New beginnings... again. And this time with purpose.
This blog has been a few things before, but now a direction for it has been cast. I will be talking about the various goings on and teachings and reflections of teachings from Journey Community Church. My church!
Journey has begun it's CO-OP.... no we aren't selling fruit. Lately it has seemed that Journey has had quite a few events. Events aren't bad, but they are kinda put on. Like when you clean your home better when guests are coming. It's not dishonest, but it is a mask. And it keeps each other distanced from knowing the real us. What the difference with CO-OP is that we aren't throwing events. We aren't trying to be anyone but ourselves. We want to invite each other into the activities we are already doing. More personal, more low key. More real...
The whole crux of this CO-OP thing is this...
Living life for others inherently involves making ourselves available to live life with others.
Anything else is just hypocritical. I don't think that it was an accident that the disciples left home to follow Jesus as he roamed throughout ancient Palestine. I don't think they would have caught on to the significance of everything if they were Sunday only Jesus followers.
Life change happens in community.
As we see examples of Jesus in each other, we learn (and teach) how to become more like Him. In our culture that promotes rugged individualism as a highest value. The culture that tells us that the worst things we can do are ask for help and admit defeat. This is a culture that has destroyed community, relationship, brotherhood. LOVE.
I don't think any of us thinks about love without understanding the need to spend time together. Our churches sometimes don't look very loving when people can only carve out an hour a week to be together. I watch football and soccer, I play games, I sometimes just want a coffee. So do most people. Why are we so insulated from one another when we share a desire for the same things?
Aren't we told,
They will know you by your love for one another.
I can only say that if we do not take time for each other, show deference for each other, lift each other up, and serve each other, we have missed the mark. This is CO-OP. Being together because we desire it, and God desires it.
Yours in Christ,
-Andrew
