Finding a Church

My biggest challenge for the last 6-8 months is finding a church.
Mostly because three years before that we were planting a church
and two years before that I wasn't going at all,
and the transistion has been less than smooth.

While the overwhelming excitement of a new adventure has been reinvigorating,
the process of finding a place 
to connect with
community
service and
worship
is becoming stressful

It's like you have to start over from scratch
While trying to keep the community and mission that you started over three years ago

What should we look for in a church?
What are the signs of a healthy growing church?
How do you go from leadership to a visitor?
If I get everything that a church service can offer from outside sources...do I need to go to church?

Reflect God

I was listening to Judah Smith this morning.
He was at Passion 2013 this year talking about community

My thoughts that came from his sermon are reflected in my
blog posts community Part one and Part two

While I was re-listening to his sermon
a major point stood out to me

Our main purpose is to reflect God.

When He created adam
there was one thing that God
said that was wrong with this picture

...he was alone

Everything else that God had made
reflected God's glory
except that Adam was alone

We were made in God's image and because of that
it was not good that we were alone.
God isn't alone
He's got the trinity
God knew that if people were going to truly
reflect who He is 
then theres no way that they could do it alone
...because God in Himself is not alone
God in Himself is community

So if we are called...to what could arguably be our greatest purpose
theres no way that we can do it alone

Theres no way that this world can see who Jesus is if we're alone
Because Jesus isn't alone

This is why I love the church
Because without it we cannot show the world who Jesus is

and while there are some weird strange, bizarre, mean, overly critical people our there
We need them and they need us

not to fulfill some emotional need
but because we cannot do what God has called us to do

because of this the excuses of 

"I can worship Jesus more in my boat than with a church"

or

 "I don't need the church to worship/love Jesus"

Don't have a leg to stand on

You do need people and the church
Don't believe the lie
Don't be deceived into the doctrine of isolation
because...in all reality...it seems easier but
...to put it how God put it...
It is not good for man to be alone

proverbs says

the man who isolates himself seeks his own desires and rages against all wise judgement!

Don't let the dirtiness and the brokeness of people
lead you away from the pack

And I'll tell you what...
I give you permission to give up on people and their brokenness
if God gives up on you and yours.

Don't give up so quickly on what God has called us to do
because this will help you complete the greatest purpose
of your life.

It's simple I seriously need you
and you need me

What are some reservations that you have about maybe being in a community
or investing in the people around you?
(Please answer in the comment section)

-Sam

Divine Babysitters

In late november me and by friend Sean Bean,

along with some other great teams of people,

started on this journey of apartment ministry.

Up until now my plan to show people Jesus

was through relationships.

While my plan is a relational strategy, I am more concentrated

on a certain location.

Making friends....I'm good at

being organized

having to communicate

planning things....

....not so much

But that's all a part of being a team.

God has shown us a few cool things while we've been here.

I think the coolest thing that God has been doing is sending people to us.

Here's a cool story:

This past sunday afternoon me and Sean

spent our day like any other 22 year old college students

watching TV

hanging out at the apartment

and

babysitting....

yea babysitting

is definitely not what I thought what my strength was. lol

but God provided.

My friend Greg is a minister at a church that is local.

He is also apart of our ministry team.

He called me that afternoon to tell me that

there was a pregnant woman with her two kids who

went to his church

lived in my apartment complex

and couldn't get into their apartment because her husband was sleeping.

So we had them come over to our apartment complex

Greg bought pizza

so we took care of the kids

while their mom tried to find a way to get into their apartment

God gave us 4 hours with those kids and that mom.

That gave us a chance to do what we do best.

We got to talk to them about Jesus

and play an impromptu concert for the kids...

they loved that!

eventually they got back into their apartment

and we told them goodbye.

But it looks like we have a promising career as 

babysitters lol

Then at the last minute some loving women from the mom's sunday school group brought over some toys

and other baby supplies for them.

somebody is going to walk in our apartment

and think that one of us has a kid. haha.

God has a way of using our weakest attributes for His glory.

Mine is kids.

I'm 6'3.

kids are scared to be around me.

I'm not sure if God is calling me to divine babysitting...

but I do know that:

God is working

We're joining Him!

Community: I Need You (part 1)

  

 

 

I Need You...

So...I want to be honest, this might be because I'm an extrovert, but I get DEPRESSED when I'm not around people for a long time. I don't know why...but I'm very glad that God has given me this very present need for community.
For some reason I have this need for people to be in my life on a constant basis.

I think that God does this for a reason. The need for community is from God he put this in us.

why???

• We are created in His Image
• God has perfect community and unity within the trinity
• because of this we have an urge to be in community and unified with other people

Even with this urge to be around people I can forget that I need people. We have to be around peoole...we cannot live the life that God has called us to live without it. It's impossible.

Jesus said that

 they will know that you are my disciples because of your love

So if we don't have community. If we feel like it's too much of a hassle to have to deal with people or that I don't have time to invest love into people a few things can happen

1. The life that you are called to live in Jesus will be more weight than you can handle

2. You won't see Jesus for who He really is

3. Others won't get an accurate view of who Jesus is

We must realize that community is not a comfort it is an urgent need in our lives. God has made us to where we cannot function properly without it. Even with this internal pressure to be around people I forget that I need you.

Sometimes I don't want to Admit that I need people. 

Sometimes the people I don't like are the people I need the most.

I believe that our independence is a very important quality. I think that we do need to be able to stand up on our own two feet. If you are an Independent person than community looks like this for you:

A group of Independent people who willfully choose to include and depend on other people in their lives.

We can do a number of things by ourselves, but when we choose to include other people, when we decide that I need other people and that they need to be needed than we open ourselves up to a world and a life that Jesus knew would be the most fulfilling for us. 

I would say that I'm pretty independent in some aspects and dependent in others. Like...I hate receiving money to help out with bills or if I'm running low. I feel like I should be the one who other people should depend on not the other way around. But I force myself to take the help...why?

• It reminds me that I need other people in my life
• It lets that person feel needed
• It lets people into my life 

That last one makes me feel a little bit of anxiety. Because what we don't realize is that if we're always the one giving to others...If we're always the one having other people depend on us....And we're never the ones receiving or being dependent on other people...Then we're able to distance ourselves from people. We don't have to show vulnerability to anyone else and we can maintain this image of how strong we are because of how many people we're helping.

In reality...

It's fear.

We're afraid that if we accept help from others they might think
we're weak

or that we can't take care of ourselves.

It's pride.

And it's keeping us from living the life that God wants for us.


What I'm saying is that I need you 
But my pride is telling me that I don't.
So I must combat it.

I need you because:
I'm broken
I'm selfish
I need help...in almost every way possible lol
I can't function and live life the way that it's supposed to be lived without you
...reference to David Guetta's song "without you" lol

 

I just thought I would throw that in there for kicks.

and it's a fun song...

What are some ways that we can remind ourselves on a regular basis that we need people?

What are some ways that we can remind ourselves that we are needed by other people?

Give me some thoughts...

-Sam