Jagged Mind

Here's Acts 2:42-47 as rendered in The Message...Try to imagine our
simple churches experiencing this!

42They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life
together, the common meal, and the prayers. 43Everyone around was in
awe--all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! 44And all
the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in
common. 45They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so
that each person's need was met.

46They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple
followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and
joyful, 47as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw.
Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

1. Imagine simple churches with simple instructions from apostolic
leadership to live holy lives and all of them committed to working
that out together.

2. Imagine simple churches doing life together because they are
connected in real life situations.

3. Imagine simple churches meeting to share meals together regularly
weekly or more.

4. Imagine simple churches devoted to prayer both personal and corporate.

5. Imagine simple churches keeping a treasure chest of clothing, toys,
food etc. to give away to anyone who has needs.

6. Imagine simple churches keeping a collection of offerings to use to
help others within the simple church or to use as capital funds for
compassionate mission.


Check this out from 1 Corinthians 14:26 also from The Message...

26So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each
one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all:
Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an
insight.

Thought that this post from House Church Blog was very good. Check it out by clicking the title of this post.

I've been thinking...

I don't think the ancient church grew the way we think it grew; in the way we reinterpret their growth through cell mutiplication etc. It seems to me that the church expanded as apostles were sent out from the church to other cities and regions.

I think of passages like Acts 10 (Cornelius's House), Acts 20 (Ephesian Church) etc., where Peter and Paul both go from house to house proclaiming Christ and making disciples.

I think of John Wesely's circuit preachers. His classes didn't multiply themselves as much as his preachers started new ones all the time.

The "local" church focused mostly on building Spirit-directed, agape-filled community and serving the local needs of the city. They did this because they were fulfilling their calling to love God with all their hearts and love one another as Christ loved them. They wanted to share the Gospel in deed and word. From within these same communities, apostles were called to be sent out to other cities and regions to spread the word and build more communities.

I truly wish that I could do this.

I've really been desiring to get in touch with a more ancient, authetically structured spirituality. Been thinking of experimenting a lot more with creating sacred space through silence, candles, scents, meditation and structured prayer. I'm thinking of developing a set of core Truths and Patterns with Jesus as the organizing principle. What does a heart hungry for Jesus look like?

I've decided to return to this blog and revive it. This will be the forum where I discuss thoughts on spirituality, church, ministry, apostolics etc.

Hope a few people will pick up on this and dialogue with me.

Hey guys.....started a new blog at www.markjuane.blogspot.com

I wont be posting on this site anymore. See you at the new address.

This is the week that the staff and I will be re-imagineering everything about NuComm. It's a huge challenge we're undertaking. I fear that the time we allotted may not be enough. 9am-12pm Wednesday to Friday this week! I foresee several OS!Ms during this time. NuComm will not be the same this time next year.

Overall goal...re-imagine NuComm to be as fluid and fanatical as Al-Quaeda! Whoa.

A time of tumultuous change is an opportunity to redefine yourself.

More and more I am sensing the absolute need for us to redefine who we are in as a distinct a way as possible. Stand out and stand up! If not, we are on the path to extinction. I like Wired's Michael Goldhaber's thoughtful insight:

If there is nothing very special about your work, no matter how hard you apply yourself you won't get noticed, and that increasingly means you won't get paid much either. -Michael Goldhaber

Ask yourself:

1. What do you really want to be?
2. What are you passionate about?
3. What difference does what you do make?
4. Whose life are you really impacting?
5. What kind of legacy will you leave?

Live in such a way that people absolutely love you (or at least, what you do for them!), are loyal to you, and are passionate about what you do.

But remember, no one is as excited about what you are doing as much as you are. So take your destiny in your hands and don't go blaming anyone or anything else. Just do it!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be
brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."

-Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech