Monday, August 30, 2010

Courage (comes from God)

Walking with God. Sometimes is takes courage.

We've been Reading Crazy Love, by Francis Chan, as we finished up our couples Community Group this week. If you haven't read it, DO IT NOW! God's love is so crazy! And our response back should be in kind, the sort of love that changes a woman, changes a city.

The reality is that there is a war going on, all around. A battle for eternity. It's spiritual, and it's results are in the physical. They decay and desperation in the city is a sign of this war's seriousness.

To engage in the battle will take several things, including Courage. If the city is going to be different, we will need to grasp fully the Hope that is in Jesus, and walk forward. Walk Courageously.

Francis asked a couple questions in Ch. 10. "Most of us use 'I'm waiting for God to reveal His calling on my life' as a means of avoiding action. Did you hear God calling you to sit in front of the television yesterday? Or to go on your last vacation? Or exercise this morning? Probably not, but you still did it. The point isn't that vacations or exercise are wrong, but that we are quick to rationalize our entertainment and priorities yet slow to commit to serving God." (page 169)

That led me to Hebrews 13:1-7 this morning.

"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Jesus. He's the One we must fix our eyes on if the city is going to be different. He is the Hope we must cling to!

Maybe you need to courageously walk with Jesus, to love radically, to serve and see the Gospel brought to new heights and new souls? Put your faith to work, and see God show up and blow you away! It's the stuff that makes a city different.

Jesus.

We're praying for you. As I type this, I'm praying for you. Ask God the hard questions, and ask yourself. We're ready to partner with some of you on this mission to make the city different, because of Jesus.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Announcing theCityChurch

Today, April and I announce to our home church of Trinity that we believe God is leading us to plant a new church in Lake Charles, theCityChurch.us. We love you, Trinity, and so appreciate our experience with you! We rejoice in the Grace of God you are extending to us, sending us out at Missionaries in our city to reach new people in new ways. Thank you, Trinity, for sending us out with such blessing, us and whoever God sends with us from those who we've shared life or ministry with.

We believe that theCityShouldBeDifferent, because of Jesus. He is leading us to plant theCityChurch.us with this heartbeat: To be totally intentional about reaching people far from God, far from a churched background, and to make disciples. To be a people longing to look like Jesus.

If you want to know more about theCityChurch.us, I would love to visit with you and share our vision. Leave a comment below, email me, paul@thecitychurch.us, or call/text me at 794-9891.

Jesus' mission to make disciples is incredible. He provides the power, as we obey and walk in faith. Jesus said in Matthew 9:38, "So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields."

We say Go Jesus to that.

theCityshouldbedifferent
(Video available at YouTube also)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Change

“In order to reach the people no one else is reaching we must be willing to do the things that no one else is doing.” Craig Groeschel

Change.

Change is hard. It's hard for me, and I'm a radical. But it is necessary. God is drawing people to look like Jesus. And that transformation requires a ton of change.

This week has been scary for me. It is the birthing time for a huge change in my life - the culmination of a year-long, really a multi-year long process of growing, being stretched and learning again the totality of the Gospel.

Craig Groeschel, who I quoted earlier, is right on. For new things to happen, new people to hear God's unbelievable rescue plan through Jesus, we have to keep being changed into Jesus' image.

Jesus endured painful adaptation to bring the rescue. We will have to adapt as well.

This week unveils a new chapter in our lives, April and I. It's scary to step away from the comfortable and familiar. But the Mission of Jesus is so compelling. I'm filled with this awesome mix of ultimate confidence and some sudden terror at the enormity of the mission. Then I remember...Jesus. He's the one IN ME providing the power as we work.

One point earlier this week, I was feeling scared, and I looked up and this verse was before me:

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

When God compels us to do things we've never done before, He will show us things, stuff of God and His Power and Grace, that we've never seen before!

I am a missionary to my city.
theCityshouldbedifferent