to see it in person

today the church I belong to celebrated 7 years. this is a really amazing thing.
I'm the founding pastor, but in no way can I take credit for what's happening within our community or in the lives of people there; God pursues us towards transformation!

today we celebrated by hearing some stories, worshiping, opening up the scriptures, taking communion, and sharing lunch together.

the stories we're my favorite part; I saw in person what our vision is calling us to become

a few years ago we put a stake in the ground and said we'd do our best to become the right kind of church - not the best, or coolest, or better-than-the-church-across town kind of church; but a church shaped by God's heart and the gospel

we discovered that our calling, outside of course of being on mission with God, was to be - in tangible witness - his living and local presence (i.e. missional)

today's stories helped me see that this is happening - in person - or persons

one couple shared about their involvement in our community and how's it's moved them to serve both in and through us - within our own teams and out in the community through a food bank; the main value they raised was being 'connected'

another women shared about her conviction to serve inmates - prisoners - and help them find God and a better life; through all kinds of obstacles she continues to go weekly to the prison and spend time with prisoners - in practical ways and also for bible study; she actually said she felt like she was God's living and local presence there; another value she raised was community

to see our message and calling in these 'persons' OR to see it in person is such a huge joy for me and my wife; it's like God is really transforming us into the kind of church he longs for us to be
if the next 7 years our pursuit of being God's living and local presence grows in deep and tangible ways, I can't imagine God blowing us away in how he stretches and uses us for his purposes.

I love my church. (ILMC)