Dont Follow Anyone Who Says They Know The Way
Dont follow anyone who says they know the way in this hour, as Joshua said 'we have need of God - we have never been this way before' (comment by Dr Sharon Stone 03)
Great comments coming through.
The wonderful thing about this stuff, is that while someone somewhere is going to produce a book which says A New Model Of Church - A Blueprint For Europe.....it wont be. God will not allow us to reproduce 'model and market' syndrome..or ..... actually....He might, so we need to know that isnt Gods Way.
As Michael says...... 'it will be a story of values and principles', and this time it will have to be values outworked, not held hostage to a set of spoken beliefs where the rubber never hits the road.
The Question WAS.. Where do you Go to church
The Question IS... How are you being Church
The question was... where is your place of worship..... the answer is.... Where Isnt?
I offended a lady last wednesday night, never met her before, had a bubbly smile, looked like a pretty safe person to say 'Hello' to. She did say 'hello' but then 'where do you Go to church', i said I dont Go anywhere, i have some people who i am walking out church with. She said 'but what do you do for worship, how do you worship if you dont go to church - why dont you come here - youll like it' (i avoided statements with the words 'need and like and hole and head').
I said, that while i have sung less songs, i have found myself worshipping as a lifestyle constant more. I like singing songs, but its no longer central to my worship.
She said....." i feel really offended - i feel you are telling me not to sing songs, and im not going to listen to you, ill still be singing songs when i die'. YOU KNOW THE LOOK - ITS IN A MONTY PYTHON SKETCH WHERE THEY HIT EACH OTHER ROUND THE FACE WITH A LARGE WET FISH
Good for her!! I said - " you asked me, im dangerous cause i tell you what i think - but dont listen to me, im not telling you to do anything - im a nobody love'.
How nice - A dependant who probably wont get to grow up - lovely lovely person, but only getting to see just 10% of Gods worldview.
So were meeting up for coffee this week!!!...................... Yeah right - what marvel comic do you read!
Yeah......... So its great. God is getting to build church with us.
FAMILY????
I still think it all boils down to principles of biological family, as there is meant to be 'God Revealed' through that. Families have marriages to one another, they produce children, they get 'grown' , the proof of the pudding... is when they have children of their own, we take a less central role, get to visit, play a part, but less hands on...... and it ALL Spreads Wonderfully Sideways.............. ALSO - IT IS TOTALLY CULTURALLY RELEVANT EVERY TIME, IT IS ALWAYS A NEW SKIN UNTO EACH GENERATION, ACROSS TRIBES AND CULTURES.
posted by al bino at 8:27 am
4 Comments:
A good take on "Doing" vs. "Being".
Instead of "doing" church, we are "being" church. But how that "being" looks will be different, depending on the locallity. i want to be careful here, 'cos there are essentials that can never be compromised.
By "looking different" i mean in context to the local community. Best explained by example; "Being" church will look slightly different in a country-side setting as opposed to a city, urban or suburban setting. While simplistic, i hope you understand the basic idea. Probably could use more definition, but there is the danger of it becoming "modelistic".
No matter how "being church" goes to ground, i think the paradigm of "we are all sojourners here" will trump out the "follow me, i know the way" types.
"He has shown you, oh man, what is good; and what the Lord requires of thee?
But to do justly,
and to LOVE MERCY,
and to walk *Humbly* with God."
Oh Lord, we have not been this way before. Please Lord, lead us. We need You now, oh so much more.
7:40 pm
Its just so in us isnt it - to look for someone to lead us and show us the way. I can remember being very drawn to someone who had lots of stories about lots of 'people' encounters. This was so beyond my worldview, i stuck close. Its a funny one, different people sow different things into us. I used to say, you see these apples people have in them and want to bits into it, swallow some seeds and let it grow in you.
Its interesting being a leader, trying to help people 'not' follow me, or anyone else, its so inherant. Its not necessarily bad, but it goes bad, has such potential to get stuck, even affirm borkeness. I guess it should be more desiring to walk with someone else who seems to be passionatately going in the sam direction as you....forwards.
I think i still feel a measure of ease in buying into people, who they are in christ that is worth aspiring to and is a good mirror to reflect our fuller selves back to us, but i dont buy into what they sell these days.
Its funny how relationship dynamics work, how we might go to work, make friends and change jobs, perhaps not continue with those relationships in a meaningful way but make new ones in our new jobs. The trouble with gathering aroudn a vision or a task with people, is when it changes - you can often find the relationships were in immediate relationship to the shared task. But when Jesus is the vision, the context..... it seems easier to stay close to people, even when contexts change.
God - help us find things of substance - people we would take a bullet for - jesus realities we would be matryred for.....oooh eck!
That reminds me, someone said, 'we perhaps have become too focused on what we woudl be willing to die for and needed to spend a little time adjusting to what we plan to LIVE for.'
amen
9:12 pm
It's been said that relationship is the soil from which revelation grows (or springs forth).
That's what attracted me to Celtic Christianity. They focused on Heaven while keeping their feet planted on earth and their arms linked together in unity.
i like "anamchara", the soul-friend/mentor/Jedi-Master (though some balk at the term "master"; but why should they? Isn't Jesus supposed to be our master? And then again , He calls us friends . . . one of those paradox things)
Anyway, i think the CC's had it right in a lot of ways. Not perfect mind you, but then we need to remember that Jesus uses jars of clay to convey His Glory, His Love and His Message. Another paradox . . . go figure.
All of it's a bit of paradox, which is good 'coz it keeps us dependent on Him. And to each other in a lesser degree.
i've been lurking around the Ransomed Heart website. John Eldredge, author of "Wild at Heart" & "Waking the Dead" has written somethings that have touched myself and others deeply. And part of the paradox he touches on is that we are all called to be heroes, leaders, obi-wans. And yet at the same time humble, vulnerable, approachable and dependent. It's sort of like a kid's game; "Swing me, swing you".
A good example is my beautiful bride and warrior-mate. For the last 5 years i've kind of "rocketed" in prophetic giftings. She had a real problem at first 'coz i was way out there and she was having problems getting off the launch pad. But now, things have plateaued a bit for me, but she is doing about warp 5. And i think that is great! i am actually excited that i will be playing "catch-up' with her!
To be transparent, i confess that there's a part of me that twitches(but hey . . . crucifying the flesh is supposed to be a daily routine).
My point? Wouldn't be great if we could get that going in a larger arena of relationships?
10:29 pm
"By a word I can move a mountain,
my voice can calm the sea.
In the wind, hear me calling;
'Pick up your cross and follow me'."
First part of "Follow"
a song that i'm working on
5:25 pm
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