Definition Pursued

I have been chasing some definition to my spiritual journey since I departed from a traditional organized church about one year ago. What is essential as I follow Christ? What truly transforms my faith walk and life as I follow him? How do I avoid religion? How do I avoid repeating my recent experience -- being sucked into being uber-busy at church, without being connected there or in my neighborhood? How do I avoid a staleness and a faith rut as I desire to age gracefully?

I was recently reading information from RockHarbor, Costa Mesa. I have found similar points of growth reflected at Westminster Chapel (Bellevue, WA -- my friend works there), and The Chapel (Akron, OH - my parents church and my church of origin). I really identified with some things stated there and the simplicity of the concepts, though complex and deep in opportunity. I'll share their ideas:

"What is the path to transformation? Celebration. Community. Service." [RockHarbor]

Celebration: RockHarbor wrote that weekends are the "celebration services – an expectant gathering to seek and respond to God through teaching, music, communion, giving, and prayer."

Community: "Life groups are simply groups of people who meet during the week to dive deeper into the weekend's message through the study of God's word, worship, and prayer. In addition to caring for one another, Life Groups also embrace the Biblical call to be Christ’s ambassadors by serving together within our own communities."

Service: (see below)

For me, this helped crystallize some parts of following Christ and how our house group fits. My view continues to evolve with new conversation and learning. Spiritual transformation is my heart's desire, and I agree that these broad components for me are essential. I am responsible to commit to these values and find opportunities to pursue them.

1. Celebration: For me at this time, this happens in two ways -
a. Participation in our house church monthly communion feasts
b. Attending gatherings on Saturday nights at Whittier Area Community Church. [I won't go into detail here about why I respect what's going on at WACC, and why it is a decent fit for me at this time. I still have BIG questions about what God desires from local traditional organized churches and my responsibility.]

2. Community: For me, this begins with the house church that I call "Milton House," which meets mid-week in a local home. I am deeply committed to the time and people in this small group, the church as modeled in the New Testament. I cannot grow without this connection to a small community focused on "mid-week gatherings for prayer, encouragement, and deeper study" of God's Word together.

3. Service: I agreed with what RockHarbor stated - "God is also shaping us and stretching us as we take steps together to serve. Whether serving 'inside' to help with the weekly operations of the church, or serving 'outside' to people in need, God is calling us out of our comfort zone. We are not spectators. We are called to get out of the stands and into the game, to serve Him and one another with love and grace."

To me, our house church group is distinctive from a Sunday service and from a regular Bible study. Here are the distinctions in my opinion:
A. Commitment to participate consistently and to share life, as we learn to love and care for one another as we truly get to know each other.
B. Digging in God's Word in conversation with others where tough questions are welcome.
C. Moving on to serve, as opposed to pew-sitting Sunday after Sunday. We are taking steps together to grow in serving and will continue to determine God's opportunities for us big and small, through giving, sharing, and action.

We seek to "find out what God is doing" and respond in asking "how can we get in on that."

What does house church mean to you? How does it serve as a key component as you follow Christ?

On Forgiving

The test of forgiving lies with healing the lingering pain of the past, not with forgetting that the past ever happened.

Lewis B. Smedes
Forgive and Forget

Making a Difference at Christmas

Last night we ended our offering project for December. We collected $385 to send to World Vision. The gift was designated to give three goats, two chickens, and a share in a clean water well to people in other parts of the world to assist in their survival. We give to honor God in caring for others. It is our privilege.

We all shared of the money we've earned as blessed by God. It was delightful to hear from our youngest participants about how they set a goal and earned points (dollars) to give. Isaiah, fourth grade, presented his earnings to provide two chickens. Tashi, second grade, earned enough to reach her goal of providing a goat to a family.

As we continue to bless others as we are blessed, we are blessed again with the joy that brings. Thank you to everyone!

How Old Are We as a Group?

Last night, during our last gathering of 2007, Rene asked how long the group had been meeting. We all discussed it briefly and weren't quite sure. Having a history together is part of the good glue that keeps a group connected in love and builds the bonds of "spiritual family."

This morning, I dug out my photo albums to research. I found photo evidence that the group began meeting at the Peterson home in January 2003. Time has flown and participants have come and gone. Bill Vickonoff is pictured in our first potluck photos, December 2003. In September 2004, he went home to Heaven. We walked that path with him as long as he was with us.

We've surfed the wild waves of health concerns, unemployment, financial stress, heartache over children and relatives, selling a home -- finally, and more. We've celebrated the achievements of children, the purchase and renovation of a home (finally), new jobs, God's providence, a new kitten, and a variety of good news. Some have survived the drama and trauma of leaving a local church, and the joy of realizing the small group in a home is a New Testament church in it's design, intimacy, and stewardship. And there has been healing.

Through it all, we've met together and navigated the ups and downs of adulthood, clinging to God's grace. We've laughed and cried and agreed and disagreed. We've talked, listened, and sat silently. And we've prayed and sung together. We've worked together (toilets, cupboards, etc.) and served together in giving and in action. We've shared evenings in each other's homes. And the food. Mmm...mmm...mmm. And coffee. The blessing of a steamy cup on a cold night. On gathering nights, we've survived summer heat, and then sat by the fire in cold weather. We've begun a new communion experience that links closer to Scriptural communion stories.

We are stronger together than as individuals. We need to be together to grow in our faith journey. As we dig into Scripture, we draw closer to the Lord and one another.

January 2008 will be the 5th anniversary. A milestone! Let's rejoice together! Thank you to each one who participates. You are a blessing to the group.

Advent Conspiracy

[AC] Advent Conspiracy from Jon Collins on Vimeo.

The Golden Compass--UPDATE

A new movie has been noted as controversial and was mentioned the other evening in out group. The new movie Golden Compass is reviewed at Hollywood Jesus here. What do you think? Leave a comment here.

[UPDATE] More on the film from Christianity Today here and here.

Knowing God's Will

Jeff Amann talked about knowing God's will Saturday night at our communion feast celebration. It wasn't on the agenda, it was just what several wanted to talk about. This is the diagram that Laura helped draw on a napkin.



Here is Jeff's eplanation: "Here the wisdom model graphic. Top left is God's Moral Will, Top right is God's Wisdom, Bottom is personal preferences and the blue outside is God's Sovereign Will." --Jeff