Our gathering tonight was small. My sister woke up sick this morning and another couple decided to celebrate the sale of one of their houses. I can't say that I blame them at all. So there were only four of us - make that five - present. I say five, because it was clear that the Lord did show up too.
We had a great meal and talked about what was going on with each other. We played some jazz. We drank tea and ate Girl Scout cookies. (The coffee pot accidentally got broken.) We practiced some worship songs. Frankly a couple of them were pretty rough.
When we finished singing, we sat back at the table and talked about Acts 2:42-47. We laughed at our hosts' spastic cats. We shared prayer requests and we prayed.
It was perfect. I'd put our night up against anyone out there engaged in the Valentine's Day madness.
We liked it so much we're going to do it again next week too!
More to come... hope you can too!
Showing posts with label Church Planting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church Planting. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
What Exactly Constitutes 'Church' Anyway?
Ever since the demise of StillWaters I have been wondering exactly what constitutes having church. What are the key elements? What must be present to have had church, and which elements are optional?
One of the things that I have realized is that my community seems to be bound by a religious spirit. Lots of people are very religious, but few seem to have any idea about what it really means to be a Christian. Most are content as long as the service never really deviates from that to which they have become accustomed (and as long as there are adequate programs to take care of their needs.)
Even worse is that this spirit also manifests itself as false religion. Our county has a massive center for Jehovah's Witnesses that draws people from all over the country. There is also a very strong pagan presence in Rowan County. Freemasonry is extremely prevalent, and I dare say that in many of the congregations in our area, fully half of the men are Masons. Truly, those who call themselves Christians but depend on some sort of good works theology are bound by false religion too.
Recently I was talking with a friend of mine whose church meets on Sunday night. We were talking about how strange it is to get up on Sunday morning and not go to church. It is really hard to get it through your head that you have had church when you don't go on Sunday morning at 11:00. It violates that which is religious inside of you. I told her that perhaps the thing to do to help this community would be to have a church that really pushes against religion - an anti-religious church if you will.
Before people start flaming me, let me make it explicitly clear that I am not talking about doing anything that violates doctrinal orthodoxy. The church has many traditions that have become sacred cows. I'm thinking it may be time for some steak.
So this brings me back to my original question, "What elements are required for Christian worship to take place?" The main passage that I have had in mind as an answer to this question is in the book of Acts.
What were the elements of worship in the earliest church? In verse 42 we see devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread (which at the very least meant the sharing of the Lord's Supper) and prayer. In verse 44 it would seem that they couldn't get enough of each other! They were together alot. They were aware of each other's needs and generously sacrificed to help each other out.
I also thought about 1 Corinthians 14:26 (in three different translations for clarity):
According to this passage it would seem that each person is to be involved in the worship service. Each person is to bring something that the Lord has shared with him. I am reminded of the passage in Exodus where we are told that no one should come before the Lord empty-handed.
I have two more passages that come to mind. The first is Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” and the second is John 4:23-24, " But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
In the first passage, it appears that not a lot of people have to come together for God to get involved. Two or three will suffice. And in the second we see that it is imperative that we worship God in spirit and in truth.
So, to summarize: Christian worship requires at least two believers, the Spirit, and truth. It requires more than superficial interaction but needs true koinonia. The remembrance of the Lord's sacrifice through communion seems to be a minimum and a meal seems to aid koinonia. Devotion to the Scriptures and prayer are essential. Concern for each other's welfare and generosity towards each other play a significant role. Finally, everyone seems to be responsible to contribute to the gathering using the gifts that God has given them.
These are just my initial ruminations on this topic. I am sure that I could go much deeper and do a much more in-depth study. I'll keep chewing on it for a while. Any thoughts that you have on the subject would be welcome as I ponder this change in paradigm.
On a side note, I don't want anyone to think that I am trashing all church tradition. I actually appreciate traditions as long as I can see good reasons for them. Over the years as I have drunk from the springs of different denominations I have found that there is life and validity in many of the Church's traditions. The problem comes when we maintain a tradition for its own sake.
In the meantime I am preparing chicken and dumplings for the folks on my worship team for tomorrow night. Most everyone who is coming will be pitching in an element of our meal. As we enjoy the meal, I am sure that we will talk about the things that have gone on throughout our day. Afterwards we will work on a couple of worship songs, talk briefly about a passage from the Bible, and spend some time praying.
Could it be that we will be having church?
One of the things that I have realized is that my community seems to be bound by a religious spirit. Lots of people are very religious, but few seem to have any idea about what it really means to be a Christian. Most are content as long as the service never really deviates from that to which they have become accustomed (and as long as there are adequate programs to take care of their needs.)
Even worse is that this spirit also manifests itself as false religion. Our county has a massive center for Jehovah's Witnesses that draws people from all over the country. There is also a very strong pagan presence in Rowan County. Freemasonry is extremely prevalent, and I dare say that in many of the congregations in our area, fully half of the men are Masons. Truly, those who call themselves Christians but depend on some sort of good works theology are bound by false religion too.
Recently I was talking with a friend of mine whose church meets on Sunday night. We were talking about how strange it is to get up on Sunday morning and not go to church. It is really hard to get it through your head that you have had church when you don't go on Sunday morning at 11:00. It violates that which is religious inside of you. I told her that perhaps the thing to do to help this community would be to have a church that really pushes against religion - an anti-religious church if you will.
Before people start flaming me, let me make it explicitly clear that I am not talking about doing anything that violates doctrinal orthodoxy. The church has many traditions that have become sacred cows. I'm thinking it may be time for some steak.
So this brings me back to my original question, "What elements are required for Christian worship to take place?" The main passage that I have had in mind as an answer to this question is in the book of Acts.
42And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)
What were the elements of worship in the earliest church? In verse 42 we see devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread (which at the very least meant the sharing of the Lord's Supper) and prayer. In verse 44 it would seem that they couldn't get enough of each other! They were together alot. They were aware of each other's needs and generously sacrificed to help each other out.
I also thought about 1 Corinthians 14:26 (in three different translations for clarity):
26What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (ESV)
26What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification. (NASB)
26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. (NLT)
According to this passage it would seem that each person is to be involved in the worship service. Each person is to bring something that the Lord has shared with him. I am reminded of the passage in Exodus where we are told that no one should come before the Lord empty-handed.
I have two more passages that come to mind. The first is Matthew 18:20, "
In the first passage, it appears that not a lot of people have to come together for God to get involved. Two or three will suffice. And in the second we see that it is imperative that we worship God in spirit and in truth.
So, to summarize: Christian worship requires at least two believers, the Spirit, and truth. It requires more than superficial interaction but needs true koinonia. The remembrance of the Lord's sacrifice through communion seems to be a minimum and a meal seems to aid koinonia. Devotion to the Scriptures and prayer are essential. Concern for each other's welfare and generosity towards each other play a significant role. Finally, everyone seems to be responsible to contribute to the gathering using the gifts that God has given them.
These are just my initial ruminations on this topic. I am sure that I could go much deeper and do a much more in-depth study. I'll keep chewing on it for a while. Any thoughts that you have on the subject would be welcome as I ponder this change in paradigm.
On a side note, I don't want anyone to think that I am trashing all church tradition. I actually appreciate traditions as long as I can see good reasons for them. Over the years as I have drunk from the springs of different denominations I have found that there is life and validity in many of the Church's traditions. The problem comes when we maintain a tradition for its own sake.
In the meantime I am preparing chicken and dumplings for the folks on my worship team for tomorrow night. Most everyone who is coming will be pitching in an element of our meal. As we enjoy the meal, I am sure that we will talk about the things that have gone on throughout our day. Afterwards we will work on a couple of worship songs, talk briefly about a passage from the Bible, and spend some time praying.
Could it be that we will be having church?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
What Now?
With the announcement of the untimely demise of the congregation known as StillWaters, perhaps some of our readers wonder what will become of this blog. The answer is simple - it will continue on. This has become my favorite blog. There is no way that I will chloroform it. The sponsorship of the blog will change, and there may be some minor content changes, but this blog is going to continue right along, just as each of the individual members of StillWaters will.
It still remains to be seen what will happen to our little congregation. Will we somehow stick together as a unit in a different church, will we become a mini diaspora spread like seed among the churches of Rowan County, or will we stand together and soldier on as a new congregation in our God-given mission to the people of this area? It would seem that scattering is the most inevitable of these possibilities, and yet there are some among us who really have no interest in being anything else but a congregation. It is going to be interesting to see what happens.
Tomorrow is our last Sunday together as StillWaters. If you are near-by and can join us, I think that it will be a memorable service. We meet at KidSports off of South Main Street in Salisbury, NC. The service will start sometime around 10:30.
Then keep coming here for information about what is happening with our little band, where the StillWaters Jazz Band is playing, where you can find a house meeting, and for the content that you have come to expect on this blog. Thanks for your prayers, and thanks for reading.
It still remains to be seen what will happen to our little congregation. Will we somehow stick together as a unit in a different church, will we become a mini diaspora spread like seed among the churches of Rowan County, or will we stand together and soldier on as a new congregation in our God-given mission to the people of this area? It would seem that scattering is the most inevitable of these possibilities, and yet there are some among us who really have no interest in being anything else but a congregation. It is going to be interesting to see what happens.
Tomorrow is our last Sunday together as StillWaters. If you are near-by and can join us, I think that it will be a memorable service. We meet at KidSports off of South Main Street in Salisbury, NC. The service will start sometime around 10:30.
Then keep coming here for information about what is happening with our little band, where the StillWaters Jazz Band is playing, where you can find a house meeting, and for the content that you have come to expect on this blog. Thanks for your prayers, and thanks for reading.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Good Ingredients, Good Flavor
There must be someone out there that actually eats Fruit Cake. The Claxton family is banking on it. I do not eat fruit cake. Never did, never will. (Why do those colorful little morsels embedded in the batter taste so skanky? Really, is that fruit? Was it grown near a nuclear test site?) But I digress.
The recipes I most appreciate are those which combine the foods and flavors I enjoy. Therefore, it stands to reason that the most important element of the process for creating dishes that tantalize the taste buds is selecting the proper ingredients. Fresh, ripe, natural and organic are modifiers which I like to see on my produce, grains, meats and such. Although the procedures for combining the various ingredients for each recipe will vary, there tend to be tried-and-true methods for assuring a satisfying outcome for both the palate and the ego, and the special touch which often makes or breaks the final product is the experience of the baker, chef or cook.
Church planting -- or "church" in general, for that matter -- seems to require that a diverse list of ingredients to be brought into proximity under just the right conditions, for the proper amount of time, and with exactly the correct amount of light and heat -- let simmer.
Wrong.
Church planting is entirely the responsibility and exercise of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. Despite the common tendency to suspect that human beings are tasked with the job of gathering the right people with the right gifts and blending them all together in just the right place often enough, it is foolishness to imagine that the outcome could ever be a pleasing aroma in the nostrils of our Lord. He builds His Church. He selects the ingredients. He places them together under all the right circumstances. He, alone, is Creator of the outcome.
Our Part.
We are some of the ingredients our Lord selects and employs to create the special flavor and after-taste He desires to be introduced into and linger in the community around us. How "tasty" are we as a congregation? What flavor do we put on the crowded faith-plate of Salisbury and its environs? What is the after-taste which most commonly remains following our interaction with our neighbors?
Is our presence in the community around us characterized by:
Freshness? Do we speak, act, and invest ourselves in ways that are understood by the culture around us today? Are we observed to involve ourselves in activities which do not require the Cleaver family's approval? (have we moved beyond 1950s American Christianity?)
Ripeness? Do we appear to be knowledgeable and also mature in our understanding of the truth which we profess? Are we perceived as folks who have a message worth considering? Do others sense that we are at a place in our own personal and corporate growth that is enviable?
Organics? Do we rely for impact upon our relationships with people we already know and are situated near, or do we only seem to be interested in people "out there?" Is our approach to multiplying the Gospel's reach reliant upon a seminar, or common ground?
Naturalness? Do we make impressions on our neighbors as folks who have integrated Truth from God into our daily lives (including conflict resolution, forgiveness, confession, rejoicing, dealing with adversity, celebrating, and etc), or does our message about spiritual things seem detached from the rest of our "real" lives?
You tell me.
How am I doing in your estimation... how an I as a leader among the folks at StillWaters living my life in your eyes? How are you doing in your own eyes? Let's talk. I mean it, let's get together and talk about our influence and how we might improve the ways in which we project our beliefs to the community at large. We can do it in a group setting, we can do it one-on-one, we can do it soon or later. But, let's do it. Talk to me.
And, if it were up to me and my grocery choices, future generations of the Claxton family will be on welfare. "Ain't buyin' it!" (However, I HAVE heard of some novel applications for uneaten fruitcake . . . the mind boggles!)
Shalom,
Cameron
Unashamed
The recipes I most appreciate are those which combine the foods and flavors I enjoy. Therefore, it stands to reason that the most important element of the process for creating dishes that tantalize the taste buds is selecting the proper ingredients. Fresh, ripe, natural and organic are modifiers which I like to see on my produce, grains, meats and such. Although the procedures for combining the various ingredients for each recipe will vary, there tend to be tried-and-true methods for assuring a satisfying outcome for both the palate and the ego, and the special touch which often makes or breaks the final product is the experience of the baker, chef or cook.
Church planting -- or "church" in general, for that matter -- seems to require that a diverse list of ingredients to be brought into proximity under just the right conditions, for the proper amount of time, and with exactly the correct amount of light and heat -- let simmer.
Wrong.
Church planting is entirely the responsibility and exercise of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. Despite the common tendency to suspect that human beings are tasked with the job of gathering the right people with the right gifts and blending them all together in just the right place often enough, it is foolishness to imagine that the outcome could ever be a pleasing aroma in the nostrils of our Lord. He builds His Church. He selects the ingredients. He places them together under all the right circumstances. He, alone, is Creator of the outcome.
Our Part.
We are some of the ingredients our Lord selects and employs to create the special flavor and after-taste He desires to be introduced into and linger in the community around us. How "tasty" are we as a congregation? What flavor do we put on the crowded faith-plate of Salisbury and its environs? What is the after-taste which most commonly remains following our interaction with our neighbors?
Is our presence in the community around us characterized by:
Freshness? Do we speak, act, and invest ourselves in ways that are understood by the culture around us today? Are we observed to involve ourselves in activities which do not require the Cleaver family's approval? (have we moved beyond 1950s American Christianity?)
Ripeness? Do we appear to be knowledgeable and also mature in our understanding of the truth which we profess? Are we perceived as folks who have a message worth considering? Do others sense that we are at a place in our own personal and corporate growth that is enviable?
Organics? Do we rely for impact upon our relationships with people we already know and are situated near, or do we only seem to be interested in people "out there?" Is our approach to multiplying the Gospel's reach reliant upon a seminar, or common ground?
Naturalness? Do we make impressions on our neighbors as folks who have integrated Truth from God into our daily lives (including conflict resolution, forgiveness, confession, rejoicing, dealing with adversity, celebrating, and etc), or does our message about spiritual things seem detached from the rest of our "real" lives?
You tell me.
How am I doing in your estimation... how an I as a leader among the folks at StillWaters living my life in your eyes? How are you doing in your own eyes? Let's talk. I mean it, let's get together and talk about our influence and how we might improve the ways in which we project our beliefs to the community at large. We can do it in a group setting, we can do it one-on-one, we can do it soon or later. But, let's do it. Talk to me.
And, if it were up to me and my grocery choices, future generations of the Claxton family will be on welfare. "Ain't buyin' it!" (However, I HAVE heard of some novel applications for uneaten fruitcake . . . the mind boggles!)
Give thanks even when you are truly unhappy and the world will wonder how and why you can.Do all the above and God will smile for His own reasons. So will you as you lay your head on your pillow daily.
Tell the same message to everyone and the world will believe that you sincerely mean what you say.
Help those who cannot help you in return and the world will think that you are generous and kind.
Shalom,
Cameron
Unashamed
Monday, October 22, 2007
How Badly Do We Want It?
Our church is in a state of transition. For months we have been busy putting in foundations - building relationships with each other, bringing key players onboard, learning what it takes to make things run, getting people in the right positions, and developing a church personality. It is pretty safe to say that our foundations have been laid in and are pretty solid. Now begins the work of becoming significant in the life of our community.
The big problem with significance is that it involves actually getting outside of our little safe havens and our comfort zones into the real world of our community. To be significant, we have to be willing to get up next to people and develop enough relationship with them to earn their trust. That is both scary and messy. It is scary because we have to be willing to put down our masks and "stand naked on the battlefield" so to speak. We have to be real about our shortcomings and our trials and risk the judgment of our neighbors. We have to be willing to let our lives be interrupted by the needs of others.
It is messy because as we are able to be vulnerable in front of our neighbors they will find it easier to be vulnerable with us. It is in that vulnerablility that true ministry begins to happen. As their masks come off we discover that their lives are as messy or messier than ours. We discover brokenness, and loss, and need right in our own neighboorhood.
I am reminded of a testimony shared by Scott several months ago about his time in China. He talked about how one of his evenings was interrupted by a neighbor who had gotten drunk and locked himself out of his apartment. Scott was able to help the neighbor out and as a result a lasting dialogue has been continued between the two of them - a dialogue that has allowed Scott to effectively share the gospel with this man.
The October 20 post at Our Daily Blog really seemed appropriate to our situation. here is an excerpt:
So the question that we really have to ask ourselves is, "How badly do we want it?" How badly do we want to be an agent of change to Salisbury, NC? Are we willing to overcome our fear, our inconvenience, our insecurity and our prejudices and offer our lives as a sacrifice to God to be part of His solution to the hurting people in our community? I pray to God that we will.
God please give us the grace that we will need to overcome ourselves and go wherever You send us. Fill us with belief in who You have told us that You are. Cause our hearts to abound in love for You. And cause our lives to overflow with that love to our neighbors - even the unpleasant ones. Forgive us for our fear and unbelief and self-righteousness. Cause us to be pleasing to You. Amen.
The big problem with significance is that it involves actually getting outside of our little safe havens and our comfort zones into the real world of our community. To be significant, we have to be willing to get up next to people and develop enough relationship with them to earn their trust. That is both scary and messy. It is scary because we have to be willing to put down our masks and "stand naked on the battlefield" so to speak. We have to be real about our shortcomings and our trials and risk the judgment of our neighbors. We have to be willing to let our lives be interrupted by the needs of others.
It is messy because as we are able to be vulnerable in front of our neighbors they will find it easier to be vulnerable with us. It is in that vulnerablility that true ministry begins to happen. As their masks come off we discover that their lives are as messy or messier than ours. We discover brokenness, and loss, and need right in our own neighboorhood.
I am reminded of a testimony shared by Scott several months ago about his time in China. He talked about how one of his evenings was interrupted by a neighbor who had gotten drunk and locked himself out of his apartment. Scott was able to help the neighbor out and as a result a lasting dialogue has been continued between the two of them - a dialogue that has allowed Scott to effectively share the gospel with this man.
The October 20 post at Our Daily Blog really seemed appropriate to our situation. here is an excerpt:
...as much as Jesus desired to minister to His own people, He was compelled by His Father to bring the Gospel to these others (the Gedarenes) who were hurting and broken.
No matter where you are today, God will call you to go to the "other side." Just as He led His own disciples, Jesus will bring you into the lives of needy, wounded people.
No matter how different they are from you, or how much you abhor their lifestyle, they are part of the reason Jesus put you in this world. If you are unwilling to follow Jesus into these darkened places, you will miss the joy of the harvest He has intended for your life.
- Jim Laffoon @ Our Daily Blog
So the question that we really have to ask ourselves is, "How badly do we want it?" How badly do we want to be an agent of change to Salisbury, NC? Are we willing to overcome our fear, our inconvenience, our insecurity and our prejudices and offer our lives as a sacrifice to God to be part of His solution to the hurting people in our community? I pray to God that we will.
God please give us the grace that we will need to overcome ourselves and go wherever You send us. Fill us with belief in who You have told us that You are. Cause our hearts to abound in love for You. And cause our lives to overflow with that love to our neighbors - even the unpleasant ones. Forgive us for our fear and unbelief and self-righteousness. Cause us to be pleasing to You. Amen.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
I Know What He Meant
Some years ago a thoughtful friend and colleague peeled back a portion of his soul's veneer to provide me a fuller, more insightful glimpse into what made him tick -- and delight. The revelation came in the form of a pithy comment almost off-handedly embedded in a dialog we had engaged concerning our shared vocation of "Church Planter."
I will not soon forget the whimsical ease with which John delivered his gift of self to me that day, as in a mere moment he provided the easel, canvas and hues to produce in my mind's eye the vivid picture which summarized his humor and expectations, as well as our profession. With casual aplomb Rev. John Montgomery (Lake Mary, Florida) invited me into his inner world when he simply stated, "Sometimes I like to go down to the airport and just sit in my parked car at the end of a runway. It thrills me no end that something is getting off the ground with absolutely no effort on my part."
This Blog represents a marvelous means of intimate communion with one another, and it has "gotten off the ground" with absolutely no effort on my part. Hallelujah!
Church Planters, you see, come outfitted with a closet full of hats that must adeptly be worn and interchanged with regularity. On one hand, we are tasked with various duties and challenges which can be wonderfully fulfilling and novel, it is true. Yet, at the same time the sheer volume of (often) quite diverse activities and demands on our ministerial plate seem laughable and mutually exclusive to the point of ridicule.
Dealing with people can be "messy" as you already know, since you are one. It can also be gratifying to the point of tears. Either way, and at any given moment, it is consuming of time, energy, and emotions. Nevertheless, I did volunteer. Twice.
I would do it again.
All that to say that this Blog represents a "take-off" for which I was unnecessary. Excellent! And, as I stare towards the cyber skies into which this vessel has launched successfully, I settle into my virtual 1960's vintage muscle car and smile with amused and relieved delight.
Thank you, Cephas, and all those who contributed to erecting this forum for hearts and souls to connect. May it be said in the days to come that many folks of the Salisbury Piedmont community of North Carolina -- and, perhaps, kindred spirits in the Siberian tundra; Tibetan highlands of Asia; tropical climes of sub-Saharan Africa; glacial antiquity of Antarctica; watery expanse of Oceania; vast interior of the Amazon Rain Forest; verdant forests of Western Europe, and all the concrete jungles here on our home planet -- are blessed and served by this powerful blogging tool called "Conspiracy of Kindness." Fly high and far, C of K!
Dreams, hopes, passions, fears, failings, prayers, questions, answers, real life -- all are welcome here. Stay tuned and you will become more acquainted with my own. Warning: mining the depths of the human soul can be scary. Enter into this communion with caution -- and with confidence that the Maker, and re-Maker of that soul is God.
I wish I had said what John said.
I guess I just did.
I know what he meant.
God's best to you, now and always.
Cameron, (a.k.a. SouthernViking.)
I will not soon forget the whimsical ease with which John delivered his gift of self to me that day, as in a mere moment he provided the easel, canvas and hues to produce in my mind's eye the vivid picture which summarized his humor and expectations, as well as our profession. With casual aplomb Rev. John Montgomery (Lake Mary, Florida) invited me into his inner world when he simply stated, "Sometimes I like to go down to the airport and just sit in my parked car at the end of a runway. It thrills me no end that something is getting off the ground with absolutely no effort on my part."
This Blog represents a marvelous means of intimate communion with one another, and it has "gotten off the ground" with absolutely no effort on my part. Hallelujah!
Church Planters, you see, come outfitted with a closet full of hats that must adeptly be worn and interchanged with regularity. On one hand, we are tasked with various duties and challenges which can be wonderfully fulfilling and novel, it is true. Yet, at the same time the sheer volume of (often) quite diverse activities and demands on our ministerial plate seem laughable and mutually exclusive to the point of ridicule.
Dealing with people can be "messy" as you already know, since you are one. It can also be gratifying to the point of tears. Either way, and at any given moment, it is consuming of time, energy, and emotions. Nevertheless, I did volunteer. Twice.
I would do it again.
All that to say that this Blog represents a "take-off" for which I was unnecessary. Excellent! And, as I stare towards the cyber skies into which this vessel has launched successfully, I settle into my virtual 1960's vintage muscle car and smile with amused and relieved delight.
Thank you, Cephas, and all those who contributed to erecting this forum for hearts and souls to connect. May it be said in the days to come that many folks of the Salisbury Piedmont community of North Carolina -- and, perhaps, kindred spirits in the Siberian tundra; Tibetan highlands of Asia; tropical climes of sub-Saharan Africa; glacial antiquity of Antarctica; watery expanse of Oceania; vast interior of the Amazon Rain Forest; verdant forests of Western Europe, and all the concrete jungles here on our home planet -- are blessed and served by this powerful blogging tool called "Conspiracy of Kindness." Fly high and far, C of K!
Dreams, hopes, passions, fears, failings, prayers, questions, answers, real life -- all are welcome here. Stay tuned and you will become more acquainted with my own. Warning: mining the depths of the human soul can be scary. Enter into this communion with caution -- and with confidence that the Maker, and re-Maker of that soul is God.
I wish I had said what John said.
I guess I just did.
I know what he meant.
God's best to you, now and always.
Cameron, (a.k.a. SouthernViking.)
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