The Root Is Where It's At (or "Starship Enterprise")

"In the beginning the church was a fellowship of men and women centered on the living Christ. Then the church moved to Greece, where it became a philosophy. Then it moved to Rome, where it became an institution. Next, it moved to Europe, where it became a culture. And, finally, it moved to America, where it became an enterprise."

- Richard C. Halverson, former chaplain of the U. S. Senate

Don't go to Church...Be the Church

This is the first of many stories shared on thesimplechurch.tv website (click on the title to link to the other stories) and I wanted to share it with all you Fox Trotter's...

Thanks for allowing God to use you this weekend through “Be the Church”! Here are some stories of how some of you were the church:

I wanted to let you know that our life group visited 4 homeless camps in the very early hours before daybreak this morning. I am grateful to TSC and to Justin for encouraging us to take a little detour and even some risk. This was a very different experience for our Life Group (except for 1 who was our "experienced guide" & some of her friends) :o) We took breakfast, coffee, fruit, water, and other food items, blankets and socks and went to parts of town my eyes had never seen. God showed us a kind of pain and desperation we hardly knew existed in our community, yet these folks were all so thankful and polite to us. We saw young and old; men and women, but almost all of them had a smile and a story for us. When I snuggle under the covers of my warm, safe bed tonight after eating way too much for dinner, I’ll be praying for my new friends.

No Shortcuts!

"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention." ~ Jesus (Mt 7:13-14 MSG)

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."  (Mt 7:13-14 NIV)

How has Jesus asked us to live?  Are we committed and lovingly obedient to it?  How is that changing the way we live?  Are we hearing His voice?

"Stay off the paved path" ~ ERM The Barbarian Way

Into the Swamp

"Postmodernism began in the academic community, oozed into leadership, then morphed into Congress, public schools, and our homes. Sadly, the slumbering evangelical church has also now slid into the murky waters of a post-Christian swamp."

- Charles Swindoll, The Church Awakening

Like a friend of my dad once told him, "It's sad, but it's true, Daddy!"

It makes my heart hurt.

A. W. Tozer ~ Of God and Men

"We hear a Christian assure someone that he will 'pray over' his problem, knowing full well that he intends to use prayer as a substitute for service. It is much easier to pray that a poor friend's needs may be supplied than to supply them".

See a need, meet a need!  Pray as you do it!

Preoccupied with the Missing ~ Reggie Joiner

An Extra in God's Story

"I want to be so excited to be an extra in God's story that I will tell anyone about it at any time (without the staring of course). I want to beam with joy at the small part I play, never tiring of seeing how the story will play out and not harboring secret ambitions for a bigger part.

Being this type of extra requires that I drown my visions of personal glory in a sea of humility. I need to recognize that my place is not to write my own part in God's story. The mind-set of an extra, to go where the director says to go and do what the director says to do, will help me weaken my tendency to judge others. After all, the playing field is level for all the extras, so one extra has no reason to feel more important than the rest."

- Crave, Chris Tomlinson

I want to walk out this story in much the same way, giving all glory to the One who deserves it all, and always being willing to share my story without shame. I'm just grateful He allows me to be here. I want to bring Him honor. I want to be pleasing to my Lord. He welcomes us all to join Him in His story; the story about Himself.

What's your definition of a "Christian"?

I've been reading a book written by Mike Yankoski titled "Under the Overpass ~ A Journey of Faith on the streets of America" and was challenged by his question of how I would define a Christian.  Before I could begin to answer, he asked; "Is it broad enough to encompass the drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes, and broken people of the world?  Jesus said that He came to heal the sick.  Drug addicts are messed up the same as liars are messed up, just the same as all humans are messed up.  We all need Jesus.  We all struggle with ways in which sin plays itself out in our lives.  What's worse?  To not do dope or to not love your brother?  Why do we kick drug users out of the church while quietly ignoring those who aren't dealing with other, equally destructive sins?  Why do we reject the loving, self-sacrificing, giving, encouraging, Jesus-pursuing drug addict but recruit the clean, self-interested, gossiping, loveless churchgoer?  Which one do you suppose Jesus would rather share a burrito with under a bridge?"
This resonates loudly within me...and I'm sure for those who share burritos under the bridge too!

The Missional Heart: Developing a Passion for Service | YouthWorker.com

The Missional Heart: Developing a Passion for Service YouthWorker.com

Shaping a New World Order

"The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity."

(2 Cor 10:3-6 MSG)