Here I Am

It has been a while. Some have wondered why I haven't written in the last 5 months. To be honest, I just haven't had the inclination. It has been a busy and in some ways a discouraging year. A lot of good things have happened but so have some not so great things.

We have decided to close the Open Door. I know the irony is hard to ignore... It has been hard, Running a church takes a lot of energy. In many cases the discouragement outweighs the encouragement. It is draining to say the least. It has taken a toll on my family that we can not continue to pay. At least not for the time being.

So we move on. On Rock is moving to A Ma Baie and there will be plenty to focus on as we build into that community. We are excited about the possibilities. We move in November 1st.

I plan to write more often,... But no promises.


Peace,

K

Thge Kingdom of God is at hand

What does that mean? What did Jesus mean when He said it? The Jewish people were looking for God's Kingdom to come. The Pharisees thought if they could just follow the law, God would bring his Kingdom. Sadduceess thought they just needed to play it cool and suck up to the Romans and wait patiently for God's Kingdom. Essenes thought being holy and separated would bring it, so they lived in the desert. The Zealots wanted to go to war and defeat the Romans and then God's Kingdom would come.

Into this story walks Jesus. The Jewish people are looking down the road, looking forward to the Kingdom of God coming and Jesus says, "It is at hand". That means, it is right here, you are in it! You are part of that story, or, are you? This story, if you really hear it makes a sobering statement. Look at your hand. God's Kingdom is that close, He is here. So, what are we doing to be a part of that story. How are we, you and me, advancing the Kingdom of God?

I would argue that most of us are wrapped up in the details and distractions of our own lives and we don't consider that we are part of the Kingdom of God. As part of that Kingdom, we have a responsibility to love and live Jesus in our communities every day. If the Kingdom of God is here, now, my life should not be about me. It should be about Loving God and the world with all that I am, in my everyday routines.

Can I do that? Can I sustain an effort to put others above "me" and do what is right and honoring to my creator?

I am not sure, but I do sense the urgency of Jesus' words.

Peace,

K

Why Church?

It is amazing how many people I know have walked away from church in the last year. Unfortunately, some of them have the idea that they can do relationship with God, without doing church. There is also the opinion that we can do community without doing church. These sound sensible at first, but it is misguided. Here is why:

Christianity was birthed in relationship. We need each other in order to stay the course and not get distracted. I need you. I need you to be there to hear and see what I am going through and how I am living. I need you to ask me questions and hold me accountable to the distractions that I allow to become my focus. I need you to comfort me when I am down and laugh with me when things are good. We need each other to keep going on this journey.

We need each other for encouragement. I was talking with person "A" the other night. He did not feel like coming to church the other night. Person"B" wanted to come but needed a lift from person "A". Because, person "B" wasn't in church, person "C", who they have a relationship with, didn't come. If “A” had have come to church, “B” and “C” would have been there as well. We operate in relationship and therefore how we act effects everyone else around us. Many people have made comments about being discouraged because other people aren't there.

A month ago, someone told me they were encouraged by a conversation they had with someone else at church. The other person didn't even remember the conversation and yet, they had encouraged someone. This only happens because we are together. Just because you can’t see all the benefits up front, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

Outside of Church community rarely happens. Our community is a very good example of this. Since several people have left, saying that community will continue, we have rarely seen or heard from them. When we do get together, the conversation is more like weather-talk than real issues, because we do not really know what is going on in each others lives. We have less in common. Church helps make this happen because we are all in the same place at the same time and have connection. I have been asked over and over the last few months where "so and so" is. People ask because they miss you.

Outside of church/community accountability doesn't happen. Some have suggested that they do not want accountability. This is a very dangerous view. You will not find favorable research anywhere for the idea of no accountability. We as humans need accountability. I have had several conversations lately about people others see as "regressing". Their behavior has become more hedonistic and there language has become vulgar. The unfortunate thing is that these are just symptoms of what happens to the heart when we are not connected with each other and God. When this starts to happen within community, we are there to challenge each other, ask questions, encourage each other and pray for each other

Church was "invented" because we need to be together, to be challenged by God’s word and worship God, which most of us don't do on our own. God knows what we are like.

Unfortunately, as much as we have strived to be different, in so many ways we are still the same, because we do not fight the philosophy of our culture. We have a tendency to be consumers first. We judge everything, including church and community only on the basis of what I get out of it. We rarely consider what we can put into it. What do I have to offer, whether I feel like it or not, because that is what God asks of us. Someone once told me that they weren't coming to our house for open house anymore, because they didn't think it was right that Syl had to clean up after everybody. Apparently the concept of being a part of the community and helping clean up and/or recruiting others to do the same never occurred to this person.

When you aren't in church, it affects the rest of us. You are missed. Many times it is discouraging to others. When a part of our body is missing it hurts us. The world can not see how we love each other if we never get together. The church is the visible manifestation of Christ in the world.

For most of us every week is a matter of do I put myself above the "we", do I do what I need to do, for my sake and the sake of the community or what I feel like doing?

Sometimes the road is long

It seems the first line I write is, "It as been a long time...." 2009 continues to be a challenge. Lately I am struggling with how The OD is shaping up. It just seems that people enjoy what they get from community and think very little about what they contribute.

We have had several people "vote with their feet" in the past 6 months, without giving any indication as to what they are unhappy with. If people are invested in community, then you slug through issues together. You are family. It is confusing and hurtful when people who have been at the core of the group, just leave, without saying anything.

It seems that few people are willing to struggle. However, without the struggle, we are just another club.

If I were to be honest, I would have to admit that in many ways, we are becoming that which we left.

Peace,

K

Been Gone

It has been a while since I have posted. It is not that there was nothing going on, on the contrary, too much was going on. It has been a very heavy period this 2009. Dealing with the suffering and subsequent death of my Father-in-law, who was very much a Father to me, On Rock finances(always fun in an economic "downturn"), and keeping family going. I think I need a nap.

Yesterday my oldest daughter, Kiki(18), moved to London Ontario, to try out life in a different city. I think she is a little nomadic. Lot's of changes. Someone said 2009 was going to be a year of change, I am hoping the rest of the change this year is for the better. So far, it is not exactly promising.....

Peace,

K