Have you noticed there are people everywhere around you? Go to the grocery store; they are there. Go to the gas station; they are there. Go to a sporting event; they are there. Go to work or school; they are there, too. Everywhere you go, you will find people…lots of them. So, we get kind of used to it. We are conditioned to walk right past people without really ever connecting beyond a cordial, “Hi.” or maybe a wave and a smile. Every day - people everywhere. We just get used to it. So, it is unusual whenever someone breaks through the monotony of it all and genuinely shows a care or compassion for someone else. Whenever someone does something with no strings attached, it is odd.
One of the things that I am most proud of and get the biggest kick out of is how the phrase, “Who are you people?” keeps popping up. From Probationary Officers in the Montgomery County system, to parents of distressed teenagers and their children, to people less fortunate in the material things of this life, to recipients of random acts of kindness and love, people are finding out what it feels like when people break through the conditioning of ignoring one another. Thank you, Gathering family, for being a people who have opened your hearts and your lives. Thank you for selflessly serving others around you. It is amazing how this phrase continues to come back to us from people who have absolutely no ties to one another. And all of this is happening because we are taking the time to break through the plastic conditioning into which the world around us conditions us.
The most recent of one of these comments happened when we became aware of a family about to lose their power. We didn’t know them and they didn’t know us. But God put us in their path. When we took care of a single utility bill, they couldn’t believe it. The lady said those words that we are hearing over and over now, “Who are you people?” We had the joy of sharing with her that we are just a group of people in love with Christ, and He wanted you to know today that He loves you, too!
Isn’t it amazing? Conditioning works in reverse as well. Society, by in large, has been conditioned to ignore churches and Christianity. Now, we can get defensive about it (which Christians usually do) or we can take false pride in it (theologians normally do) and say that they are rejecting our truth, or we can be honest about it and acknowledge where we are with society. Ironically, the truth is that poll after poll indicates that people are not turned off by God or the Bible or prayer. However, they want little to do with Christians. They ignore our commercials, reject our invitations, and deplore our marketing. What they haven’t been conditioned to, though, is love. Gimmicks are an instant turn-off, but love works every time. Love, genuine love, is in such rare supply that it breaks through the hardened, plastic conditioning that nobody really cares. It has been thrilling to hear some of these stories where we have loved people with real action, to hear them turn around and say, “Do you think we could come to your church?” When you care for someone, you are making a difference. When you show love to someone, you may be used to change a life. When you offer to meet someone’s needs with this world’s resources, you may have the opportunity to offer the next life as well. 1 John 3:18 (NLT) “But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help — how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.” Way to go Gathering Family!
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 09/13/2007
If there is one thing that we have in common as human beings, it is that we are never really far from pain. Oh, we may catch one of those occasional seasons where life lets up a little bit, but it is always there. Never far in the distance is another challenge, another crisis, another shot. Sometimes pain comes completely out of the blue. Sometimes it comes in like a lamb and out like a lion. Wherever, however, or whenever, there is one thing you can count on - pain cometh! And when it does, it leaves its wake. After a couple of phone calls this week, it seems like everyone I know is going through some strain. Every church I hear about is caught in some kind of trauma. So, I leave my area and go to a prayer meeting. There I find a whole new level of hurt as we pool the collective reach of our little circle and the distress that is represented there. Often, it appears to us that the presence of hurt and pain in this world is so overwhelming that we are not going to make it through. Horatio Spafford wrote in his tremendous hymn, It Is Well With My Soul a line that says, “…when sorrows like sea billows roll.” That is such a vivid picture. Whether a calm and beautiful day, as the waves gentle and melodically roll in, or in turbulent winds, as the surf pounds the beach…the waves come. And they don’t stop coming. It is enough to make one long for Heaven.
There is an inevitable question that comes from all of this, however; and strangely enough, it comes from the heart, if not the lips of Christians. Where is God when it hurts? I mean, didn’t he promise peace and comfort even in this world? Didn’t he at least insinuate that if we would follow Him, it would take many of the difficulties of this life away? Didn’t He say that we would have joy unspeakable and peace beyond description? Don’t we teach our littlest children that God is good and that everything He does is good? Don’t we tell them that He is in absolute control over time and the universe? Couldn’t He have stopped or at least softened the power of pain in our lives? Christians (at least honest ones) wonder where God is when there is cancer. Why didn’t He prevent the car from crossing the median? Why didn’t He “allow” the disease to go into the body of some `well deserving’ soul instead of a precious little child? Why doesn’t He intervene immediately and declare a right and a wrong side in Christians who misbehave with one another? I am not throwing rocks here, because there are days I flat out ask Him what He thinks He is doing.
I can tell you right now, you are not going to like this. The answer to these and countless other questions is…faith. We have to have faith that God is bigger than the mess that we have created in this world. We have to have the faith to not judge Him, His faithfulness, or His sovereignty through our circumstances. We have to have faith that what He has let us in on reveals that life events do happen we will never have the answers to and that in those moments, He is still God. In fact, He becomes the rock that we hold on to for security and strength through the storms of life. When we display faith that He is bigger than what our “bad news” might say, He normally allows us into a deeper understanding of Him and His ways.
So, in a broken world filled with sharp and jagged edges, are we just to spout Bible verses to one another? Do Christians just become delusional with such superhuman faith that we mentally “block” the pain? Not at all! That is why God has given us one another. We are to help each other carry the load. We are to comfort and strengthen one another. Being part of the church means that is why God has put us in the world. To offer help, hope, and healing to the broken, bloodied, and beleaguered. Mother Teresa has always been a hero to me. I cannot imagine the depth of spirit she possessed to walk into the slums of Calcutta every day and see the pain that she encountered. Yet, it is stated that she began each day praying with her staff that they would see Jesus in the eyes of those they met that day. Wow, sounds like the perfect place for imperfect people to me!
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 09/06/2007
It was only a couple of weeks ago that anyone hearing the story of little Mark Kreusch was overwhelmed with shock, disbelief, and horror. Mark was a four-year-old little fellow living in the Centerville area with his family. The family was enjoying a day together at a local lake. They were boating and skiing on a beautiful summer afternoon. This is the way the picture is supposed to look. Suddenly though, in a freak accident, Mark’s little body was thrown from the boat by a wake. Instantly, he was hit by the boat and killed. There is just something inside of us that revolts against this. Four-year-olds are supposed to have scraped knees, cuts, and bruises from falling down while playing. They are not supposed to die. It is hard for any of us to process such an incomprehensible tragedy of Herculean proportions. A couple of families in our church have been closely tied to this precious family. We have all struggled. There are no words to say. There are no trite answers to help this make sense. The only thing you can do in a situation like this is to pray for this family; and if you know them, just hold them a lot and let them know you are there. It is in stark moments like this one that we realize just how fragile this life is and how broken our world really is.
Our hearts go out to John and Susie, Mark’s mom and dad. And to Nick as well, Mark’s six-year-old big brother. I don’ t know this family personally, but it doesn’t stop my heart from hurting for them. I have four children of my own and I can only imagine what this family must be experiencing. In our minds, we think our children will come to our funeral one day. We never imagine the possibility of going to one of our children’s funerals. It just doesn’t make sense. It just seems out of order. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kreusch family in the hopes that God can and will heal the gaping hole in their hearts left by a precious little boy.
The reason that I am writing about this story, though, is not to relive the nightmare of it all over again. No, I am writing because in the darkest hour, there is the offering of a ray of light by the indomitable human spirit. It is almost impossible to put into words the power of human kindness. The second part of this story that caused me to write about this comes from an unnamed neighbor who plays the part of an angel in this script. Having season tickets to the Cincinnati Bengals games, they invited Nick to go to the game with them. Every six-year-old little boy is blown away by the ‘bigger than life’ environment of pro football. Once Nick had accepted the invitation, this wonderful neighbor called the Bengals front office. They shared the story with the Bengals organization and asked if there was any way Nick might could come down on the field before the game and meet some of the players. My understanding of the story is that about an hour before the game they got a phone call; and Nick was not only invited on to the field, but got to go back into the locker room with the players. He was able to walk out of the tunnel and onto the field with Carson Palmer and the rest of the team. David Pollack, an injured player who happens to be a Christ-follower, spent a few meaningful moments with Nick and signed his jersey for him. Nick’s jersey was number 9. David told him it was one number away from being perfect…since his was ninety-nine. Nick got to stand on the sidelines for the warm-ups, pre-game, and opening kick-off.
While this was taking place, unbeknownst to Nick, another set of friends got their hands on two tickets for John and Susie. They were able to walk down to the banister rail and watch all of this take place. Now, I realize that an hour or so of ‘bigger than life’ moments doesn’t erase what has happened. Yet, I can’t help but believe, if even for a moment or even by a ounce, it helped to lighten this gargantuan load just a bit. Just when you think the tunnel can’t get any darker, the power of light shows up!
Go shed some light. Matthew 5:14 (NLT) “You are the light of the world — like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see."
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 08/30/2007
This summer has been filled with lots of the usual wonderful stuff: picnics, pools, golf, vacations, and kids having fun in the park. People tend to just relax a bit in general during the summer months. It seems that you don’t have to go on vacation for a more casual approach to life in the summer. It also tends to string us all out a bit. When kids are not in schools, families have an opportunity to be involved in different types of things. This affects church life, too. Instead of seeing everyone at least once a week, we start the summer churn and you see everyone on a rotating basis. For that reason alone, most ministries in a church’s life are scaled way back during those summer months. Some ministries even take the summer months off.
Not Victory Project! It has been amazing how this is picking up steam as we are moving through the summer months. It is becoming a joy to watch as (not quite on a daily basis yet, but certainly a regular basis) officials working with at-risk youth in Montgomery County, who we don’t even know, are calling and saying, “Hey, we have heard about you guys. Can you help me with a situation?” Yesterday, this happened again. A probation officer called us this week. This follows the two from last week. The officer said, “I have a situation with three little girls. They are 7, 9, and 12. They are in foster care; but when I checked on them, they don’t have any decent shoes or clothes. They are getting ready to go back to school and they have nothing.” We sent out an email asking if anyone would be willing to help us gather up some school supplies and some clothing for these three girls. Literally within minutes, we had them taken care of completely - school supplies, clothing, and some other small items to take to them. Again, I believe this is where Jesus lives. I am so grateful for the hearts of our folks that are so eager to make a positive difference in the world around them. The beauty of this scenario is that we are going to have the opportunity to not just show charity, but also to build relationships. Small groups in our church are already “adopting” kids as their own to love and care for in tangible ways.
Monnie Bush and I had the opportunity to sit down with a wonderful African-American woman who works in the Juvenile system. She is a genuine Christ-follower and it shows through - both in her face and in her heart. She has a genuine love for these kids who are hard pressed. We had worked with her on a couple of projects, but we shared our vision and our dream for this endeavor. She shook her head in amazement. We asked her if she would be willing to partner with us and help us have a better perspective of the needs from her vantage point. She jumped at the chance to be a part of this. God just continues to amaze us as He opens doors and develops God-sized relationships. Only He knows where He is taking us all on this journey, but it has been one of the most extraordinary and rewarding opportunities of anything I have ever seen. One person can make a difference in one life that can change the world. There is a place for you to plug into this incredible excursion. Join a small group and get involved. Who knows, you just might change your world!
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 08/16/2007
Last week, I was away with my family on one of the white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast. There is something healing in these experiences for me. They always have been. Every time I set foot on one of these magnificent beaches around our country and look out over a vast ocean, I am reminded of how great God is and how small we all really are. Oh yeah, we get caught up in ourselves and our lives and we feel like life is bigger than we can imagine. Maybe we feel like our problems are enormous and no one can understand. Just stand on a beach for a few minutes. Listen as the waves gently roll in and out. Take in the vastness of the horizon and imagine all that is in front of you. God is magnificent in all of His creation, but there is something special in the ocean waterfront or a mountain view. It just puts it all in perspective!
While I was gone, our church continued to deal with Real Stuff…Real Stuff in a real world. I was thrilled when I heard about what God was doing in our church while I was away. First of all, we had another Juvenile Connections project. About 70 people crossed racial, economic, and cultural lines and built bridges of relationship. About 30 kids from the juvenile system and about 40 people from The Gathering spent a Saturday together bowling, eating pizza, laughing, and making a difference. Maybe the highlight of the day, aside from some really meaningful conversations, was when some of the kids from The George Foster Home asked, “Do you think we could come to your church?” Why not, we are the perfect place for imperfect people!
Right on the heels of a great day like that, we had one of the Home Run weekends of our year. Even on vacation, I got a couple of calls from people saying, “Wow, this was unbelievable. There wasn’t a dry eye in our worship today.” We focused on Real Stuff in the world around us. John and Kathy Craft talked about how their first trip to a homeless/poor ministry called Sugartree had impacted their lives. Ron Reigelsperger, who is a supervisor of the Montgomery County Juvenile System, also came and spoke. He stated that in thirty years of doing this, he had never seen anything like this. Churches had come to them in the past, offered money, and two or three people who would stand on the sidelines and watch the kids. Ron said, “I don’t know what is in the Kool-Aid here, but you people are for real.” (See, the rumors are true! J ) He went on to say, “Your folks love on our kids, embrace them, and our kids notice the difference.”
Amazingly, six months ago, we went to the Montgomery County Juvenile System and asked, “Can we partner with you?” They looked at us with a yeah, yeah expression and said, “We’ll try this.” Six months later, their representative said to our spiritual family, “The system wants to partner with you!” The next day, we received a phone call from a probation officer regarding a sixteen-year-old young lady who needed help. The officer said, “I don’t know who you guys are, but I have heard about your church.” When Monnie Bush, the director of our Victory Project, was recently at a preliminary hearing for another young man, this probation officer came up to him and hugged him. She said, “I can’t wait to work with you guys.” You know what…this is where Jesus lives! Last night, over 30 more of our people went down to Sugartree and loved on some people who have been hard pressed by life. At this point I will quote Ron Reigelsperger again who said, “This is the way church ought to be done.”
Last Sunday, Jake Daniel, our Next Generation Pastor, spoke about Real Stuff in our families. So many people have commented to me that this was exactly what they needed to hear. Some of our families, who have deep hurts, walked out with tears, but renewed commitment and hope. This is what we are about. We are not a place for the pretty, the plastic, and the perfect. But we are a perfect place for imperfect people to find hope, help, and healing for their lives. Whenever this happens, it is beyond words. I am thrilled at what God is doing here. To be honest, I have pastored in larger churches, but I have never seen larger life change than what is taking place here.
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 08/08/2007
On a couple of occasions now, we have risked outdoor events. Each time we do this, we run the risk that anywhere from a dozen to several hundred people will make plans to be at an event and the weather will unplan it for us. Each time it has been remarkable. Each time we have all commented at how perfect the day has been. This past Sunday, though, somehow seemed to top them all! The weather could not have been more perfect as The Gathering began assembling on the banks of Eastwood Lake for our first outdoor baptism party. This was a first for me. In over twenty years of being a pastor, I have never participated in an outdoor baptism. So, I was excited to be a part of this day of tremendous memories. Jesus said in Luke 15:7 (NIV) “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” As people began to assemble and pull out their lawn chairs, as kids tossed Frisbees and footballs, and as spiritual family members greeted one another, I couldn’t help but think, “Heaven is about to throw a party!” Surely God must be smiling to see His kids getting together to throw a party and have eight more people declare their love, loyalty, and allegiance to Jesus Christ.
I had not been to this particular place; but as it began to take shape, I thought that this is almost like a John the Baptist moment. (Minus the speed boats! J) There was a perfect hill slowly sloping into the water. As our spiritual family began moving down to the water, it looked like a biblical scene almost that you would picture in your mind of Jesus standing at the banks of the Sea of Galilee and teaching the people about the Kingdom of God. Throw in a microphone for twenty-first century effect and we were ready to go. In those moments, you could see it. You could see the first-century church and the twenty-first century church coming together in a God-shaped experience. An ancient ritual symbolic of the spiritual renewal of regeneration was passed from the first church to the current church. For two thousand years now, followers of Jesus Christ have been walking into water to follow His example. We could also see the fulfillment of prophecy in the meshing together of the two baptisms. These words of Jesus were recorded in Acts 11:16 (NLT): “Then I thought of the Lord's words when he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'” In keeping with the Great Commission, we were helping disciples to become obedient followers of Jesus by publicly declaring their hope in the Christ life. And in the very same moment, we were being dunked in the baptism of God’s mighty spirit by hearing these extraordinary stories of faith. The power of God to change a life left very few dry eyes.
One by one they came to the water. First, a father to baptize his daughter: a culminating moment! From the first time Dad had wrapped his arms around his little girl, he had given her life to Jesus. Dad and Mom had poured a lifetime of faith into this child; and now, to walk into the water of this lake and have it become sacred ground…wow! The next two sets, father and son, came to experience baptism together. One generation embracing faith simultaneously with the next. An instant legacy was formed. These sons will never forget the day they were baptized next to their dads. And we won’t soon forget it either. A beautiful young woman tearfully shared with us how God had redirected her path and her values. The passion with which she committed her life to Christ moved us all. Finally, a husband and a wife come to the water’s edge together. We learned that they were sharing their first anniversary as husband and wife together there with us. Their moving story was one of redemptive love not only experienced in their lives together, but also from a merciful and awesome God. The whole experience was a gift from God to those on that hillside that day. But not just to us… Just off in a respectful distance, a couple of boats full of spectators pulled up to take in this unusual Sunday afternoon at the lake. As they discovered what was taking place, they also cheered as each person came up out of the water. Only God knows where this story ends….
If only a glimmer, I think we saw a little bit of Heaven that day. We retreated back up the hill to eat, enjoy our friendship, and play. As the sun went down, like a picture glistening over the water, it was almost perfect. And until we get to Heaven, I don’t know that it gets much better than this! We have been a church for eight months now. In that time, we have watched forty-nine people follow Christ at our two baptism parties. Some of those baptized have the most extraordinary stories I have ever heard.
Thank you, Gathering family, for the way you are allowing God to use you. I am so glad to see what Christ intended with the body of Christ!
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 07/26/2007
It is an amazing thing that God does, but if you think about it…it makes sense. God takes a broken group of people and pieces together an army to take back the terrain that belongs to the Kingdom of God. He even told us He would do it this way. 1 Cor. 1:27 (NLT) “…God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” 2 Cor. 12:9-10 (NLT) “…`My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. [10] Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” So, why are we surprised when He starts to do what He said He would do? This is so like God; only He can get the credit for it.
This week, it happens again in story after story. God takes a people called The Gathering, and He is using us to bring back prisoners of war. This week, one of our team members who has invested a great deal into the lives of one of the young men we have met through Juvenile Connections was able to hear the result. Unfortunately, crying out from the pain of an already incredible life, Michael has now run into conflict with the law. A few weeks back, he attempted suicide as a result of losing his mother to drugs and his brother to a drive-by shooting within weeks of each other, leaving him without any family in this life. The foster system threw him into an untenable situation. Monnie Bush, the Director of our Victory Project was there at the arraignment. He was able to tell him that we are not giving up on him. On Wednesday, Michael stood and spoke for the permanent court record. He told the judge and everyone listening, “I want to thank those people from that church for not giving up on me. I am looking forward to going to a baseball game with them as soon as I get out. I want everyone to know that since I have been here, I have rededicated my life to Jesus Christ.”
Sunday, Nick was back! He has had a few tough weeks in his recovery from addiction. It was cool to watch, though, as he hugged people in his new spiritual family and said, “I have missed you!” We had missed him, too; and he was hugged back by our family. Not only had he come back, though; he brought a friend. His friend was another one of those precious people to Jesus who hadn’t been near anything resembling a church in any recent times. He had some piercings that I am not quite sure how they were able to pull them off, but he hung out with us. And I considered it an honor to hang out with him! Another guy told me of his problems of being framed in a court situation. We prayed together. I encouraged him to walk a little closer to Jesus. On Tuesday, he emailed me and told me that the situation couldn’t have gone any better. I think he is going to walk closer to Jesus now. It just never ceases to amaze me how God is changing people’s lives!
This week, we called the record label of an urban music company in New Jersey to ask permission to use their song on a video. Within a couple of days, the Vice President of the company called us back at the church office. He asked what we were doing in Dayton, OH that we wanted to use their music. When we explained the Victory Project to him and our desire to reach people in the entire city, he replied, “You use any of our music any way you want to. And by the way, would you send us a copy of your video when you get it put together so that we could use it on some of the things we are doing here in New Jersey?” We serve an absolutely amazing God! Who knew that by shaking up the devil’s domain here in Dayton, He might start a few tremors in New Jersey and other places as well.
We may not look like much to the big and the bad out there. In fact, I am sure some church people would turn up their noses at what we are undertaking. Yet, I think that is exactly why God is showing up in such extraordinary ways. He wants to blow the minds of the wise and the strong, and He wants the credit for the Kingdom stuff that is done. God is using The Gathering to spread a message of hope to those who need it the most. God isn’t knocking down doors for us; he is blowing the whole wall up. Montgomery County Services is now steering people to us. They are telling them, “Contact this church. These people are for real and they will help you.” People in their system are saying, “I don’t go to church; but if I did, I would go to one like The Gathering. You folks are doing it the right way.” Wow! What a gift!!! The people who Jesus would be hanging with if He were walking and ministering and teaching in our city are starting to know who we are. We serve an amazing God!
Experiencing Grace, John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 07/19/2007
Several weeks ago, I began using a phrase to describe our church. We’ve called it `a perfect place for imperfect people.’ Allow me a moment to consider our meaning of this phrase. First of all, the word `perfect.’ There is no perfect place. I have never been to Hawaii, but I have been to Jamaica and the Gulf Coast. I have seen the peaks of the Colorado Rockies and the beauty of the Western Pacific Coast. Vienna, Austria is the most beautiful city I have ever seen, but in this life…there is no perfect place. Beneath the spectacular beauty of these and other glorious landscapes, there are imperfections everywhere. And there certainly is no perfect church either. Quite the opposite! Most churches are consumed by consumers. By stating this is the perfect place, we are just saying this is a fit. This is an opportunity for us to provide a safe place for real people to find help. This is an opportunity for us to provide a non-threatening environment for people to drop their guards and the plastic mask that they hide behind.
The truth is most people would be scared to death to do something like that…let down their guard that is. They have seen what happens when you are vulnerable with people in general. Savage is not a strong enough word to describe how people can take advantage of one another. It is crazy what we do to one another in this human experience; and yet it is the very fact that the world itself is imperfect that lends itself to such hypocrisy, and personal destruction. Abuse of every form, addiction, broken hearts, broken relationships, and broken lives are all examples of the results of living in this imperfect place called life. That is why it is such a powerful offer to say to our community, “You can trust this. This is a safe place.” And while we don’t claim to be perfect, this is a good fit for your needs.
Next is the whole concept of a place for imperfect people. Actually it is a play on words. We are all imperfect people. Some of them just don’t know it yet! Oh, they may say that they’re not perfect; but deep down, they believe they are pretty doggone close. So, for people who have gotten over themselves, for people who are tired of the plastic perfect games, for people who are tired of maintaining an image to disguise the real thing, have we got a deal for you. Come, relax and enjoy the difference. Experience the oasis from the world around you. This is a place especially created by a vision to embrace the heart of God. God loves people the world rejects as imperfect. When others have their arms cocked to throw rocks, God has His arms open to embrace and provide shelter. When others are condemning, God is redeeming. His hand is not extended to arm, but to lift us out of the dirt and the dust of this imperfect world.
One more comment about this topic. As I have already said, all of us qualify, not all of us know we do. Through the Victory Project, our church has embraced those that Jesus particularly identified as the target group. Specifically, the poor, the prisoner, the overlooked, and the left out are on His heart. So, we have gone to them and tried to show them the love and life of Christ in shoe leather. Yet, this is not the entirety of our mission. Imperfect people are everywhere. They live in suburbs just like they live in inner cities. They are executives, secretaries, teachers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, and computer technologists. Some have a lot of money and some have very little. Some have tremendous education, and some barely received any. Some have visible problems, and some have hidden ones; but everyone has the chance to walk equally at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ - to there find forgiveness, hope, and a new beginning. For some of us, it is an opportunity to reconnect in a deep and meaningful way with our faith. Wherever this life finds you, I invite you to come to a place where grace and people meet. We will love you for who you are. You can fit right in. And maybe most importantly, you can make a new way in life that involves the purpose and the hope you have been desiring!
This past week, as our church worshipped, I looked out and saw a couple who six months ago was disconnected spiritually. It had literally been decades since they had been in a church. I am grateful to be in a place where they and all of us feel free to be ourselves. I am grateful to be honest with our self, our Savior, and our spiritual community.
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 07/12/2007
Eight months ago, our church embarked on a spiritual journey. Starting a church is no easy task. Like most things, getting the ball rolling is not the hard part. It is growing beyond the initial rush of energy and adrenaline to building something that lasts…something that really matters. I have been a follower of Jesus Christ for 33 years now. I have been in Christian leadership for 21 of those years. Needless to say, I have witnessed a lot and I have learned a lot. One of the things I believe with all my heart is that we are slow learners. I haven’t given up on the church because I don’t believe that Jesus has. Yet after 2,000 years of history, the church seems to repeat the same mistakes over and over. How is it that Jesus was so transparent with His message, and yet it constantly becomes recalibrated through our cultural expressions?
It is liberating to be able to take a swing at the plate and ask God to truly create in us a spiritual community which reflects what He wants His church to be in the real world around us. I am 100% certain that we are missing it in some areas because we are a flawed group of people. However, I do believe that, being free from denominational encumbrances, years of traditional baggage, and ugly attitudes of members who have poisoned the church with their memberships since Noah got off the boat, we have a once- in-a-lifetime shot to give this our all! We have the chance to give ourselves to the noble cause of radically taking Jesus Christ at His own words. We can dare to dream what a church might look like if it were one that He would be comfortable to be a part of were He to walk among us today. I challenge you to think about it…He probably wouldn’t choose the churches you think He would.
As we continue to grow in this regard, this summer we are focusing our attention on a series called ‘Real Stuff.’ We are going to be talking about reality in our lives, our church, our community, our world, and our families. Real stuff is courageous enough to stop hiding behind the pretenses of false projections. We are throwing away the plastic facades of hypocritical church people who pretend to be who they never intend to be. We have rejected the condescension of judgmental Christians who elevate themselves by looking down on others and pretending their sins are less offensive to God than others around them. We are m0ving beyond the obnoxious turnoff to unbelievers of self-righteous, know-it-all, always have to be right Christians.
America says, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" These are the words on the Statue of Liberty welcoming the world to New York Harbor. Why should the message of the church veer away from an even greater calling? I believe that Jesus taught us as the church to say, “Give Me your battered, your broken, your hopeless, and your rejected. I AM the beacon of light that they are looking for and I WILL give them life both now and eternally.” Churches advertise, teach marketing strategies (evangelism), and offer signs and slogans to invite the community to come to their buildings. The truth be told, this crowd would never darken the door of the average church any more than a poor, homeless immigrant would join one of our local country clubs. They would be rejected for their language, dress, scent, and their failure to acquire the appropriate standards of a respectable church community. Ironically, these are just the people who Jesus is looking for to be a part of His spiritual family. Don’t believe me? Listen to the religious professors and biblical scholars of His day. Matthew 11:19 (GW) “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, 'Look at him! He's a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'”
So, I have a question for you to ponder…who is really a friend to someone who is far from God? The woman who shows up without fail to church fresh from the beauty parlor with every hair perfectly in place? The man who would never lower his standards to be around people who smoke, or drink, or cuss, or otherwise sin, because of what the deacons would say about his reputation? The articulate teacher who can dazzle with Greek verbs, historical insights, or hermeneutical genius? I believe if we are to accomplish our mission, we have to get over ourselves and the selfish ways we build churches to cater to our own needs and desires. We have to stop thinking we are better than everybody else, know everything, and believing that we are always right and others are always wrong. Sinners ran to Jesus and run from His followers today. What if we got over ourselves and went to people who needed Jesus in their lives. ‘I wouldn’t know what to do’, you say. Here is a story straight from the pages of Jesus’ life. Luke 5:18-20, 24 (NLT) “Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus, [19] but they couldn't reach him. So they went up to the roof, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his mat, right in front of Jesus. [20] Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven. I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are healed!’" Now there are some true friends!
Yes, even with Jesus in the room there were people who were critical and accused Jesus of both sin and compromise. In their “purity” they would later kill Him for this and other heinous healings. Make your choice where you want to plant your spiritual roots. As for me, I want to be where broken people are being made whole, not in a place where self-righteous people are constantly commending themselves and thinking of new ways to spiritualize selfishness! Our church is a hospital…the perfect place for imperfect people. If you are looking for a real connection to God without all the baggage of traditional religion, bring your mat. We will try to give you a seat right in front of Jesus!
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 07/05/2007
This past week, I got a phone call from a friend of mine inviting me to attend his men’s small group. This group consists of several men in our church, along with some other guys who they reach out to on a regular basis. They have a standing meeting one night every week. They have a meal together, do some Bible study, and then spend some time praying together. Throughout the whole evening though they just spend time, usually two to three hours, together. Since the timing worked out with my schedule on this particular day, I called him back and told him I was in. I am really glad that I went. It was such a gift to be a part of their group experience that night. I have always been and still am today a strong proponent of the small group community. On this particular night, I was able to see firsthand just what a powerful experience this is in the lives of these men. I understood what draws them back week after week to be with one another.
As the guys begin rolling in around 7:00, there are the “reconnection” moments. Light chatter filled the deck as we watched the forming rain clouds of the coming storm. Guys are checking in with each other and reconnecting their lives as a part of the group. This doesn’t seem like much, some might call it `small talk’, but it is. It is a necessary ritual that established identity with each person as a vital and welcome part of the group. After spending a week out in the realities of the world we live in, there is a safety and a security in knowing that there are people who still care about you. Bonds are formed by repeating this process over and over for weeks, months, and even years at a time. These bonds will grow in strength and commitment as the group grows in authenticity.
The call goes out…it is dinner time. The host, whose house is the usual meeting place, tells me, “It is just me and my son here. We don’t need a big table; but I went out and bought one, so that all of us could eat together.” This night, I was one of several guests who had been included. So, thirteen chairs went around the long and co-joined tables. I don’t know if you have ever stopped to think about it or not, but sharing a meal together is a spiritual experience. Oftentimes a first date will be over a meal. Good friends reconnect with each other by getting together for a meal. Business deals are often conducted in a more relaxed fashion by making it over a meal. We eat so much, we don’t think about it, but it is true. Can you imagine recalling the rest of your life, being there the day Jesus blessed a small order of Long John Silver’s and fed five thousand people? We see Jesus on several occasions going to someone’s home to fellowship over a meal. Perhaps the most powerful imagery of this reality, though, is when Jesus shares `the last supper’ with his twelve disciples. So, after a blessing in a mixture of English and Spanish (from our friend Pastor Jimmy, who is a Hispanic pastor) we broke bread and began to fellowship with each other around the table. There were moments of laughter and moments of sincere conversation. Service was modeled as some of the guys would check on and care for the rest of the table’s needs. As we met our physical needs of hunger, we also took care of some of our emotional and spiritual needs through nurturing conversation which established encouragement and connection.
We cleared the plates out of the way and started a spiritual meal. Pastor Jimmy kicked it off with some thoughts from a theme of scriptures. Ironically, it was the exact theme that I am currently using on the weekends at The Gathering. We talked about the renewed mind leading to a renewed life. From Proverbs to Romans to Ephesians we journeyed. I didn’t say a word as I listened to a group of men share their struggles in this journey. I listened to the amazing work that God was doing. To tell you the truth, this is quite a group. The group consisted this particular night of some past lives that were addictive and destructive. Finally, some of them looked at me and said, “You haven’t said a word in our Bible study. What are you thinking?” To which I began to tell them that it was a beautiful picture I was looking at around the table. Someone had joked earlier about the number of children we had if we added them up around the table. So, I said, “What would it look like if we added up the sin that we have fathered around this table?” An audible sigh led to a few comments. “And yet,” I said, “look at the work God has done in our lives by His grace around this table tonight. We have been transformed by an authentic power. We are set free from every form of addiction and self-destruction. Be encouraged!” I also told them that I had come from a different life. I had grown up and spent most of my adult life around `perfect church people’ and that I would rather be in that room with that group of guys any day. Wow! What an experience. This IS the power of God, and I believe this IS the place that Jesus would be hanging out were He wearing out shoe leather today.
We moved into a time of prayer. And although it didn’t sound like a room full of Bible professors, I KNOW these were prayers that God heard and that moved His heart. How can I say that with such certainty? I can because they were honest, unpolished, and straight from the heart. Luke 18:9-14 (NLT) “Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: [10] `Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. [11] The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, [12] I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' [13] "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' [14] I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." Two and a half hours later, we broke up, hugged one another, and went on our way. As I drove home, I thank God for the experience and the reminder of the power of God. I also thanked Him for the power of these little communities that He creates. I would tell you, if you aren’t connected in one of these little life-giving communities (a Small Group), you have no idea what it is that you are missing! Dive in; it will change your life!
Experiencing Grace,
John
posted by The Gathering's Leadership on 06/28/2007
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