living rhythms

In our journey of church planting, there has been a big emphasis on dreaming/planning/scheming. This continues to be the case, but with a new addition, implementation. After creating, casting, and refining vision for so long, it is strange to put those thoughts into action. Doing so is what makes those rhythms living things that express how God is moving through us.

With our leadership community, the vehicle of the new church is moving. This past month was The Table's first full month of living out our rhythms of hospitality, discipleship, and blessing. We "worshiped" three weeks, served the neighborhood one week, and threw a party the next. It is awesome to see this movement occur. It is not how I guessed it would be, but it is beautiful.

The vision of our rhythms did not begin this way. After reading a book called "Simple Church" by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger, I became convinced that and organization's mission must also be its values and their vision. Too often a the beauty of a mission get bogged down by values and vision that are similar but different, leaving the organization w/ a massive document no one looks at.

So if someone asks what the mission of The Table is I'd say, "To live the HOSPITALITY we see in Jesus, to grow in our DISCIPLESHIP in Him, and to be a BLESSING to those around us, in His name." If someone asks what the values of The Table are I'd say, "To live the HOSPITALITY we see in Jesus, to grow in our DISCIPLESHIP in Him, and to be a BLESSING to those around us, in His name." And if someone asks what the vision of The Table is I'd say, "To live the HOSPITALITY we see in Jesus, to grow in our DISCIPLESHIP in Him, and to be a BLESSING to those around us, in His name." You get the idea.

Now that we have this in our minds as a church, it is cool to see us living it out. As a group we had a party where social lines and circles blurred b/t friends, neighbors, and church folk. To me it was a step of HOSPITALITY. In our worship gatherings and Bible studies, it is awesome to see and hear "iron sharpening iron" (the image of DISCIPLESHIP), as we grow in the likeness of Christ together. And it is cool to leave our 4 walls of comforts and go out and pray for the neighborhood as we pick up trash or visit neighbors in "their territory", and BLESS them on "their terms". It has been awesome to see us implement our rhythms, for His glory. I pray we will continue to grow in these rhythms as we continue follow the lead of Christ.