One of the beauties of Missio Lux is the way that everyone knows they are important and valued, and they aren't dependent on me as the pastor to make sure things happen!
My passion has been for the Body of Christ almost since the day I decided to make following Jesus my highest priority. I believe that Paul illustrated it well in 1st Corinthians 12 when he said that "we aren't all eyes, or feet or ears, are we?" (loose interpretation!)
I was in Hawaii having a marriage enrichment week with my husband Bill last week, and will be gone again this weekend for a family wedding. Not great timing to have both "leavings" so close together, but it is good for Missio Lux because they are taking great initiative!
Sunday, the first Sunday of the month, when we usually do our monthly Celebrations, one missio community decided they wanted to gather all of Missio Lux together, despite the fact that we didn't have a celebration planned because of Easter the following weekend. So, they have planned it, publicized it and will set up, carry it out and make it happen! This is a huge step forward for Missio Lux and I am celebrating it.
Last week our missio community, which usually meets are our house, met in a different location and planned a fun night of games and connections. One missio community member has experienced a death in the family and the community is reaching out to support them. This is the Body of Christ in action and I know that Jesus is delighted to see his body moving and breathing and sharing life with one another.
I will keep you posted about this weekend as the Body of Christ gathers with their true head, Jesus! I am just one of those feet......
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Invitation to Banquet Together, Part 2
Have you ever given a party to which no one came?
There are few situations in life that are more disappointing than putting a lot of thought, time, energy and anticipation into hosting a party or an event, only to have very few or no one show up, leaving us with an empty table.
Jesus speaks to this reality in the second parable he tells about the Banquet. In the first parable, there were so many guests that they were jockeying for position, but in the second one, the table was empty and the host was incensed.
In Jesus’ day, two invitations were given.
The first was the initial invitation and then a second one would come much closer to the actual event. So, those that were invited must have indicated in the beginning that they would be there, but when the servant came and said that everything was ready, they all began to make excuses. Their excuses included work, possessions and family which sounds a lot like what consumes much of our time and attention today.
When only excuses came instead of guests, the host told his servant: “Go out into the street and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” This is the exact same wording as the previous parable in Luke 14. When the servant did that, he came back and said that “there’s still room at the table.” The host then told his servant to go into the highways and along the hedges and compel them to come as well because I want my table to be filled.”
Jesus wants his table filled this Easter when we celebrate his resurrection at Occidental Square.
He wants to know, “Will we respond to his invitation, or will we too be distracted by our work, possessions and family?
Living out the Kingdom of God is both a great privilege and responsibility.
The privilege is that the very One who created us wants to have a party with us. He invites us to his banquet table. The responsibility is that he wants us to choose him above everything else, even if the others are important in our lives.
One of the excuses that may come up for one of us is that we feel uncomfortable going to Pioneer Square, wondering if people will be safe at Occidental Square. We wonder if we will have anything in common with people in the Square or those that are going to come from other invitations, as we gather with people from all walks of life.
The Jews who heard Jesus’ parables felt the same when they heard him say that the host wanted to bring even the most hidden people to the banquet. But, one thing that can’t be denied is that Jesus calls us to be light in the world, to go beyond our comfort zone and to go to where those that he created and delights in will be found.
Laurie Bunnel just wrote a paper about the Banquet for seminary. I love what she writes: “In my local church body, the transformational message of the banquet parable is playing out this Easter through leaving our suburban environment to celebrate Christ’s resurrection with many in the inner city who, just as those along the highways and hedges, would not feel welcome or invited to join the festivities at a local church. Our desire is for them to not only know that they are welcome at our celebration but that Jesus is welcoming and desiring their acceptance of his kingdom invitation.
We certainly don’t have it all figured out, but we are moving in the right direction. When a well educated affluent woman from the Eastside of Seattle and a man who has spent decades living on the street sit together on grungy concrete sharing a meal and celebrating the resurrection, not only are the parallels to the challenges Jesus made to table fellowship in his time remarkable, but the glimpse of the coming Kingdom is magnificent.”
There are few situations in life that are more disappointing than putting a lot of thought, time, energy and anticipation into hosting a party or an event, only to have very few or no one show up, leaving us with an empty table.
Jesus speaks to this reality in the second parable he tells about the Banquet. In the first parable, there were so many guests that they were jockeying for position, but in the second one, the table was empty and the host was incensed.
In Jesus’ day, two invitations were given.
The first was the initial invitation and then a second one would come much closer to the actual event. So, those that were invited must have indicated in the beginning that they would be there, but when the servant came and said that everything was ready, they all began to make excuses. Their excuses included work, possessions and family which sounds a lot like what consumes much of our time and attention today.
When only excuses came instead of guests, the host told his servant: “Go out into the street and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” This is the exact same wording as the previous parable in Luke 14. When the servant did that, he came back and said that “there’s still room at the table.” The host then told his servant to go into the highways and along the hedges and compel them to come as well because I want my table to be filled.”
Jesus wants his table filled this Easter when we celebrate his resurrection at Occidental Square.
He wants to know, “Will we respond to his invitation, or will we too be distracted by our work, possessions and family?
Living out the Kingdom of God is both a great privilege and responsibility.
The privilege is that the very One who created us wants to have a party with us. He invites us to his banquet table. The responsibility is that he wants us to choose him above everything else, even if the others are important in our lives.
One of the excuses that may come up for one of us is that we feel uncomfortable going to Pioneer Square, wondering if people will be safe at Occidental Square. We wonder if we will have anything in common with people in the Square or those that are going to come from other invitations, as we gather with people from all walks of life.
The Jews who heard Jesus’ parables felt the same when they heard him say that the host wanted to bring even the most hidden people to the banquet. But, one thing that can’t be denied is that Jesus calls us to be light in the world, to go beyond our comfort zone and to go to where those that he created and delights in will be found.
Laurie Bunnel just wrote a paper about the Banquet for seminary. I love what she writes: “In my local church body, the transformational message of the banquet parable is playing out this Easter through leaving our suburban environment to celebrate Christ’s resurrection with many in the inner city who, just as those along the highways and hedges, would not feel welcome or invited to join the festivities at a local church. Our desire is for them to not only know that they are welcome at our celebration but that Jesus is welcoming and desiring their acceptance of his kingdom invitation.
We certainly don’t have it all figured out, but we are moving in the right direction. When a well educated affluent woman from the Eastside of Seattle and a man who has spent decades living on the street sit together on grungy concrete sharing a meal and celebrating the resurrection, not only are the parallels to the challenges Jesus made to table fellowship in his time remarkable, but the glimpse of the coming Kingdom is magnificent.”
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism, part 3
I've been blogging the past few days about Michael Spencer's article in the Christian Science Monitor entitled: The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism.
After assessing reasons for why he predicts that evangelism will collapse in the next 10 years, and what will be left, he makes the statement: "Evangelicalism doesn't need a bailout (we are all so excited about those these days), it needs a funeral.
But what about what remains? He asks:
Is it a good thing that denominations are largely to become irrelevant?
Only if the networks that replace them are able to marshall resources, training, and vision to the mission field and into planting and equipping churches.
Is it a good thing that many marginal believers will depart?
Possibly, if churches begin and continue the work of renewing serious church membership. We must change the conversation from maintenance of traditional churches to developing new and culturally appropriate ones.
The ascendency of the Charismatic-Pentecostal-influenced worship around the world can be a major positive for the evangelical movement if reformation can reach those churches and if it is joined with the calling, training, and mentoring of leaders. If American churches come under more of the influence of the movement of the Holy Spirit in Africa and Asia, this will be a very good thing.
Will the evangelicalizing of Catholic and Orthodox communions be a good development?
One can hope for greater unity and appreciation, but the history of these developments seems to be more about renewed vigor to "evangelize" Protestantism in the name of unity.
Will the coming collapse get Evangelicals past the pragmatism and shallownemss that has brought about the loss of substance and power? Probably not. He expects the landscape of the megachurch to be around for a very long time.
Will it shake loose the prosperity Gospel from its parasitical place on the evangelical body of Christ? History is not that encouraging.
It doesn't sound too hopeful, does it?
No, if we look at it from our evangelical vantage point. But, when we back up and consider the Bible and recent history, I am anticipatory for some extraodinary days ahead:
The Bible teaches us that when the Holy Spirit came upon the Jesus followers in the upper room waiting for their promise, a revival started that lasted for 300 years. It was only when the powerful, life transforming witness of the Jesus followers became the official religion of the State, that things began to shift for the worse.
We often equate freedom of worship with success. My view of China points to the opposite. When the missionaries were forced out of China because it became illegal, the fire was lit and new believers were born with increasing speed.
When the church is forced into smaller communities, the power of invitation becomes life altaring. Deep friendships are formed, and lives of faith are lit on fire!
When we begin to live with a realization that Jesus taught us to seriously "take up our cross daily and follow him," we understand that we have freedom in our faith, but losing freedom in our culture re-inforces that following Jesus is a faith worth dying for.
The next 10 years is the separation from the Christian era to the post Christian era. We will need to live differently, but Jesus' Church is not going to die. It's going to be refined, purified, brought back to the origins of the basic commands of Jesus and the power behind it, and that, I think is a very good thing!
Spencer ends his article by stating this: "Christianity loves a crumbling empire.
We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born.
I expect to see a vital and growing house church movement. This cannot help but be good for an evangelicalism that has made buildings, number, and paid staff its drugs for half a century. We need new evangelicalism that learns from the past and listens more carefully to what God says about being his people in the midst of a powerful, idolatrous culture."
After reading these blogs and thinking through the implications, I'd love to hear your viewpoints on what you believe will happen in the coming days, and the next 10 years.
After assessing reasons for why he predicts that evangelism will collapse in the next 10 years, and what will be left, he makes the statement: "Evangelicalism doesn't need a bailout (we are all so excited about those these days), it needs a funeral.
But what about what remains? He asks:
Is it a good thing that denominations are largely to become irrelevant?
Only if the networks that replace them are able to marshall resources, training, and vision to the mission field and into planting and equipping churches.
Is it a good thing that many marginal believers will depart?
Possibly, if churches begin and continue the work of renewing serious church membership. We must change the conversation from maintenance of traditional churches to developing new and culturally appropriate ones.
The ascendency of the Charismatic-Pentecostal-influenced worship around the world can be a major positive for the evangelical movement if reformation can reach those churches and if it is joined with the calling, training, and mentoring of leaders. If American churches come under more of the influence of the movement of the Holy Spirit in Africa and Asia, this will be a very good thing.
Will the evangelicalizing of Catholic and Orthodox communions be a good development?
One can hope for greater unity and appreciation, but the history of these developments seems to be more about renewed vigor to "evangelize" Protestantism in the name of unity.
Will the coming collapse get Evangelicals past the pragmatism and shallownemss that has brought about the loss of substance and power? Probably not. He expects the landscape of the megachurch to be around for a very long time.
Will it shake loose the prosperity Gospel from its parasitical place on the evangelical body of Christ? History is not that encouraging.
It doesn't sound too hopeful, does it?
No, if we look at it from our evangelical vantage point. But, when we back up and consider the Bible and recent history, I am anticipatory for some extraodinary days ahead:
The Bible teaches us that when the Holy Spirit came upon the Jesus followers in the upper room waiting for their promise, a revival started that lasted for 300 years. It was only when the powerful, life transforming witness of the Jesus followers became the official religion of the State, that things began to shift for the worse.
We often equate freedom of worship with success. My view of China points to the opposite. When the missionaries were forced out of China because it became illegal, the fire was lit and new believers were born with increasing speed.
When the church is forced into smaller communities, the power of invitation becomes life altaring. Deep friendships are formed, and lives of faith are lit on fire!
When we begin to live with a realization that Jesus taught us to seriously "take up our cross daily and follow him," we understand that we have freedom in our faith, but losing freedom in our culture re-inforces that following Jesus is a faith worth dying for.
The next 10 years is the separation from the Christian era to the post Christian era. We will need to live differently, but Jesus' Church is not going to die. It's going to be refined, purified, brought back to the origins of the basic commands of Jesus and the power behind it, and that, I think is a very good thing!
Spencer ends his article by stating this: "Christianity loves a crumbling empire.
We can rejoice that in the ruins, new forms of Christian vitality and ministry will be born.
I expect to see a vital and growing house church movement. This cannot help but be good for an evangelicalism that has made buildings, number, and paid staff its drugs for half a century. We need new evangelicalism that learns from the past and listens more carefully to what God says about being his people in the midst of a powerful, idolatrous culture."
After reading these blogs and thinking through the implications, I'd love to hear your viewpoints on what you believe will happen in the coming days, and the next 10 years.
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism, part 2
I wrote a couple of days ago about the article written in the Christian Science Monitor by Michael Spencer about the collapse of evangelicalism.
After listing the 7 reasons why he believes it will collapse in the next ten years, he explores what will be left.
Ten years is a stunningly small amount of time. Think about what you were doing 10 years ago, and how fast time has flown by since then. Ten years ago I was starting a ministry in Denver called "The Journey Project" that came alongside Jesus followers to help them discover how God created them, how they were gifted and then to expose them to different areas of service opportunities to use their God-given gifts and passions, along with others who were called to the same passion. What were you doing?
Spencer asks "After evangelicalism collapses, what will be left?"
1. Expect evangelicalism to look more like the pragmatic, therapeutic, church-growth oriented megachurches that have defined success. Emphasis will shift from doctrine to relevance, motivation and personal success, resulting in churches further compromised and weakened in their ability to pass on the faith.
2. Catholic and Orthodox churches will grow.
3. A small band will work hard to rescue the movement from it's demise through theological renewal.
4. The emerging church will largely vanish from the landscape.
5. Agressively evangelistic fundamental churches will begin to disappear.
6. Charismatic-Pentecostal Christianity will become the majority report.
7. Evangelicalism needs a "rescue mission" from the world Christian community. Missionaries will come from Asia and Africa.
8. Expect a fragmented response to the culture war.
I think that Spencer missed some other important outcomes. I see many, and will mention a few:
Denominations will become increasingly irrelevant as loyalty to a denomination is decreasing on a rapid scale. Relational networks will become the joining places.
Church buildings will become increasingly harder for churches to maintain and many will be sold to secular organizations, forcing churches to either close or go smaller to meet in homes and public spaces.
Large staffs will become a thing of the past as churches will be unable to continue to pay salaries.
Professional theologically trained clergy will be replaced by those that are trained through on the job experience, and most likely, have other roles that pay the bills.
Volunterism in the church will be replaced by people discovering how to make a direct impact in the world and find a way to do it.
Families will discover that they are tired of being separated when they walk in a church building and will find ways to live out their faith together.
People will be less likely to call themselves Christian and more likely to combine aspects of different faiths together, what I like to call "design a faith."
Less and less people will know how to read the Bible or understand it's relevance for life in the 21st century.
Depressed or optimistic? Stay tuned for another day.
After listing the 7 reasons why he believes it will collapse in the next ten years, he explores what will be left.
Ten years is a stunningly small amount of time. Think about what you were doing 10 years ago, and how fast time has flown by since then. Ten years ago I was starting a ministry in Denver called "The Journey Project" that came alongside Jesus followers to help them discover how God created them, how they were gifted and then to expose them to different areas of service opportunities to use their God-given gifts and passions, along with others who were called to the same passion. What were you doing?
Spencer asks "After evangelicalism collapses, what will be left?"
1. Expect evangelicalism to look more like the pragmatic, therapeutic, church-growth oriented megachurches that have defined success. Emphasis will shift from doctrine to relevance, motivation and personal success, resulting in churches further compromised and weakened in their ability to pass on the faith.
2. Catholic and Orthodox churches will grow.
3. A small band will work hard to rescue the movement from it's demise through theological renewal.
4. The emerging church will largely vanish from the landscape.
5. Agressively evangelistic fundamental churches will begin to disappear.
6. Charismatic-Pentecostal Christianity will become the majority report.
7. Evangelicalism needs a "rescue mission" from the world Christian community. Missionaries will come from Asia and Africa.
8. Expect a fragmented response to the culture war.
I think that Spencer missed some other important outcomes. I see many, and will mention a few:
Denominations will become increasingly irrelevant as loyalty to a denomination is decreasing on a rapid scale. Relational networks will become the joining places.
Church buildings will become increasingly harder for churches to maintain and many will be sold to secular organizations, forcing churches to either close or go smaller to meet in homes and public spaces.
Large staffs will become a thing of the past as churches will be unable to continue to pay salaries.
Professional theologically trained clergy will be replaced by those that are trained through on the job experience, and most likely, have other roles that pay the bills.
Volunterism in the church will be replaced by people discovering how to make a direct impact in the world and find a way to do it.
Families will discover that they are tired of being separated when they walk in a church building and will find ways to live out their faith together.
People will be less likely to call themselves Christian and more likely to combine aspects of different faiths together, what I like to call "design a faith."
Less and less people will know how to read the Bible or understand it's relevance for life in the 21st century.
Depressed or optimistic? Stay tuned for another day.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Coming Collapse of Evangelicalism, part 1
I got an article forwarded to me a few days ago that I have been pondering. It feels very timely and very important.
It starts out with this statement in very bold print: "An anti-Christian chapter in Western history is about to begin. But out of the ruins, a new vitality and integrity will rise."
Michael Spencer begins "We are on the verge, within 10 years, of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioation of the mainline Protestmant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West."
He continues: "Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline. I am convinced the grace and mission of God will reach to the ends of the earth. But, the end of evangelicalism as we know it is close."
I agree with this statement, although my heart wants to say no. I have wonderful memories from my life of faith in an evangelical Church. I enjoyed ministering in several evangelical churches. But, the signs are too real and present to be ignored.
The writer lists several reasons for why he believes that evangelicalism will collapse:
1. Evangelicals identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism.
2. We failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught.
3. Three kinds of evangelical churches exist today: consumer driven megachurches, dying churches and new churches whose future is fragile.
4. Christian education has not produced a product that can withstand the rising tide of secularism.
5. The confrontation between cultural secularism and the faith at the core of evangelical efforts to "do good" is rapidly approaching.
6. We have not passed onto our children a vital confidence in the Bible and the importance of a life of faith.
7. The money will dry up.
Any one of these 7 reasons are important enough to suspect that we are on the wrong track. The past few months have been boggling for the first and seventh reason: the culture war that evangelicals have fought have left cynicism and even bitterness behind in a good part of the US. I live in the Northwest and some of the pre-election discussions I was part of were absolutely steamy in the anger released toward the Christian right. Spencer writes "We fell for a trap of believing in a cause more than a faith."
The economy is on a huge decline, and that in itself is serious. But, I believe there is an even bigger reason that the money is drying up. The giving patterns of Christians are taking a giantic right turn. People are less and less likely or willing to give to a church budget or even to an organization where they have little say for how the money is spent.
If you take the second and fourth reasons, how we have fared at passing on our faith to our youth and children, the situation gets even more serious. If they have no roots, and very little loyalty, to a church, a denomination, or even a ministry, they will not give money. They are motivated by story: and will give to a compelling story where they have personal investment.
So, if the ship is sinking, what do we do?
I believe that we must go back to our roots: where our faith began. It began with a man named Jesus, who loved the world so much that he was willing to become human to show us who God is. When I talk about Jesus, people listen. They are open to him, it's the Church that they say no to.
We need to find different forms of worshipping. As we move away from the building and invite people into homes, practicing the "Shalom Hospitality" that the Bible teaches us, people begin to thaw and their spirits open to the God who Created them.
We need to be present in the world. But, we need to do this quietly and without fanfare. As we live out the Kingdom of God is here now, we do the things that Jesus himself did. We can pray, heal, we can deliver, we can be present where God directs us to be his light in a world that seems dark.
We need to free up funds. We need to stop guilting people into giving and find ways to free them up to respond where their hearts direct them. As we give people ownership of their giving and let God lead them to where he is showing his need, pocketbooks open, checks are written, and the world is helped.
I don't have all the answers. I just know that I am glad that I am part of Missio Lux. I believe that our structure is allowing us to move differently and people's lives are being changed. I am able to have conversations with so many more people now that I am not on staff of a big church.
What are your thoughts?
taken from Christian Science Monitor: March 10, 2009 by Michael Spencer
It starts out with this statement in very bold print: "An anti-Christian chapter in Western history is about to begin. But out of the ruins, a new vitality and integrity will rise."
Michael Spencer begins "We are on the verge, within 10 years, of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity. This breakdown will follow the deterioation of the mainline Protestmant world and it will fundamentally alter the religious and cultural environment in the West."
He continues: "Millions of Evangelicals will quit. Thousands of ministries will end. Christian media will be reduced, if not eliminated. Many Christian schools will go into rapid decline. I am convinced the grace and mission of God will reach to the ends of the earth. But, the end of evangelicalism as we know it is close."
I agree with this statement, although my heart wants to say no. I have wonderful memories from my life of faith in an evangelical Church. I enjoyed ministering in several evangelical churches. But, the signs are too real and present to be ignored.
The writer lists several reasons for why he believes that evangelicalism will collapse:
1. Evangelicals identified their movement with the culture war and with political conservatism.
2. We failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught.
3. Three kinds of evangelical churches exist today: consumer driven megachurches, dying churches and new churches whose future is fragile.
4. Christian education has not produced a product that can withstand the rising tide of secularism.
5. The confrontation between cultural secularism and the faith at the core of evangelical efforts to "do good" is rapidly approaching.
6. We have not passed onto our children a vital confidence in the Bible and the importance of a life of faith.
7. The money will dry up.
Any one of these 7 reasons are important enough to suspect that we are on the wrong track. The past few months have been boggling for the first and seventh reason: the culture war that evangelicals have fought have left cynicism and even bitterness behind in a good part of the US. I live in the Northwest and some of the pre-election discussions I was part of were absolutely steamy in the anger released toward the Christian right. Spencer writes "We fell for a trap of believing in a cause more than a faith."
The economy is on a huge decline, and that in itself is serious. But, I believe there is an even bigger reason that the money is drying up. The giving patterns of Christians are taking a giantic right turn. People are less and less likely or willing to give to a church budget or even to an organization where they have little say for how the money is spent.
If you take the second and fourth reasons, how we have fared at passing on our faith to our youth and children, the situation gets even more serious. If they have no roots, and very little loyalty, to a church, a denomination, or even a ministry, they will not give money. They are motivated by story: and will give to a compelling story where they have personal investment.
So, if the ship is sinking, what do we do?
I believe that we must go back to our roots: where our faith began. It began with a man named Jesus, who loved the world so much that he was willing to become human to show us who God is. When I talk about Jesus, people listen. They are open to him, it's the Church that they say no to.
We need to find different forms of worshipping. As we move away from the building and invite people into homes, practicing the "Shalom Hospitality" that the Bible teaches us, people begin to thaw and their spirits open to the God who Created them.
We need to be present in the world. But, we need to do this quietly and without fanfare. As we live out the Kingdom of God is here now, we do the things that Jesus himself did. We can pray, heal, we can deliver, we can be present where God directs us to be his light in a world that seems dark.
We need to free up funds. We need to stop guilting people into giving and find ways to free them up to respond where their hearts direct them. As we give people ownership of their giving and let God lead them to where he is showing his need, pocketbooks open, checks are written, and the world is helped.
I don't have all the answers. I just know that I am glad that I am part of Missio Lux. I believe that our structure is allowing us to move differently and people's lives are being changed. I am able to have conversations with so many more people now that I am not on staff of a big church.
What are your thoughts?
taken from Christian Science Monitor: March 10, 2009 by Michael Spencer
Friday, March 20, 2009
Invitation to Banquet Together with People from All Walks of Life
“Invitation to Banquet Together with People from All Walks of Life”
“And they will come from the east and west, and north and south,
and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God” Luke 13:29
Jesus loved to teach in parables. He did this because parables appear to our feelings and stir our emotions; they touch us where we live in daily life! As we read a parable, we should read in such a way that it transforms our relationships, character and action.
Jesus has given Missio Lux a parable to focus on through this season of anticipating Easter. It is found in Luke 14 and it is called “The Parable of the Great Banquet Invitation.” The jist of the parable is that Jesus went to the home of one of the Pharisees, (they are the ones that were usually trying to trip Jesus up in what he says.) He saw the guests jockeying for position. So, he gave them a tip for how we are truly to respond when we are given an invitation; that is to take the place of humility, at the foot of the table. As we humble ourselves, we will be exalted by God.
But, then Jesus did something very interesting. He began to speak about the guests that are invited. This is important because in Jesus’ culture, people dined with others who had equal social status, not above, nor beneath them. His teaching most definitely caused a reaction to those that heard it.
Listen to what Jesus says:
Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
We have the opportunity in Missio Lux this Easter to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind to enjoy a banquet with us. Unlike the past two times that we have gone to Occidental Square and served lunch to the poor and disenfranchised, saving all the food for them, this time we will be eating together, enjoying the banquet that Jesus speaks of in Luke 14. We will also be living out the prophecy from Isaiah that Jesus stated in Luke 13:29 that “We will come from east and west, north and south, and will recline at the table of the Kingdom of God.”
This is the definition of New Testament hospitality.
It literally means “love of a stranger” in Greek. It is a clear sign that both the host and the guest are to sit together and to accept one another and recognize one another as equals.
We are calling the Easter Celebration “A Gathering for People from All Walks of Life” because beyond the poor and disenfranchised, we envision people from different ethnicities, economic status, ages and genders.
As we do this, we are entering into Jesus dream for his Church: where we come together to celebrate our unity in following Jesus rather than staying separated due to our different worship styles, denominations, and geographic locations.
It is our privilege to be a Church without Walls.
This Easter we will be celebrating in a location that has no walls, so that we can extend the open invitation to whomever the Lord wants to bring. Ask Jesus who he has chosen for you to enter into extending an invitation. Stay open, he may surprise you!
Perhaps this is a new thought to you, to go to Occidental Square to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, rather than your normal Easter tradition. I urge you to consider Jesus’ parable and let it transform your relationship, character and actions. As you consider the invitation during the next few weeks, think through the delight you will bring to Jesus as you step out in new ways of living your faith.
“And they will come from the east and west, and north and south,
and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God” Luke 13:29
Jesus loved to teach in parables. He did this because parables appear to our feelings and stir our emotions; they touch us where we live in daily life! As we read a parable, we should read in such a way that it transforms our relationships, character and action.
Jesus has given Missio Lux a parable to focus on through this season of anticipating Easter. It is found in Luke 14 and it is called “The Parable of the Great Banquet Invitation.” The jist of the parable is that Jesus went to the home of one of the Pharisees, (they are the ones that were usually trying to trip Jesus up in what he says.) He saw the guests jockeying for position. So, he gave them a tip for how we are truly to respond when we are given an invitation; that is to take the place of humility, at the foot of the table. As we humble ourselves, we will be exalted by God.
But, then Jesus did something very interesting. He began to speak about the guests that are invited. This is important because in Jesus’ culture, people dined with others who had equal social status, not above, nor beneath them. His teaching most definitely caused a reaction to those that heard it.
Listen to what Jesus says:
Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
We have the opportunity in Missio Lux this Easter to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind to enjoy a banquet with us. Unlike the past two times that we have gone to Occidental Square and served lunch to the poor and disenfranchised, saving all the food for them, this time we will be eating together, enjoying the banquet that Jesus speaks of in Luke 14. We will also be living out the prophecy from Isaiah that Jesus stated in Luke 13:29 that “We will come from east and west, north and south, and will recline at the table of the Kingdom of God.”
This is the definition of New Testament hospitality.
It literally means “love of a stranger” in Greek. It is a clear sign that both the host and the guest are to sit together and to accept one another and recognize one another as equals.
We are calling the Easter Celebration “A Gathering for People from All Walks of Life” because beyond the poor and disenfranchised, we envision people from different ethnicities, economic status, ages and genders.
As we do this, we are entering into Jesus dream for his Church: where we come together to celebrate our unity in following Jesus rather than staying separated due to our different worship styles, denominations, and geographic locations.
It is our privilege to be a Church without Walls.
This Easter we will be celebrating in a location that has no walls, so that we can extend the open invitation to whomever the Lord wants to bring. Ask Jesus who he has chosen for you to enter into extending an invitation. Stay open, he may surprise you!
Perhaps this is a new thought to you, to go to Occidental Square to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, rather than your normal Easter tradition. I urge you to consider Jesus’ parable and let it transform your relationship, character and actions. As you consider the invitation during the next few weeks, think through the delight you will bring to Jesus as you step out in new ways of living your faith.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Follow Up on Community
I jokingly call my blog the "blog without comments!" I always get excited when I get one because it doesn't happen all that often.
But, there was a big response to my thoughts about community. This is exciting because each person that responded is living it out and is able to speak to the power of being in a healthy, vibrant, living community.
One person wrote that they have been in a community for 32 years~Wow!
They stated that having a covenant that they wrote about their intentions for the community has really made a difference. They also look to each person to bring something that God has shown them through the week to share with one another. And, that they make room to rub up against one another, which means they experience conflict, but they don't run from it, they allow it to refine their relationship, like iron sharpening iron.
This thought that everyone brings something that God shows them through the week is really powerful.
It is a definite transiton from listening to the preacher or the teacher, to one where we each carry a responsibility and a privilege to share the "aha" that we experienced with our Creator that week. As we do this, we see God's movement multiplied and it definitely makes us stronger as a people gathered. It also helps us to connect in deeper ways as our sharing will touch another in meaningful places.
The other vital piece of this is path for community is that it makes us balanced. One person or family doesn't stick out as the ones who have it together or are "mature" but everyone begins to live into that place, recognizing their voice matters just as much as everyone elses.
I've had some people tell me that they really want to hear from someone who is seminary trained. And, yes, some very beneficial things get shared, but if the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who follows Jesus, don't we all have the ability to hear him and then share what we learn?
I dream of missio communities that are committed to one another, despite all the obstacles, including conflict!
I dream of missio communities that run to be together because it is truly the best part of each week.
I dream of missio communities that extend the invitation for others to join them because they know that what they have is just too good to keep to themselves.
I dream of missio communities that have a missio purpose so important that they would rather die than not help make it happen.
I dream of missio communities that will show the world who Jesus is: our Loving Creator who came as a human to show us who God is. Jesus, Immanuel, God moving into our neighborhoods!
But, there was a big response to my thoughts about community. This is exciting because each person that responded is living it out and is able to speak to the power of being in a healthy, vibrant, living community.
One person wrote that they have been in a community for 32 years~Wow!
They stated that having a covenant that they wrote about their intentions for the community has really made a difference. They also look to each person to bring something that God has shown them through the week to share with one another. And, that they make room to rub up against one another, which means they experience conflict, but they don't run from it, they allow it to refine their relationship, like iron sharpening iron.
This thought that everyone brings something that God shows them through the week is really powerful.
It is a definite transiton from listening to the preacher or the teacher, to one where we each carry a responsibility and a privilege to share the "aha" that we experienced with our Creator that week. As we do this, we see God's movement multiplied and it definitely makes us stronger as a people gathered. It also helps us to connect in deeper ways as our sharing will touch another in meaningful places.
The other vital piece of this is path for community is that it makes us balanced. One person or family doesn't stick out as the ones who have it together or are "mature" but everyone begins to live into that place, recognizing their voice matters just as much as everyone elses.
I've had some people tell me that they really want to hear from someone who is seminary trained. And, yes, some very beneficial things get shared, but if the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who follows Jesus, don't we all have the ability to hear him and then share what we learn?
I dream of missio communities that are committed to one another, despite all the obstacles, including conflict!
I dream of missio communities that run to be together because it is truly the best part of each week.
I dream of missio communities that extend the invitation for others to join them because they know that what they have is just too good to keep to themselves.
I dream of missio communities that have a missio purpose so important that they would rather die than not help make it happen.
I dream of missio communities that will show the world who Jesus is: our Loving Creator who came as a human to show us who God is. Jesus, Immanuel, God moving into our neighborhoods!
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