The Guild

I Dream of A Church

2006-06-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Dan Kimball has expressed on his blog the very things that I have been thinking, praying and speaking about lately. That is, what the church should really look like.

His post I Dream of a Church is worth your read.

May we continue to seek what God's desires are for His church, and may we pursue them with all that we are.

I've Been With Jesus

2006-05-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

I love what you said Brian. I've never heard/read/thought of this before. I feel less inclined to take for granted that I am the dwelling place of the Almighty God; more honored and privileged now that I know my history (as a temple).

I had the incredible blessing of meeting a man yesterday in whom Christ was vividly visible. His name is Charles Harvey and he is a missionary in Thailand who Andy, Steve, and Josh met (Steve has written about him on his blog - "Faces at the Feast," March 2, and I think Josh and Andy have too.) Carly, Steve, and Andy also had the privilege of hearing him share with our Thailand team last night. The Spirit was in his words, in his prayers, in the way he interacted with us.

He stayed in our home so I was able to spend a little one on one time with him as well as some time with just he, Andy, and I (no kids, ie. Uninterrupted conversation!). I am not exaggerating when I say this: I feel I have been with Jesus. He was so gracious, so generous in the things he said and the way he said them, so affirming, encouraging, and life-giving. I am more in love with Jesus after being with him. I feel compelled to spend more time with my Lord because of this glimpse I got of Him through this (self-proclaimed) ordinary Irishman.

I long to be like Charles - to be that intimate with Jesus, to bring that much glory to the Father, to have the constant Spirit-giving discernment and energy to minister to so many people. To say "yes" to something always requires that we say "no" to something else. So the question that naturally follows is: What am I willing to sacrifice, to say "no" to, in order to say "yes" to more of Jesus?

Body of Christ

2006-05-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

I am preaching this Sunday on the Body of Christ, the Church. It has been a great study and I look forward to presenting it.

We as the Church are God's representation of Christ on earth today. We must not think of the church as a place, location or building, but rather as people. Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it well when he said, "The Church is nothing but a section of humanity in which Christ has really taken form."

Throughout history God has made Himself known and seen through the indwelling of temples. Today He chooses to indwell us and be made known through us. Philip Yancy in his book, Disappointment with God, put it this way:

"Three temples appear in the Bible, and, taken together, they illustrate a progression: God revealed himself first as Father, then as Son, and finally as Holy Spirit. The first temple was a magnificent structure built by Solomon and rebuilt by Herod. The second was a 'temple' of Jesus' body ('Destroy it,' he said, 'and I will raise it again in three days'). And now a third temple has taken shape, fashioned out of individual human beings."

If we have God's Spirit living within us, then He should be very visible to the world around us. If we, the Church, are the representation of Christ on earth today, we must continually be asking ourselves...How well does the world see Jesus?

New Conversation: The Body of Christ

2006-05-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

Brian Eberly suggested a conversation on the Body of Christ (the Church). Seems fitting for a bunch of followers of Jesus from so many different walks of life to dialogue about. Chime in as you play your part.

Relevant Interview

2006-05-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

My husband made me listen to a podcast today. We were in the car about half an hour away from our destination, and my plans for music were vetoed. He downloads Relevant Magazine's podcasts and listens to them generally on his way to or from work. This time, however, he had just recorded the lastest last night, was looking forward to listening to it, and knew that despite protest, I would enjoy it once I started listening (which I did). The reason I am bringing it up here, is that yesterday's podcast includes a telephone interview with Rob Bell, the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and perhaps more widely known for his "Nooma" series. It was interesting to hear about his church, but more specifically his views on mission. If you would like to check it out, you can find the 05.12.06 podcast at www.relevantmagazine.com. The interview is approximately 18 minutes into the program.

Missional Aha Moment

2006-05-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

I've loved reading everyone's posts. I'm sorry I didn't comment on everyone's. I'm trying to catch up on blogging and just reading them all was an accomplishment.

Almost a year ago I had what I guess I'd call a "missional aha moment." I was transitioning out of a 20-hour per week job at George Fox and was contemplating what my life was going to look like now. I don't remember what I was reading at the time that was influencing me (possibly The Present Future), but I remember being challenged in a church service to pray and ask God who he would have me reach out to.

As I asked God this question, three women came to mind, and I got excited because I knew that I had the space in my life to reach out and develop relationships with these women now that I was going to be home twenty-some hours more than I had been. (These women were moms with young children who were also at home during the day.) A couple months later, I felt God calling me to also develop a friendship with a mom from MOPS.

It hit me, in this missional aha moment, that this was kingdom work God was calling me to and I was pumped about it. I realized it was going to be the slow, hard work of opening up my life and calendar to new friends and making sacrifices in order to be with them or help them in their time of need, and I was still excited about it. (I don't usually get excited about sacrificing...who does?)

The past ten months have been awesome in that God has openend doors for relationship with these women in varying ways and to varying degrees. Perhaps I'll share some of these God-moments in a later post. For now, it's after midnight and if I want to be coherent, much less missional, tomorrow, I'd better get to bed. :-)

The Orange Juice

2006-05-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

Today my mission was to get my daughter to school on time, which can be quite an accomplishment. To add to the normal chaos of getting to school on time, today was her turn to bring snack. Well, we did not have all the necessary items for snack, so an early morning grocery store trip was in order. We were running a little late and my daughter was disappointed that the Clif bar that she has secretly stashed behind the chips had been located by Daddy earlier that morning. So off to the grocery store to get the bag of apples needed for snack, replace the "taken" Clif bar, and get some orange juice.

At work today, I offered my coworker an orange juice since I had purchased the individual six pack. Her response was, "Are you serious?". I assured her that I indeed was serious and that I had extra. She then explained to me that she had been prompted by the Lord that morning to give her unopened orange juice to a man at the freeway on-ramp who was asking for money. She actively served the Lord and gave up her orange juice that she was really looking forward to since she's pregnant. It was a small sacrifice that the Lord in turn blessed her right back.

She was obedient. I want to be obedient but sometimes what I want to do and what I do are two different things. I want to be so in tune to Christ's desires that I am aware of His desires and love for others. That is my mission...to be more like the One who saved me and less about me.

deep gladness & deep need

2006-05-03T10:59:00.001-07:00

Brian, I went to comment on your post and it got to be too long, so a short post seems more appropriate. I've had a growing sense that mission is connected to what brings us the most "life"...sort of Mom's experience of being in Mississippi. Good post "Mom."

Fredrich Buechner has this, now famous, quote that you are probably familiar with:

"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." -from Wishful Thinking, 119

So many missionaries have told the story of how they prayed to God, "Anywhere or anything but this and there...and then God asked me to do just that..." Have you heard that testimony? I'd like to think that if I am listening well, God might help me discover what my deep gladness is so that I can intentionally move in that direction without having to be completely caught off guard that it brings me so much joy (although, I must admit, I'm not always that good at listening).

God, I'm sure of it, knows what would bring me a deep sense of gladness ("life abundant" as Jesus calls it) and don't we also believe that God is more aware of the world's deepest needs than anyone? This is a good encouragement for me to pray as Samuel did, "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening" as oppossed to a more common prayer, "Listen Lord, for your servant is speaking."

All of this to affirm two common threads that I hear us talking about: the mission that God calls us to will most likely be a source of great "gladness" and our outward mission will most likely flow out of the good work that God has done (and is still doing) within us.

Mississippi Mama and Dad

2006-05-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a post I wrote some time back when Mom and Dad first left for Biloxi...seems fitting to share because I am very proud of their sacrifice and service....http://simplywalking.blogspot.com/2006/03/my-salty-parents.html

The Guild

2006-05-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

The Guild

Mission in Progress

Since I have never done anything like this before, I am a bit intimidated. The previous postings are well written and thoughtful. This will be a stretch for an old lady called "Mom."

Missions has always been something someone else has done---way far away in the jungle.....................
To think what Dad and I are doing as a mission didn't cross my mind. After all, Biloxi, Mississippi, is in the USA! Actually, we have a huge mission field all over this wonderful country of ours. If I had wanted to go to the mission field, we could have stayed in Portland, Oregon. But Hurricane Katrina was an act of God and has opened a HUGE mission field on the Gulf Coast. Watching the hurricane occur on TV last August touched that spot in me ----what would you call it? I just knew we had to be here.

As those 'devine coincidences' do occur, Beaverton Foursquare had established a base in Biloxi, MS, during Hurricane Rita. The door was open--all we had to do was walk through it. God's preparation last summer was something only He understood. Breast cancer and chemotherapy is not any prerequist for gutting out houses and taping and mudding sheet rock that I would have required. But the Lord had other plans and here we are. Dad wanted a long trip after he retired. Biloxi was not a destination we had considered!! But Biloxi is truly a mission field. These people touch our lives in so many ways. The church we attend with the others from BFS blesses us weekly--they pray for us!! The neighbors squished in their FEMA trailers, bring baskets of flowers and candy! The man with terminal liver cancer whose house was demolished, fixes barbeque for us. The couple who own the only house standing, serve us Sunday dinner on a regular basis. Who is being blessed???
We feel this is where we need to be. Out of our comfortable cottage home, into a trailer. Out of the coolness of Oregon, into the steam room of south Mississippt. The Lord is awesome. The mission for us is a blessing. I just pray we are blessing them in some small way!!

Journey Inward--Journey Outward

2006-05-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

I should start by saying that I’ve really appreciated what’s already been written…not only the content, but also the way in which you expressed it. This will be a fun adventure for me. How much I would like to meet you all! Maybe it will happen.

Here’s another two cents regarding mission: it seems like mission is an outward expression of something that is taking place inwardly; like two sides of the same coin. Since returning from Thailand with Steve and Andy, I’ve been captured with Jesus’ words in John 14, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” I hear Jesus describing a very organic proportionate relationship, “As your love for me increases, so will your faithfulness to my Way increase.”

In all of this, there seems to be two journeys: a journey inward (in our love for God) and a journey outward (in our love for people and a willing desire to cooperate with God in meeting the needs of the world). I came across this quote of Mother Theresa a couple of months ago…it’s been sticking with me as well.

“The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us. All our words will be useless unless they come from within.”
-Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa and Jesus…pretty much the epitome and incarnation of what it means to be missional. When they speak, I want to listen.

Passion = Mission

2006-05-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about passion recently. I believe passion must be a part of mission. To be misisonal, one must be passionate. When we are passionate about the message of Jesus, and passionate about people, we are going to be missional and we are going to be unstoppable!

In Matthew 11:12, we see Jesus speaking to a crowd about John. About him He said, "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing..." To live a life of such passion the mission of God is going to be advanced, much like it was in the days of John the Baptist, not to mention the early church, that we read about in Acts. A life lived with such passion, makes the Gospel of Jesus irresistible to the world around.

At a seminar I was at recently, Chap Clark discussed how A passionate ministry becomes unstoppable when it connects itself to the unstoppable Kingdom of God. Values of the Kingdom that we must embrace are:

•Truth and Justice
•Grace and Mercy
•Sharing and Demonstrating Christ's love for the world

Imagine if we lived our lives with such a passion. What would the church look like if we lives such lives? What would the world look like if we lived such lives?

May we pursue such a life.

Late Assignment

2006-05-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

I know I was suppose to have this in by April 28th . . . But oh well. I wish I really had the time to do this issue of mission justice, but I am only left with time for a few scattered thoughts if I am to write this any time in the next month. So here goes.

My thoughts on mission(s).

If we are to be on mission, or engage in missions, the first thing we need to understand is what mission has been given to us? My hunch is that the church (people) has invested so little of our lives in the highest calling that has been given to us (God's mission) principally because we do not understand the mission we are on.

If you were to ask the question of every Christian in your church, "What is the kingdom of God?," what type of responses would you get? If you asked the question, "What is the Gospel?," What types of responses would you get?

My guess on the kingdom question is that very few would be able to answer this question with much accuracy, and on the gospel question answers would revolve only around how to get into heaven when you die (which is only a small piece of the gospel Jesus and Paul taught!).

The problem with mission is really a problem of our understanding of the kingdom and the Gospel. So the first order of business in revolving your life around mission is to really, and deeply understand what our mission is.

Recommended reading: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. Ask the question "What is the Gospel?", and "What is the kingdom of God?" You might be surprised at the answers as you read through the bible. This study has opened my eyes to the kingdom, and my role in bringing the kingdom of Heaven to earth.

Having said that we must realize that living the kingdom is more important than understanding the kingdom. And we really can not understand that which we do not live.

Recommended living: Start trying to live out what you see being taught about the good new (the gospel) and the kingdom in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts.

If we do this we really won't need a blog to explore what mission looks like because we will be living it!

A Change of Heart

2006-04-27T23:53:00.000-07:00

It's late and it's finally my turn on the computer, so in the interest of functioning tomorrow, I'll stop fretting about whether I'm doing this correctly and just press on.

Growing up in a Christian home, I was one who firmly believed in what Steve described as "convinced...that someone else will fulfill (the Great Commission)". As an adult my view of missions matured along the way, but I still felt I lacked a passion for the lost. God moved to change that this past January. My experience is best summed up in a journal entry written January 18, 2006. I was kind of "thinking out loud" resulting in a bit of rambling, so I've done some cutting and apologize if it runs long. Most of you are familiar with the Thailand particulars (you can skim), but I'll leave them in for the benefit of those who are not.

Today was a day to remember, a day that changed my worldview. I have asked the Lord on occasion, to help me to see through His eyes, to feel with His heart. Today was the appointed time.

A few weeks ago Andy and Steve traveled to Thailand to observe a few ministries there that cater particularly to high risk children. High risk in that they are very susceptible to being tricked or sold into the thriving sex trade there. The problem is enormous. 20% of Thailand’s gross national product is from the sex trade. Due to either ignorance, poverty or a combination of both, literally millions of children fall prey to this industry.

The two men came back altered. You could sense it in Andy’s email sent while still in Thailand. You can see it now that they have returned. Not in their physical appearance, in the way someone comes back from a trip with a good tan and the need of a haircut or a shave. There is something in their countenances. It’s as if something so dramatic has happen within their souls, it exudes to the outside, and can not be contained.

Today they presented a first glimpse of their adventure to the students at Westside Christian High School. I don’t think I have ever seen 300 teenagers so riveted, at least not at Westside chapels. If there was any whispering or diversions, they were not to be seen as Andy and Steve first presented a DVD recording of the different orphanages they visited. The video told stories of children ruined, but then in turn stories of hope, of children who were rescued from the hideous abyss that awaited them. They are loved, cared for and given an education, as Jesus is displayed to them by their caretakers.

Andy and Steve shared their thoughts and impressions.

Throughout the day as I reflected on what was shared, my values changed. All the things that I often wondered if I could justify the expense for instantly lost significance. My diamond ring, my pure bred dog, even the cosmetic surgery I never seriously figured I could justify anyway, could not compare with the thought that I could support a ministry that saves children, that by sacrificing some of the comforts of life, one more child might be rescued. Instantly so many things paled in comparison. And it was in this that I realized something about surrender. Even when I think I am surrendered to God, the majority of my choices are made without Him. If my choices boil down to fulfilling my wants versus using my money to curb abuses against children, I had better think twice. I had better consult God for His wisdom and to know that I have His blessing in any decision I make.

As I drove to run errands following work, I continued to think of the sweet faces that were presented in chapel, beautiful, happy children, and how many more are lost. Something Steve had said came back to me. As my heart went out to these children I heard him say, “You know, it’s not about the poverty, it’s not about the evil, it’s not about prostitution. It’s all about Jesus.” Suddenly, while my heart broke for the children, I realized God’s heart breaks for mankind. The plight of these children appears to me to be one of the deepest, darkest evils to inhabit the earth. But haven’t I been told that all sin is the same in God’s eyes? We see the evil of child abuse because its wake is so visible and so ugly. But with His eyes, God sees all evil, in a bar, in a brothel, in our homes, in our hearts, and in our minds. We see children being enslaved, and our hearts break. He sees a world enslaved to sin and darkness, and His heart breaks. I wondered, while feeling so much unrest toward the torture of children in this life, shouldn’t I at least be as concerned for the all the lost that will experience the torture of eternity without Jesus?

Andy and Steve presented their own slide show as well. As we viewed pictures of the two of them embracing moments with other team members as well as the children they were privileged to spend time with, Switchfoot’s song “Twenty-Four” played…

Life is not what I thought it was
twenty-four hours ago.
still I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with You.
And I’m not who I thought I was
twenty-four hours ago
still I’m singing Spirit take me up in arms with you.

Twenty-four reasons to admit that I’m wrong
With all my excuses, still twenty-four strong.

But see I’m not copping out
When you’re raising the dead in me.

I want to see miracles
To see the world change
I wrestled the angel
For more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
Singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
You’re raising the dead in me

Was there a dry eye in the gym, okay maybe most of the kids contained themselves, but it would seem that several boxes of tissue would have been in order for those of us that were so deeply moved. With great restraint I kept myself from sobbing.

...In closing, Andy asked everyone to be in prayer in the next two weeks, as to what, if any, role we as a school will be playing in this ministry. In an earlier meeting with the staff, it was shared that a man who runs one of the orphanages, spends two hours a day, to focus and listen to the Lord. He rises about 4:30 every morning. He sees it as a priority due to the battle he is engaged in. What a wise man.

...Some time ago, last Spring or Summer, God began to reveal to me that I should pursue beauty and order, which I initially took to mean beauty and order within my home. ...these orphanages I had viewed today, were creating beauty and order in the lives of children who otherwise might never know the two. Is that the kind of beauty and order God wants me to pursue?

I used to think that missions was something somebody else did. Now I recognize that it is something I will strive to do everyday, whether near or far, offering the beauty and order found only in Jesus Christ to a world in desperate need of Him.

My Jerry McGuire Moment

2006-04-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

Mission. Quite frankly I’ve been thinking a lot about mission the last several weeks. I just had a Jerry McGuire moment as I wrote my mission statement this last weekend. I didn’t stay up all night in a ritzy hotel, and I didn’t run down to Kinkos in the rain to copy it; I sat at a quiet camp site and nestled down with my dog Rookie and laid in my new hammock (thanks Car) and banged out my mission and vision statement.

I will admit to being a bit concerned about what I might end up with. What if this statement means that my current direction is off course? What if I get it wrong? What if it sounds so…so stupid? All these questions have kept me from thinking through this very important errand…it seemed like Mission Impossible to me. I have been in ministry for 10 years now, without a “mission statement”. Gulp…

Why did I finally buckle down and write a mission statement? I had to; it was due on Monday for a class I just finished up at George Fox Seminary. The result? Clarity in what God wants me to accomplish today. Why have I put this off for so long? Simple...drifting is like lying in a hammock sometimes...lulled to sleep by the soft breeze of complacency.

As I, with Jerry like passion, shared my mission statement to an audience around a smoky campfire I realized that until recently mission is a word that few besides the military really get. I mean being missional is a term that is finding acceptance and is now embraced by all of us who have neglected to be “on mission.” The word itself, missional, comes up on my document now as a spelling mistake, and the computer has not a clue what to do with it…it has no idea what the word means.

It is unheard of, ill-advised, dangerous, and downright stupid for an army to go on a campaign without a clear mission. So why have I not been willing to listen to God’s call? His call is to be missional…there’s that red line again…The Great Commission: Go, disciple, baptize…

I think the enemy has infiltrated the ranks (no I’m not looking under every rock for a spy) and convinced us that someone else will fulfill this one mission we as followers of Christ were given. Somehow we, or at least I, have changed the Great Commission to be more acceptable, more tame, more safe. I know that it might cost something if I head into battle…I’ve heard the stories from my brother…but I got chills tonight as I watched Narnia once again when Peter turns to some man-horse guy and asks “Are you with me?” His answer, “To the death.” Peter with renewed passion, courage and mission shouts the battle cry, “For Narnia and for Aslan!” as he charges into the battle with an uncertain outcome.

Mission takes courage. Mission takes faith. Mission takes knowing one who is not safe, but is good. Mission takes a focus on Jesus. Mission means recognizing that you only find your true self when you stare into the eyes of Jesus and know He is with you.

So hear it is; with trepidation…my Jerry McGuire moment…hopefully it won’t be me and the fish on the elevator:

“My mission is to explore, encourage, and communicate a life of surrender, adventure, and reflection through a life of discipleship to Jesus Christ.”

Conversation 1: Missions / Missional / Mission

2006-04-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

In our first conversation it seems like Mission(s) is a good place to start. I have included Missional and Mission so that no one is locked into a box. Have a great time as you discover what it means to be on mission, missional, or in missions....Lets try to have our ideas posted by Friday, April 28th for this first experiment...If you have ideas as far as how long the posts should be or limited to be respond here and we all can weigh in.

Welcome to The Guild

2006-04-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Three nights ago I was wrapping up some reading and writing when I had an epiphany...Why not get several people together on one website and challenge each other to think and write? How cool would it be hear from different people with different perspectives and see what is said about different subjects and topics? So hear it is: The Guild.

This site is just a "sight" right now. In the next week or so we will begin and there will be freedom to discover the uncharted future of the The Guild.

Forgive the "hoyty toyty" nature of this....Its going to be a blast.