Keep meeting together… for the fellowship AND the food!

Hebrews tells us to keep meeting together and not be “Lone Ranger” Christ-followers. Actually, I think most of the New Testament does. Actually, now that I think of it, I’m pretty sure the whole Bible tells us this.

But recently I’ve interacted with a small handful of individuals who are trying to be Lone Rangers. I’ve exhorted them that this doesn’t work. I know, I tried it for a while years ago.

There’s a few things scary about this kind of Christ-following life. First, you miss out on some essential fellowship (which includes some great food… not an unimportant thing it seems, in light of Scripture). Second, you get “dull” because now iron isn’t sharpening iron. Oh, you can get all your doctrinal and biblical ducks in a row from books and TV and radio preaching perhaps, but your LIFE isn’t being sharpened. Third, okay, this one isn’t so spiritual and maybe it’s even selfish, but it’s just way more fun to do life in community.

Share some time with some people this week… just to do LIFE together… And have some food, too!

And if you could share your stories and insights, that would be great. I have a message that I’m preparing for later this year on community… I’d love to even write it in community!

Interruptions… The heart of your day

I’ve been reading Luke in my “Life Journal”, and just yesterday read the story in Luke 8 about two interruptions that happen in Jesus’ life at about the same time. (The Life Journal is a GREAT way to read the Bible. You can read more about it here or see Tri County Church’s online version on our web site here. It’s under “Resources”. For those of you who attend TCC with me, if you want one, we’ll get you one!)

So, on to the story.

His normal routine is interrupted when Jairus interrupts his “routine” to tell him that his daughter is sick. I don’t know if Jesus knew Jairus. I think he did, but the Bible gives us no indication, because it doesn’t matter. Jesus would interrupt his day for anyone.

On the way to visit Jairus’ daughter, Jesus is interrupted AGAIN by a woman who touches “the hem of his garment” and is healed. Jesus embraces this interruption fully, too. He stops what he’s doing to address the woman, and as a result, her example of faith becomes a lesson for us throughout the ages in God’s Word.

In the past couple weeks, my workday has been interrupted FAR more than usual. It’s good to be reminded that this is a good thing. I hope I get interrupted again today.

Embrace an interruption in your day today, if it’s just to talk to someone for a while, or to go to lunch with a friend. I think that if you embrace an interruption to maybe be God’s channel for grace, that it’s time well spent.

I gotta go, I’m getting interrupted…

We’re not going to church in a BIG way…

WOW!

For all those who are curious about our “Church Without Walls” thing we’re doing… Our sign-ups are going great! We have already got a few serving opportunities that are totally full.

I think our congregation is amazing. They are really the church in the world, and they really want to make a difference and show God’s love to the world. It was very moving to see the people LINING up to go do a service project instead of going to church one week.

It’s kinda funny. I’ve already heard rumors in the community that we are “shutting down.” We’re not shutting down. We’re GOING OUT!

I don’t go to church.

For those of you who are outside our little town of Du Bois, PA, we just started a series of sermons called “I am the church” and my wife Kathleen designed this GREAT t-shirt for it. On the front it says “I don’t go to church” and on the back it says “I am the church” with a link to a site to sign up for some great serving opportunities that we have coming up in October.

Here’s the thing the T-shirts are about. We’ll actually be shutting down the church for the weekend of October 20 and 21. Instead of having “services” we will be “serving”. Ain’t it cool! We’re looking forward to it.

Anyway, so yesterday I’m in the grocery store right after church. I was wearing one of these cool shirts while Kathleen and I picked up a few things. I got the most interesting comments. Some people only saw the front of the church and thought, “Why is this guy making such a big deal out of the fact that he doesn’t go to church.” Some folks saw only the back. Some saw both. Some very much disapproved. Some approved. In any case, it was provocative. Which is the point.

Jesus never says to go to church. Jesus never tells us to witness. He tells us to BE the church, that he will build the church using ordinary “living stones” like you and me. He tells us to BE witnesses. And he promises to be with us till the end of the age.

Pretty cool… and pretty provocative…

Find a way to be the church today…

Six years ago today

Wow. Six years since the towers fell. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long.

I hope we’ll all take a moment to remember that terrible event and pray for the families who still, I’m sure, grieve over the loss of loved ones in such a sudden and horrible manner. It’s still eerie to see a photo of the New York City skyline without those awesome buildings. And I still remember the feelings and the moments that day as if it were yesterday. Never forget how fragile and beautiful life is, and what a wonderful gift of God it is.

And while we’re at it, let’s think about the places in this world where people are losing loved ones in even greater numbers to sickness, disease, poverty, and war. We can’t prevent a lot of that tragedy, but there are some things we can do. So today I’m going to push my own and my wife’s pet charities.

Add your voice to the ONE campaign. It’s free and quick. Just go here.

If you’re able, support some of the initiatives of Heifer International here.

Of course, I always recommend sponsoring a child through either World Vision or Compassion.

And for those of us who are moved by the plight of the very poor HIV-AIDS children around the world, especially in Africa, I recommend Keep a Child Alive.

And last but not least, if you see a firefighter or policeman today, thank them for what they do!

The best part…

I love telling this story, so I thought I’d post it here in case anybody else gets as much of a kick out of it as I do.

There were 8 kids in our house, which is a big source of real interesting stories as you can imagine, and occasionally we’d have steak, and boy did we love it. (I still do.) But my dad used to do something that when I was a kid I understood one way, and when I became a man (and a married man at that) I understood another.

My dad would, as soon as the steak was off the grill, cut off the best part of it and give it to my mom. Ther was never any discussion. None of us were ever getting that real nice tender portion. No, sir. I thought my dad was trying to show my mom how much he loved her. And he was, and I’m sure that was the main point. But there was something else.

My dad was showing his kids how you treat someone you love. He was modeling it. He never “taught” us how to do it. He showed us instead. This is the same guy who when he came home from work put down his briefcase and gave my mom a kiss and a hug. Immediately. We learned by example, and I hope we learned well. If you love someone, you put them before yourself. Whether it’s loving God (we NEVER missed church) or loving your family (something my parents did, in my humble opinion, as perfectly as any parents ever have).

They made rituals in their lives, traditions that made this live and breathe in everything they did and everything they were. Think of some kind of ritual you can put in your life to do this kind of thing for the people you love, your spouse, your kids, your parents. Show the world how to love by doing it.