a theological vision for immanuel church – part 3 – reproduce communities
This is part 3 of Immanuel’s Theological Vision. You can find part 1 by clicking here and part 2 by clicking here.
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beyond talking points – race in america
This is an especially painful and telling interview from Fox News. There is such pain in our land right now. As is said in the piece, this is beyond politics, this is beyond “talking point.”
As Paul says in Romans, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” The theological category of lament is real and needed.
liturgy after charlotteville
The following are the brief remarks I made at Immanuel Church on the Sunday after the White Nationalist rally in Charlotteville, Virginia
I don’t have many words because, frankly, I’m embarrassed and broken hearted. For most of the weekend, as I saw report after report as to what had happened, my emotions went back and forth between sadness and infuriation. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because I have been predicting this stuff for a long time now, but I was still flabbergasted that what I was watching could be happening in my country in the year 2017.
prayer for peace, a prayer for courage in charlottesville
As I arise this morning to pictures and videos of a church full of people worshipping (some who I know personally) while a group of angry, torch bearing white supremacist rallied outside in Charlottesville, my heart is in knots. I honestly feel sick.
It feels like our world is going insane. May God give my brothers and sisters who are there grace, courage, and protection and… May God give the same to white Christians to use their voice to speak out against the hatred that is seemingly growing in our land (many who were quick to use their voices in protest of BLM rallies). Sadly, I hold little hope that they will use that same vigilance and protest regarding what happened last night. May Christ, who is our peace and has broken down every wall, raise up his true church. ra theological vision for immanuel church – part 2 – reconcile people
This is part 2 of Immanuel’s Theological Vision. You can find part 1 by clicking here.
We live in such a fragmented society. At this point, almost every element of society is responding as a victim. Everyone is slighted to one degree or another. Everyone is polarized. As a matter fact, in my 59 years, I have never seen a more volatile moment in our culture’s history. Here are a couple of examples.
a theological vision for immanuel church – part 1 – restore lives
Your kingdom come, your will be done in Spokane as it is in heaven.
In Spokane as it is in heaven! That is how I always pray the Lord’s Prayer in regards to our church.
books and prayers and things
When I read this today, I thought to myself, “Has she seen my desk, my bedroom, my house?”
“Wherever I have lived my room and soon
the entire house is filled with books;
poems, stories, histories, prayers of
all kinds stand up gracefully or are
heaped on shelves, on the floor, on
the bed. Strangers old the new offering
their words bountifully and thoughtfully,
lifting my heart.
could following jesus be this simple?
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
If we are told by Jesus to seek the Kingdom, doesn’t that infer it must be accessible in the present and, if so, describes our daily quest?
stop trying to keep your church alive…or free it to live
“Being missional means moving intentionally beyond our church preferences, making missional decisions rather than preferential decisions.” ― Ed Stetzer, Comeback Churches
I got the privilege of meeting with a young church planter from a mainline denomination yesterday. She is charming and passionate, though somewhat doe-eyed, seemingly not completely sure what she was getting in to (though, she is quickly arriving there).
church planting as movement
I say to people all the time, “The church is born with a Womb.” That is maybe a strange way to put it, but in my experience, churches rarely conceptualize themselves as church planting movements. Church plants and planters are courageous types, forging new territory for mission, reaching people that more historical churches cannot. That said, church planting usually is seen as a single act, planting a single church, rather than preparing from the very beginning to be a missionary movement. I have always believed that we don’t see movement because we fail to see ourselves rightly. When we planted Immanuel 3 ½ years ago, we framed into the very DNA of our being not only the need but also the priority to multiply. And, not just disciples, but discipling communities (btw – IMHO, this is a critically significant aspect of discipleship). Discipling is a communal venture. Our hope and intention, at Immanuel (the plant that I help lead) is to not only be a presence of shalom in the West Central neighborhood of Spokane but that that shalom would be extended to other neighborhoods in our city, regions and even countries. We are purposely shaping our priorities to live into God’s dream of multiplication.