feelings or the ideas that are coming forth, but the process). These things (strategy, vision, and values) are things that we put a lot of work into, and then often put them on the shelf and forget about them. The process at times seems to place a higher priority on the process itself, rather than the people and their relationships (when it should be reversed). So I guess I am questioning the process, while at the same time acknowledging its value.

My hopes for the church revolve around developing a way of life together that is rooted in authentic relationship - relationship w/ God and w/ each other. I desire to find a common rhythm (to borrow a term from Mosaic - http://mosaicnw.com/ ) or rhythms together, w/ those 2 relationships at the center, that welcomes others, that's informed and growing in our walk w/ God, and that looks outward and serves others. As we begin to come together in different ways, I hope we'll come together in one of 3 ways: hanging out together, growing in Christ together, or serving others together. These 3 components are 3 elements of a lifestyle that I would like to share w/ others, a common lifestyle the church shares. These 3 lifestyle elements can be our strategy, our vision, and our values. Let me know how you see yourself sharing in this life w/ us.

provision

As we are now over one week in our new place, I have reflected on the blessing of provision. The struggles we’ve wrestled w/ this week have been important, but in the big picture I feel we are very blessed. In this initial season of ministry, we have been blessed by various financial supporters (churches, our denomination, and individuals). We are blessed by all our new friends we’ve met since moving to WA (we entertained 2x this past week, had several friends pop in, and look forward to more of both). We feel blessed that Montana, although reaching new levels of energy and spunk, has had a smooth transition. And I feel blessed to live in Bellingham CoHousing. The space is cozy and inviting; our neighbors have been so friendly and welcoming. I feel blessed by all of these different things.

While thinking about these things today (an awesome sunny day), I was reminded, by my homeboy John Calvin, that although all these blessings come from different people and places, they have the same source. God has blessed through the blessings of others. Here’s a piece of what I read today:

“With regard to inanimate objects again we must hold that though each is possessed of its peculiar properties, yet all of them exert their force only in so far as directed by the immediate hand of God. Hence they are merely instruments, into which God constantly infuses what energy he sees meet, and turns and converts to any purpose at his pleasure. No created object makes a more wonderful or glorious display than the sun. For, besides illuminating the whole world with its brightness, how admirably does it foster and invigorate all animals by its heat, and fertilise the earth by its rays, warming the seeds of grain in its lap, and thereby calling forth the verdant blade! This it supports, increases, and strengthens with additional nurture, till it rises into the stalk; and still feeds it with perpetual moisture, till it comes into flower; and from flower to fruit, which it continues to ripen till it attains maturity. In like manner, by its warmth trees and vines bud, and put forth first their leaves, then their blossom, then their fruit. And the Lord, that he might claim the entire glory of these things as his own, was pleased that light should exist, and that the earth should be replenished with all kinds of herbs and fruits before he made the sun. No pious man, therefore, will make the sun either the necessary or principal cause of those things which existed before the creation of the sun, but only the instrument which God employs, because he so pleases; though he can lay it aside, and act equally well by himself” (Institutes I.16.2)

we're in!

We finally moved to Bellingham! We are excited and a bit disoriented. Moving can be exhausting on numerous levels. My back is feeling a bit fatigued from not lifting w/ the legs, but it is basically “back” to normal (bad pun). We felt so blessed to have had so many people help us load and unload the truck. Thanks to those who helped. Emotionally moving is also challenging. I don’t enjoy living in chaos, but we are getting that figuring out too. I will be glad when I don’t have to think too hard where things are. K8 has been awesome w/ the move, making things work in a smaller place. Montana has also been awesome. We wondered how she would adjust to a new environment, but she has made some new friends and discovered many new exciting places to play. Our new neighbors have welcomed us so warmly, w/ helping us unload, w/ food, and greetings. We’re excited to get to know them all better.

Now that we’re here and roughly moved in, the task becomes gaining a strategy for the church plant. I’ve been intrigued by how Jesus built into His disciples. He called them from where they were at in Luke 5-6, then He built into them in Luke 7-8, and then in Luke 9 He sent them out to serve. Calling, building, sending, I like these things in regard to how we might do church, although the language could be contextualized. These are things we can be doing both now and 5 years from now. I like the idea of trying to focus on these things concurrently. We can be hanging out w/ folks, whether that means joining book clubs and running clubs, or watching movies and eating in our home. We can be looking into God’s word w/ people, or praying together. And, we can begin serving our neighbors and neighborhood in practical ways w/ others. It seems simple. Maybe I’m naïve, but I’m going to start w/ those 3 things as we get to know people around us in our new neighborhood and town. I’m sure it will get chiseled as we continue the journey, and discern w/ others. Let me know if you are interested in walking this journey w/ us.

creation points us to the creator

Before moving on from his discussion on the creation of the world, Calvin expresses how the sovereign work of creation can speak to humanity. He says in I.14.22:

"...To conclude, in one word; as often as we call God the Creator of heaven and earth, let us remember that the distribution of all the things which he created are in his hand and power, but that we are his sons [and daughters], whom he has undertaken to nourish and bring up in allegiance to him, that we may expect the substance of all good from him alone, and have full hope that he will never suffer us to be in want of things necessary to salvation, so as to leave us dependent on some other source; that in everything we desire we may address our prayers to him, and, in every benefit we receive, acknowledge his hand, and give him thanks; that thus allured by his great goodness and beneficence, we may study with our whole heart to love and serve him."

He, the creator God, richly provides for us, via His creation. He made sure our world was ready for our arrival before He placed us in it. This causes me to think of the imperative we have therefore to care for His creation, as good stewards, promoting justice and compassion to our world and neighbors. It also causes me to come to the same conclusion as "our boy" Calvin states above, that in a like manner we can have great confidence in knowing that God will provide for our needs, both spiritual and physical. He is good; the good earth He created points us to His goodness, His love, His compassion.

us

Now that we've figured out where God wants us for this next season, I'm readjusting my mind to a new chapter. Perhaps the title of this next chapter could be something like, "Discovering Who We Are" (I'll try to think of something witty later). Ideas of mission, vision, and values are floating here and there. I've read lengthy statements for each... and it is too much. I'm discovering these types of statements have value, but are not expressed in the language I speak. Realizing we are on a journey, I like the idea that our values should be our vision, and our vision should be the values we strive for; simple, they are one in the same. The image of this "conversation" or "story" resonates much more to me than a canned "process" of strategic planning. So I am trying to find a language that speaks to our story, yet also captures the value of the process of vision casting.

It is a work in progress, but I cannot shake the story of Christ. He called and loved folks where they were at; He built them up in His love; He then sent them out to love and serve others, where they were at. This was all done in the context of community, drawing folks from isolation and into a family. So how does this story translate as I daydream about our future chapters? How does the story of Christ translate in our language today?

It is a work in progress, but I like the idea that we would follow His lead and hang out w/ people where they are at, having fun doing the things we commonly share (in playing, watching movies, discussing ideas and daydreams, over a good meal, good coffee, or a good beer). I like the idea of following His lead, coming together to build each other up in His love for Him and each other (through prayer, study of His word, eating together, worship). I like the idea of following His lead as we together express our love for Him, His creation, and His people through serving those around us, w/ no strings attached (in our neighborhood, w/ our neighbors, as we creatively influence our neighborhood for common good). I like the idea of having those 3 elements (hanging out, growing, and serving) define who we are, how we live, and what we strive for. Maybe it is too simple, but simplicity is my preference. It is a story that is a work in progress, and I invite you to join our conversation.