imagining how the church can reorient around mission

Another insightful post by guest blogger, Julie Jones. Julie is a collegue of mine at Christian Associates. She and her husband, Darrin have ministered in Orange County, CA, France and Morroco and currently live in the Bay area.  They both are remarkable people.

“God says: my plan is to change you from the inside out, to change your motives – why you do what you do – and to change your impact on people so that how you relate to others will make them thirsty for Me and draw them to dependence on Me.” read more

The Uses of Sorrow - Mary Oliver

(In my sleep I dreamed this poem) read more

I am embarking on a summer discipline of reading some poetry every morning in hopes of whetting my appetite for something other than “churchy, missional” stuff. I have never been good at reading anything other than non-fiction. So, in light of that of that goal I asked my good friend and author Shann Ferch to recommend his Michael Jordan of the poetry world.  He immediately suggested Mary Oliver. So far, he was spot on.  Here is just one of many amazing poems from her book Thirst.

The Vast Ocean Begins Just Outside Our Church: The Eucharist read more

I just got back from a conference in Chicago that specifically dealt with how Christian congregations can sow shalom into their local contexts.  It was fantastic.  Almost simultaneously, I came across this new site by CT.  It is worth looking at.

  read more

I was in the great city of Chicago this last week. While I got the chance to see a large swath of the city, I spenta good share of my time in a region called Bronzeville (southside of the city). When the Great Migration brought African Americans from the South to jobs in the North early in the last century, many found their way to this area of Chicago. It was the greenhouse for greats like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Nat King Cole, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Lou Rawls, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis and countless others.  It is crazy how many cultural greats have emerged from this area. Today, at least in part, Bronzeville can be described by terms like high unemployment and poverty, urban violence, and population density.

Into to this setting, my good friend Ronnie Harris has been called to  plant a church – a Kingdom outpost. Actually, it could really be said that he has been called back.  See, Ronnie is from Bronzeville and has returned from living away to re-embed himself into this community. read more

Today I have a friend, Geoff Reinhart guest blogging.  He is an embedded church planter out of our church, New Community. The new church he is starting is called Chi Rho Community and is a missional church plant in North Idaho. Geoff describes himself as a wanna-be theologian and fly-fisherman. I like him!  :)

Here is his post.  At the end, let me know what you think. Enjoy. read more

31 years ago I tricked a naïve teenage girl into saying "I do."  We were children, really.  I am such a lucky guy to be in love with my best friend.  Though I travel far and wide, she is the reason I always ache to be home. It seems like yesterday we got married, but now that we have walked together and loved together this long, I must say that I find no greater joy than to grow old with her!

I love you my dear – more today than ever. Happy Anniversary!

I just love hearing Hill sing.  She is a wonder and a unique!  Her voice is like a tapestry, with its many layers and there is a soulfulness to her delivery that draws me into worship. She and her husband Dominic are CA project
leaders in Aix en Provence at a church called International Christian Community of Provence (ICCP).

She also operates a business there that is fantastic – I feel no hesitation plugging it for her.  It is called WineInProvence and is ranked #1 for Things to Do in Aix en Provence and the greater Provence region by Trip Adviser. Here is their website: Wine in Provence read more

My daughter and son-in-law's band, Cathedral Pearls makes the PASTE list. Check em out.

The link: PASTE Magazine read more