Be the Church

The idea, while not entirely original, was simple: take one Sunday out of the year and instead of going to church, ask the congregation to “be the church”. That’s just what we did and three years ago we had around 150 people sign up and participate in local projects that ranged from home repairs for elderly or under-resourced neighbors to serving meals at an inner city recovery ministry. This weekend I was part of over 400 people from Crossroads Community church who served.

Saturday, our day started early with a team who prepared a row-house for a new family to move into. We cleaned and painted and did repairs for most of the day and we returned Sunday for some final cleaning and bringing in furniture and kitchen supplies that have been donated. There weren’t any chants of “move that bus” at the end of the day but we hope the family will enjoy their new home.

Saturday evening I was a part of a free cookout at the city park. We had lots of people turn out from all over town who were appreciative of a free meal on a beautiful summer night. I remember practicing football at the park in the 70′s and never imagined I would be back to serve the way we did tonight.

We told the folks from Crossroads that were serving this weekend that the idea was not to pat ourselves on the back for doing good deeds once a year! Our hope is that we will be reminded what the church is supposed to look like all the time by being intentional about serving together this weekend. God willing, we will continue to not just go to church but “be the church” for the rest of the year

40 Days and counting

Last week was the beginning of the season of Lent. I know in my circle of friends the ideas that are attached to this season are as varied as the experiences that birthed them. Some think of lent as the weeks in the Spring where you give up something…like chocolate ice cream, and this is supposed to somehow help you identify with Jesus. Others grew up knowing that lent was connected with not eating meat on Fridays without really knowing why. Some have no idea what lent is supposed to be but they have definitely heard about fat Tuesday and Mardis Gras which are both tied to the season of lent!
Yesterday we began the season at Crossroads by looking at the intention and passion that drove Jesus on the way to the cross. Luke 9:51 puts it this way, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” We who would call ourselves followers of Jesus should move just as resolutely toward the cross the year. That’s what the season of Lent is all about.
If you have a resolve you’d like to share regarding your preparation for Easter you can share them here!

The Power of a Whisper Week 3

This week we talked about times when we don’t hear from God and the importance of remembering His faithfulness even when we’re not seeing it. One way to remember is to look to the Scriptures that have been meaningful to you in the past. Bill Hybels talks about a “life verse” or passage that we can hold on to for a lifetime. Share the verses that have been most meaningful to you.