Gathering Rhythms - Part 1

Our Natural F. L. O. W. of Life – The rhythms (habits/practices) that make us –
“A people to belong to” and embody who we are.

WE START WITH FAMILY OF GOD - L. O. W. OF OUR FLOW COMMING SOON...

Family of God - Being God’s People: The Church (Heb. 10:24-25)

Looking to Jesus to lead us – We will continually and to the best of our ability look to Jesus for his guidance and wisdom in all situations both small and large.

Learning Together - At some level we’ll remain just a social club if we are not learning together. We must be growing as disciples of Jesus. Some of this learning occurs while serving, but if we follow Jesus then we need to seek to know him better through scripture and through reading the scriptures that shaped and formed him. Large group and small group discussion is important.

Engaging the basic tenants: We will incorporate into our gatherings and community life Communion, Baptism, the study of God’s word, and worship as a life style.

Imagination: We will do our best to seek a new, yet ancient, expression of what it means to be God’s people in our ever changing world and cultural context.

What is Church?

“The natural rhythm of gathering and sending those who are responding to the enfleshed good news of God’s life now available”
Huge Halter

I have heard alot about what the church is not or what people don't like about the current state of the church. In contrast I really like thinking more positive, instead of just deconstructive all the time.

I also really love trying to live life like that, Natural, and in rhythm with what God is doing all around us!

Defining Missional

Recently I have been challenged to define missional in my own mind. It is a word that is thrown around so much and means something different in almost every context.

In one setting I was in, missional meant nothing more than outreach oriented. I was saddened quite a bit by this.

So here is where I have landed after thinking about this for a while. Some of this is from my training with Missio.

Missional: To be sent to be a blessing in the world.

Thats it!

Not a model not a strategy or even a focus!

Thought Provoking Quote!

"Christianity began in Palestine as a relationship,
moved to Greece and became an idea,
went to Rome and became an institution,
then came to America and became and enterprise."

Richard Halverson

What will History say WE did with Christianity???

Should Christians raise support? Should Pastors be paid?

This is a question posed by John on Hungry and Thirsty that I thought was very timely in my thought process. Here are my thoughts:

To me this is a question of posture.
How do we best posture ourself to reach those around us? Is that as a full time pastor or is there a better way? Is that better way support? or bi-vocational? I am currently raising support and looking for a job, along with my wife building her business. All of this is to posture ourselves the best we can in our community. I am raising support to allow me to have time for proximity (time, frequency, & spontaneity) so I am not totally trading my time for dollars to pay the bills. I am looking for a job to give me an in to the community. It also gives me a good answer to the question, "what do you do?" To say Pastor or Missionary can be a turn off but to say construction or I work at ... levels the relationship landscape instead of always going up hill. I have been thinking a lot about this lately... can you tell.

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www.thescheids.org