Seriously, where is everyone? Well, last week I put together a tentative core training plan. Sounds kind of intense, but I don't think it will be. I think it should be a really good time for us to sit down as a community and figure out whats going on in our world, what we believe and what we want to do. I plan on us getting into that next fall, 2009. Obviously projections don't always work out, so I know we will have to adjust it.
Last week I read "Sexual Ethics" by Stan Grenz. It wasn't really a delight to read, but it was good. I think his attitudes can really help us to minister to the homosexual community. I was also thinking I want us to have a really strong singles ministry. I think that is a group that is really under-appreciated by many churches today. One thing I have also been thinking through is a ministry to parents that we try to give them time every month or every couple weeks to be by themselves. I know it is hard these days to get that chance, but I think it would really help strengthen marriages and I think that is something I want us to be about as a church.
Basically, I laid out five major purposes that I think we should have as a church. I know these aren't ground breaking, but I think they are the Biblical purposes for the church. Mission is the main one, all the rest fall under it. By mission I mean helping the world to know Christ and helping the church to know him better. Service, worship, community and discipleship are the other four. I think you can see how they fall under mission but are distinct in their own right. I think most would agree that those should be the main purposes of church. What do you guys think? I want us to try to make everything we do be represented by those things. So, something like a parent's night out ministry could fall under community, because the couple is developing community and the kids and the people watching them are developing community. It could also fall under service because it is a service to the families to have a strong marital bond. Anyway, I could go on but you get it. We can express this in another way, that is just the way I am thinking about it right now, hopefully it evolves some and becomes better. You guys have any thoughts on all that?
We are trying to get together in August. Anyone up for that?
Proverb of the week: "Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3.3
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3 comments:
I guess I have been kind of living under a rock lately. I've been sick for a few weeks and it just knocked me out.
I'm really excited about the time that we will have together as just us the first few months to "train", so to speak. I'm excited about the bonding that we will do in that time and that we will really come together as a family.
So, Erin and I have kinda pegged these friends of ours as people that should come with us to Denver. They are wonderful people and he is an awesome musician. We haven't told them yet that we have decided their future, but I'm not convinced that the fact that he is a musician and that I really hate to think of not having them in my everyday life in a year is a coincidence. So, we're praying, and would ask that you do too, that if God would have them join us in this that He would begin revealing that to them.
In "Blue Like Jazz", there is a part that Donald Miller says that the greatest tool of the devil is not to get Christians into all sorts of evil, but to get us stuck into habit. The Lord has been showing me places in my life where I have been lulled into habit instead of engaging God. So, I have some changes to make and I pray that I will just move myself aside and allow God to work.
I would also love to have a strong singles ministry. Speaking as a single, it really is hard to visit church after church and not find a place where you can really belong and meet people who are in the same stage of life as you are. Either that or the singles ministries you do find are merely meat markets and aren't welcoming to newcomers. I also love the idea of having a parents night out every so often. I really love it.
I feel like there was more I had to say, but it's gone now. Maybe it'll come back later....
I'm good to meet anytime in August... I can't wait to see all of you again!
I think that the singles ministry and the ministry to parents is are awesome ideas. Its hard to believe that the church has a worse divorce rate than anyone else. That is a definite thing that needs to be addressed.
One thing that has stuck in my mind about denver was seeing all the homeless people downtown just hanging out. That to me is a definite community. Those people probably chill all day with each other. So i think that could be a for sure ministry.
In boulder something stuck out to me in a huge way. Just the way you can see how people are seeking spiritual things and how open people were to all things spiritual. That brings people together in a weird way. I can just see us just meeting up in a coffee shop and passing around ideas about God and spirituality. its amazing how the atmosphere creates a community. I have a story to tell about that later. So maybe just finding a local coffee shop we can frequent.
Me and Jessica are really excited about our meeting in august. Is the 16th okay for everyone?
I'm a late bloomer and I am just now reading Blue Like Jazz. Bethany, I just read that part last night!! It really hit me between the eyes too.
God has really been working on us and showing us that we can't wait until we get to Denver to serve. Its hard to feel like you can serve now when you feel called somewhere else later. I don't know if that just made sense.
Tanner and I just decided to help lead the young adults at our church. We have prayed about it and feel that God can really use this to show my traditional church a different way to minister. I feel like this is also a training for Tanner and I, who right now are pretty much the young adult class along with my sister in law and six month old niece. I know God is going to stretch us and show us that we need to be covered in prayer everyday for all things. I'm nervous and worried, but I'm excited.
I guess I say all that to say that a singles/young adult class is an awesome group of people that are definetly overlooked sometimes.
Tanner and I have also noticed a lot of young couples(dating or married) that we feel may not know some foundations of relationships, communication, showing love, or having God in their relationship. As someone who has had that kind of relationship, I feel burdened to encourage or guide other couples to really work on their relationship or teach them how God wants their relationship to be. I feel so many young people are misguided or don't know how to trust the holy spirit with decisions in relationships.
Now I think I've rambled on-this is the first time I've blogged ever so sorry if its a little crazy.
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