Our churches are worshipping and working together for the community and Kingdom of God. It's always exciting to hear about diverse churches working together in towns and counties around the nation. I'm thankful that Anchor gets to be part of something so unique and transformative in our city.
This is the sixth year for the 46808 neighborhood churches to gather together during the season of Lent. We meet on a Sunday evening for a meal hosted by one of the local churches, and then we bring in a community leader to give us a better understanding of how we can get involved to make our neighborhood a better place to live.
This year we are meeting for three weeks, in years past it's been four weeks or even six. A different church hosts each week, this year we're glad to have New Zion Tabernacle, Three Rivers Wesleyan and North Highlands Church of Christ hosting us!
This year we are meeting for three weeks, in years past it's been four weeks or even six. A different church hosts each week, this year we're glad to have New Zion Tabernacle, Three Rivers Wesleyan and North Highlands Church of Christ hosting us!
To be frank: sometimes I have my doubt whether these gatherings are really making a difference.
Is it all really just a distracting drain of energy to meet for worship and a meal? Can I see tangible results from this collaboration? How do I know that the neighborhood is a better place to live because of our Lenten gatherings? Where is the evidence, the fruit of our churches uniting together in the name of Jesus?
Is it all really just a distracting drain of energy to meet for worship and a meal? Can I see tangible results from this collaboration? How do I know that the neighborhood is a better place to live because of our Lenten gatherings? Where is the evidence, the fruit of our churches uniting together in the name of Jesus?
What would success look like?
For me, that a local church wants to join our collaborative efforts is a win. It was beautiful to have Three Rivers Wesleyan hosting our gathering for the first time in six years. It was fantastic to have New Zion Tabernacle host last week and then show up at Three Rivers with so many of their leaders. Very encouraging indeed!
For me, that a local church wants to join our collaborative efforts is a win. It was beautiful to have Three Rivers Wesleyan hosting our gathering for the first time in six years. It was fantastic to have New Zion Tabernacle host last week and then show up at Three Rivers with so many of their leaders. Very encouraging indeed!
Success would also include local churches either funding or using the agencies that come and introduce themselves to us. Having churches join Associated Churches, minister at Charis House, use the resources of Lutheran Social Services, partner with Mentoring Moms, give money and donations to the Rescue Mission - all of this is a win-win-win.
Success would also include individual members and families of these many churches partnering with ministries in our city. On their own time and initiative, get involved - both for their own sake and for those that they would serve.
Success would also include individual members and families of these many churches partnering with ministries in our city. On their own time and initiative, get involved - both for their own sake and for those that they would serve.
Another level of success: that when a neighbor hears about a local church, rather then a shrug or a blank stare, it'd be a big smile and a story - of how that church is AWESOME! If a church would plan to leave a neighborhood, would people protest, plead, beg you to stay?
Because of our unity, our collaboration, our service, our worship, our prayers and compassion, our neighbors would praise God in heaven. That'd be success.
Because of our unity, our collaboration, our service, our worship, our prayers and compassion, our neighbors would praise God in heaven. That'd be success.
The best success of all - and the hardest to attain: that through our co-laboring in the Spirit of the Gospel men and women would find forgiveness of their sins and transformation of their life in the way of Jesus.
Simple tasks can be accomplished by direct action. But the bigger and more complicated a work becomes, the more likely the action becomes indirect. And the more indirect a work becomes, the harder it is to explain how it will achieve success.
It would seem more direct to just go and knock on a door, ask a neighbor if they are saved, and then proceed to pray with them right then and there. This direct action rarely works for such a big and complicated task.
Transformation of the heart takes more than a prayer. Successful transformation of a whole community of hearts takes more then good intentions. So we take indirect action: unite, worship, serve, care, help, bless, follow the promptings of the Spirit, listen to the cry of the oppressed, model forgiveness of sins, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with our God.
Somehow, someway, I believe this indirect action will make our neighborhood a better place to live.
It would seem more direct to just go and knock on a door, ask a neighbor if they are saved, and then proceed to pray with them right then and there. This direct action rarely works for such a big and complicated task.
Transformation of the heart takes more than a prayer. Successful transformation of a whole community of hearts takes more then good intentions. So we take indirect action: unite, worship, serve, care, help, bless, follow the promptings of the Spirit, listen to the cry of the oppressed, model forgiveness of sins, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with our God.
Somehow, someway, I believe this indirect action will make our neighborhood a better place to live.
1 comment:
Very well said Pastor Tim! Even though the 3 church get togethers were short, I hope that we can increase the number next year! Pastor Chris really liked the Wesleyan meeting he did attend with the rest of us Grace people!! Blessings!!
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