Those People

In one of Jesus' stories a Pharisee, standing by himself, prays to God: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people" (lk 18:11).
That's a prayer we often pray. "I'm glad I'm not like him, her, or them. I am lucky not to belong to that family, that country, or that race. I am blessed not to be part of that company, that team, or that crowd!" Most of this prayer is unceasing! Somewhere we are always comparing ourselves with others, trying to convince ourselves that we are better off than they are. It is a prayer that wells up from our fearful selves and guides many of our thoughts and actions.
But this is a very dangerous prayer. It leads from compassion to competition, from competition to rivalry, from rivalry to violence, from violence to war, from war to destruction. It is a prayer that lies all the time, because we are not the difference we try so hard to find. No, our deepest identity is rooted where we are like other people- weak, broken, sinful, but sons and daughters of God.

- Excerpt from Henri Nouwen's sabbatical journal

Jesus Didn't Die for Us

"Jesus died for us." Those of us with Christian backgrounds have heard this before.
But on Good Friday I just want to pause for a minute an give a voice to some of my doubts.

There is no better time than Good Friday to have a doubt or two.

So, here goes:
Do I really believe that?
That Jesus died for us? And does Jesus' death matter? I mean, if I'm gonna die too... what good is someone dying for us? If in the end... in 15 years, 15 months, 15 days, or for some, 15 seconds from now we will all end up in the realm of the dead, what is the point?

What is today about? As I revisit the story, I am starting to suspect something that may look like doubt to some. Something new that would change everything.

... maybe Jesus didn't die for us...

As in, in exchange for us. As in, for our sin. As in, one for one, transactional death to pay the penalty for those things we owed God because we were born in sin.

That pay-the-penalty Jesus is easy to need and hard to love.
And regarding this "born into sin" concept, I have some real issues with that.  Being born some way shouldn't instill guilt in anyone. After all, no one can help how they are born.

I think there is a reason why the oldest folks left first when Jesus said, “Whoever hasn’t sinned should throw the first stone*" to those who were accusing the woman caught in adultery.

We older folks know that it is harder to condemn absolutely, black-and-whitely, hard and fast sins. The older I get, the more grey everything becomes; but maybe it is just my vision going bad.

Regardless, the more I understand about life and the more I live, the less willing I am to throw a stone at a prostitute. Because, well, that prostitute might be me.

I think that is what Jesus was getting at on Good Friday... "Solidarity."

Or in more Nazarene terms, "Holiness"
Or in more hippie terms, "Wholeness"
Or in more eastern religious terms, "Oneness."

What if Jesus didn't die in exchange for us but in solidarity with us.

What if he subjected himself to backstabbing, injustice, hatred, holy rage and irresponsible use of government power because his children have been subjected to those things and he wasn't going to exempt himself because he could have escaped them.

He became one (whole, holy) with the Father when he said, "Thy will be done"

What if he entered the karma, the consequences, the result of selfishness, hatred, war and injustice even when he didn't deserve it in order to unify the sacred and the secular.

Everything was reborn with the potential for holiness (oneness, wholeness) when the curtain in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom.

What if he shared in our shattered self images that come from interacting and experiencing our own evils, our own wills that would rather be done, our own conflicted and divided selves, our own self-loathing, our own suicides and the illnesses that dualistically fight within our bodies.

In the experience on the cross, Jesus, the eternal being, became non-being. The ultimate paradox that makes possible the unifying of our divided selves into our wholistic (holy, one) self. 

Did you hear that? God is dead.

If you want a reason to doubt on Good Friday, here you go: GOD IS DEAD.

God cannot not die. God can die.
God did die.
God didn't not die because he did not want to. God died though God didn't want to.
God died so God could be one with those who had already died (and those who will die)
God died and the curtain opened to everything's holiness potential
God died and "gave up his Spirit" (makes you wonder, to whom?)
God died next to humans and alongside all humanity
So we could be one, as he is one (whole, holy)
Finally. (my translation of: "it is finished")

If Jesus died for us, it was in a different way that commonly taught. If Jesus died for us, it was to be with us in all the demons that we know, all the death-acts we take part in and in the place we are all headed toward.

It was for solidarity's sake.

Because he didn't condemn the prostitute: he married her**

*John 8:7 CEB
** She goes by the church universal

Under the Juniper Tree

1 Kings 19:4-8 (NRSV) But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

  Here on the cusp of this Lenten season, I thought it appropriate to reflect on this passage as we prepare our hearts for this journey of lent.  

Carlo Carretto reflects on what happens here: "'Leave me, Lord.' But, instead, the Lord says: 'Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you.' This food given to Elijah on the edge of the desert may be seen as the symbol of a food which is to nourish man: The Blessed Sacrament. And it will nourish him with eternal life and take him beyond the frontiers of this world. The frontier is represented by the desert: 'he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.' In biblical language forty signifies many, many.... Patience is necessary to cross the desert; commitment is necessary for the purification the desert brings. Above all, the desert means 'to renounce'. Yes, renounce these stupidities upon which we have wanted to build our poor existence; renounce those ideas we have been clinging to; above all, renounce that attitude we have had towards heaven and towards earth: 'I was right; you'll see I was right!'"
As we ready to enter into this season may we find our nourishment in the food provided through Christ our Lord.

Expectations

Some thoughts from Advent a few years ago... seemed like an appropriate re-post :)

Expectations.

What are they?

There is so much here. One's expectations can make or break your experience.

What you expect sets the tone for how you receive. 

As Christians its easy to expect much, and if you aren't careful you will spend your entire time chasing your own expectations. But perhaps the sole role of the Christian is to expect Jesus, in a real tangible way.

The problem happens when we find ourselves expecting what Jesus is "supposed" to be doing for us; rather than expected Jesus Himself. Jesus has promised Himself, He has given Himself. We love Jesus, and so expect Him, yet in doing so we hold no expectations from Him.

We simply Hope in the Love He has already shown.

This Christmas season, what are your expectations?  

Impact Teams Algorithm Revealed

I'm a part of the... um... 

What is our Impact team called again?

There is nothing better than finding your place in the world of our ever evolving Impact teams. 

If anyone has truly learned something about their strengths, gifts, place of life and where they fit in to Impact, then we have been at least partially successful over the past almost year of trying to figure out how to make Impact teams active, sustainable and thriving. 

However, there remains a gap in communicating about our teams...

Namely... the team names.

So this blog is for you... you people who don't know the name of your group.

Struggle no more, here they are:

Creation Team (think create, build & beauty)

Aesthetics/Sustainability/Building

 Ryan Arnett (Building)*, Justin Croft (Sustainability)*, Kayla Steward (Aesthetics)*, Zach Pond, Christopher Fryman, Harrison Wall, Cobi Ferguson, Eli Hamilton, Caleb Haynes, Paul Blalock 

Garden Team (think grow)

Gardening/Engaging Community Involvement/Garden Kickoff Event

This team is only a team from March-August (6 months) - this team is currently serving in other capacities.

Welcome Team (think inviting & hospitality)

Community Events/Giving Tree/Marketing

 Trey Davis (Trees)*, Josh Smith (Events)*, Emily Haynes  (Marketing)*, Leloni Hamilton, Amanda Badley, Tim Gragg, Brandon Rarig*,  Nathan Badley  

Outreach Team (think heaven on earth & sweetness)

Meals/Neighbors/Cards/Baskets/Health-checks

 Deirdre Arnett*, Melanie Pond*, Taren Ferguson, Chasity Blalock , Hilary Fryman, Jenn Drake Croft, Tanae Badley, Lorainne Gragg, Chelsea Davis*, Rachel Bell     

If you don't see your name, I need to see you! 

Impact Team Goals (May, June, July)

Aesthetics 3 Month Goals: 

• Finish existing walking path
• Repair picnic tables, clean and restain
• Weed and re-mulch paths

Aesthetics Goals (Long-term)

• Firewood station
• Herb garden 
• Create an enclosed storage space
• Permanent tree hanging banner
• Green houses
• Signage
• Mailbox
• Flowers
• Dog run
• Build additional recycling stations

Visiting Neighbors and Neighborhood Hospitality 3 Month Goals:

• Monthly grief support basket for neighbors who have lost loved ones
• Give neighbors leftover food each week
• Be deliberate about listening to neighbors and finding ways to support them
• Supply nook for basket supplies

Community Events/Trees/Marketing 3 Month Goals:

• Developing a garden logo
• Plant three more trees and get all signs up
• Get signs up for trees already planted
• Host community events 1 each month in the summer - brainstorm ideas for interesting additions to the events
• Maintain consistency in all marketing across all platforms

Garden Goals 3 Month Goals: 

• Consistency in gardening and community presence
• Participation from the community
• Rigging up a clothesline for growing vines upright
• Distributing produce baskets in the community
• Figuring out a system to let neighbors know when produce is ripe and ready

Sustainability Impact Team 3 Month Goals: 

• Build out bottom part of recycling container to collect batteries and other future items that aren't picked up by normal recycling. 
• Add educational pieces about sustainability to garden newsletter
• Host 1 community trash pickup in the next 2 months
• Create composting education magnets to give out

Heaven and Hospitality

What do you get when you combine community grown, homemade salsa, water balloons, neighbors and a garden cat? July's Community Potluck. Click here to see images.

Thanks to everyone who came out to offer hospitality, and specifically those who did the work to pull off this event. 

We saw a lot of beautiful and diverse faces. 

This is truly a way we see the Kingdom of Heaven breaking into our lives, our city and our world. 

When we offer hospitality and invite our neighbors to the table we get more than we give:

... We gain a deeper understanding of those that live next door.
... The bonds for a community are built up.
... A sense of pride is gained for the place we live.
... God's vision of 'love for neighbor' has an opportunity to be experienced.

Headed for the Vineyard

“But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ “He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the man went to the other and said the same thing.
“‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go.
³¹ “Which of the two did his father’s will?”
“The first,” they said.
Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you!
-Matthew 21:28-31 (HCSB)

Jesus says this to a group of chief priests and elders… Apparently it doesn’t matter under what title you’re going by… how religious you think you are… but the Kingdom of Heaven is filled with people who have Heard and Responded… who Go and Do...

Its almost funny how much we love to say "yes" to things. Saying yes to someone or some project almost makes you feel powerful or important, or perhaps you're just too compassionate for your own good, or maybe you just never learned how to say "no"....

We live in a world of "YES's!" And the yes becomes glorified! Ironically praised despite whether or not we go to the vineyard. Actually it's a surprise when someone does go.
I mean who really believes the promises of those diet plans or politicians?
Or that friend who says they'll call you sometime... the classic "we'll get together soon!"?
"YES!"

What does it mean that God calls us to be part of a kingdom that exists out of a different framework? To be a people who radically goes into the vineyard?

Thanksgiving Barriers

So let’s be honest. Living lives of gratitude sounds great, but really there are a lot of barriers to living life with a heart of gratitude.

For one thing, being able to feel thankful is closely tied to our ability to perceive fairness in the world.

If we look at the world and compare our lot with others who have more, we will develop a sense of the world being unfair, we start to move into envy and bitterness and gratitude becomes difficult.

Alternately, if we look at the suffering of people in the world it becomes difficult to thank God for the good things in our lives. We get the, ‘How can we praise God for this beautiful day when there was an earthquake in El Salvador yesterday? Syndrome’ We may feel that if we are committed to justice and seeing an end to suffering we must be very serious about it, and we can’t be thankful about something as trivial as a nice day.

Secondly, gratitude is tied to our expectations of the world and it seems wrong to lower our expectations.

In the church, we sometimes yearn for the idea community and when you are looking at an ideal, it is hard to be satisfied with what you have. As though contentment was synonymous with not having drive or vision, we might decide that being discontent with were we are is the righteous stance. 

Sometimes, we are the giver, who didn’t get gratitude in the way we expected.

This makes a situation difficult. Even though we didn’t give out of desire for repayment, when our gifts are not recognized our relationship and contributions are not validated. Saying thanks is often an expression of respect for the relationship. When thanks is withheld or not given in the appropriate supply, a person can feel as though their relationship is not valued.

Therefore, it becomes difficult to continue to give out of generosity. When no one expresses recognition of all that you do behind the scenes, your giving can become begrudged instead of coming from a heart of generosity and joy.

Sometimes, to express gratitude implies consenting to a relationship that we are not sure we are ready for or want.

When we accept a gift without repayment we are in a way, indebted to the relationship and the continuation of the relationship. Repayment implies that you don’t want to continue or deepen a relationship with someone, that you’re operating under an exchange for services relationship.

However, when gratitude is at work without all of these difficulties, it happens like this:

When you are given a gift that cannot be repaid, only acknowledged, you become invested into the community’s future endeavors, which ultimately strengthens relational bonds.

It reminds me of something Jennifer said to me one time. She said, “I know I can’t repay what has been given to me, but I know I will have the opportunity in the future to give back.

Concepts and wording in places are borrowed from Christine Pohl’s book, Living Into Community

Trust and Desire

"O Lord, who else or what else can I desire but you? You are my Lord, Lord of my heart, mind, and soul. You know me through and through. In and through you everything that is finds its origin and goal. You embrace all that exists and care for it with divine love and compassion. Why, then, do I keep expecting happiness and satisfaction outside of you? Why do I keep relating to you as one of my many relationships, instead of my only relationship, in which all other ones are grounded? Why do I keep looking for popularity, respect from others, success, acclaim, and sensual pleasures? Why, Lord, is it so hard for me to make you the only one? Why do I keep hesitating to surrender myself totally to you?
Help me, O Lord, to let my old self die, to let die the thousand big and small ways in which I am still building up my false self and trying to cling to my false desires. Let me be reborn in you and see through you the world in the right way, so that all my actions, words, and thought can become a hymn of praise to you.
I need your loving grace to travel on this hard road that leads to the death of my old self and to a new life in and for you. I know and trust that this is the road to freedom.
Lord, dispel my mistrust and help me become a trusting friend. Amen."
- From A Cry for Mercy by Henri Nouwen

Ashes, Dust and Failure

Last night Brad Daugherty from Blakemore Church of the Nazarene gave a great message for the Ash Wednesday service. He challenged us to recognize that it is not 'in-spite-of' our frailty, weakness and mortality that Christ is made present, but rather it is a much higher calling. A recognition that it is 'within' our frailty, weakness and mortality that Christ is revealed. 

It is a humble place to stand. 

This is where we find ourselves in the season of lent. 

On these 40 days that represent Christ's 40 days of fasting in the desert. 

On these 40 days leading up to Easter.

We recognize that:

From dust we came, and to dust we shall return

We serve a Savior that was crucified and dead

We are weak and frail, completely and utterly unable to be who and what we should

AND... that that is where Christ comes and becomes present to us and in us.

IN our weakness

IN our frailty 

IN our finite mortality

Try accepting that for Lent.

Over-Consumers Anonymous

As we've lately been discussing our relationship as the people of God with Money... questions that continue to linger for us, as people who live in the consuming culture that we do, center on:
Do we live out of more or less than we really need?... Than we are created for?

So then, some good things for us to reflect on is our relationship to these things that we so readily consume... Here are some questions to scratch your head about:  :)

May we always be people who live out of Love and Fear in the presence of a Holy God, who is faithful to give us what we need.

Food and Drink: How much food and drink is enough? Am I consuming more or less food and drink than my body needs? Or am I consuming just the right amount?

Clothing: How many clothes are enough? Do I have more or less clothes than I need?

Housing: How much space do I need? Do I have more or less space than I need?

Transportation: How much car and airline travel do I need? Do I travel more or less than I need?

Consumer goods: How much stuff (books, electronics, furniture, cars, bicycles, etc.) do I need? Do I have more or less stuff than I need?

Entertainment: How much entertainment do I need? Do I have more or less entertainment than I need?

Follow up questions to answer:
What are the personal costs of consuming more or less than I need?
How is the world (other people) affected by my choices?
Is this an area of life where I may actually benefit from having less?
What might it look like for me to practice contentment and voluntary simplicity with this issue?

The Wind Blows...

Kaleo has recently been on a journey of rediscovering the book of Acts. 
I will say its been an eye opening experience to truly spend time walking through this text and seeing how the Spirit of God chooses to work through His people... It's interesting how we often skim over certain texts and phrases and often believe we know just how the Spirit of God is going to act in a situation... because honestly if there is anything Acts tells us its that we don't know squat. 

The Spirit of God wouldn't be the Spirit of God if we always knew what He was up to! This is why faith if faith... because the element of "certainty" is sort of missing when we begin to talk about the Spirit of God. 
Truth is, sometimes there are tongues of flames, sometimes there are miraculous healings, sometimes there are prison breaks, sometimes people drop dead, and at some points He doesn't even show up and other times He does! 


Despite what you believe about the Spirit of God... whether because you can't see Him you rationalize Him away... or whether you are a full on miracle-believing-Spirit-filled believer... you can't ignore what happens.
Acts is documented transformation. Truth is, at some point Something got into a group of Jesus-followers and from that moment on their lives were radically rerouted.... A group of pathless people became a people with great purpose! ... A people moved toward justice and healing in the world. A people empowered and doing great and unexplainable works!
... And since then the world has been changed... 

I love what one of the Pharisee's in Acts 5 named Gamaliel says about the apostles... "A Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. 35 He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re going to do to these men. 36 Not long ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about 400 men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his partisans were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. That man also perished, and all his partisans were scattered. 38 And now, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.”"

... interesting words and a spark of light in the midst of a people set against the Spirit of God... 

The Spirit of God is at work... and if you try to pin Him down or lock Him up... it will be like trying to capture the wind. 

Today, how might you become more open to the Spirit of God in your life?

Is it enough?

Part of our vision as Kaleo is to see how heaven will break into our world.

In our day and time we can hardly avoid 'the world' any longer. Anytime you flip on the news, turn on the radio, or log onto Facebook. The world is in our face.
But as the world becomes more unavoidable we can still avoid the world. And many of us do.
But not perhaps because we don't want to do good in the world, but simply for many of us its a matter of not knowing what to do or where to do it!

This is why from the start we said that, as a faith community we will support good causes in the world. Whether it be giving a family an alpaca, helping to dig a well, supplying seeds to a village, giving mosquito nets to countries full of aids, or simply providing clothing to warm the cold places of the world. There is too much need for us to do nothing. We find it essential not only to be a church that says we are about helping the world, but actually being a people who do these things together.

But here's what I wonder... Is it enough?

The age-old danger that people of good intention have fallen into for years now will not leave us without lure. The temptation that is to "give our portion" and leave feeling great about ourselves. Too often for some "giving their portion" becomes their own personal scapegoat to move on with life without any further thought or regard to the world. This is dangerous.
My hope is that we can change this. That we as the people of God can begin to let the fire within us burn for the world. That we don't stop with our wallets but that we continue with our hands, with our feet, with the platforms God has given us. If we truly allow the Spirit of God to have His way we may just end up losing everything we have for the pursuit of a better world.


 As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge. ~ Jesus
Matthew 10:7-8

Family Meeting 2013!

This coming Wednesday, Jan. 30th at 6:30pm is the Kaleo Family Meeting! This happens about once a year and is a time for us to get together, along with anyone who might just be interested in what Kaleo is about, and talk a little. 

This year we will spend some time up front discussing a little bit about who we are as a community of faith, but then we'll have some discussion groups about certain aspects of what we do. 
It will be a good time just to share in community and also raise any thoughts or questions you may have about Kaleo Nashville.

So with that said, anyone is welcome to join us!
Food will be provided so don't worry about it. We will begin eating at 6:30pm and discussion will start at 7. We'll be getting together at Ryan and Deirdre's lovely abode at 2015 Hutton Dr. 37210.

Hope to see you there!

I Promise

Advent is like living in anticipation of a promise that has already been fulfilled, while learning to hope in another that is yet come to fruition.

We live in a world full of promises. 

You can't turn the television on, drive down the road, or walk into a coffee shop without adds blaring at you promising you a "better life." You can get smooth skin, a skinny belly, and hair where you want it and no hair in places you don't if you try their product or worship their god.
From political campaigns to pinky swears our world is full of promises. 

But the problem is these promises hardly ever pan out, do they? 

Why is that? 

I mean, do we even really know what a real promise looks like anymore? 

Actually, we are mere mortals, who instead of controlling the world around us, are tossed around by it. Tossed around by our desires, by disasters, by the domino effect our world has upon us.
We can't control the world, we barely control ourselves.

So who are we, humanity, to make promises? 

Truth is, God is the only One who is able to make real promises.
He is the only One who can rightly keep His word... who has the authority, the position, the power to do so. He is the only One who is truly faithful. 

God comes through on His promises.

So, when He says in Jeremiah 33:14-16, “I will cause a Righteous Branch to sprout up for David,”

“He will administer justice and righteousness in the land.”

^“Judah will be saved,”
“Jerusalem will dwell securely”  
… When He promises, Justice, Salvation, and Deliverance…
Do You Trust Him?

This season of Advent, as you wait for the coming of our Lord. May you experience true hope in the promises of our God. The God who always does what He says.
May you learn to trust in Him and may you hope extravagantly!

2012 Fall Festival! - Saturday!

The Action begins at 3:30 on Saturday 10/6 with a Moonbounce, Games for the kids, and Food! (Chili to be exact, provided by many lovely ladies of our community!) 

Around 5pm there will be a Pie Contest held for all you closet-bakers out there! This will be the X-Factor of Pie Contests as our elite panel of judges will choose this year’s Pie Champion :) 

Stick around after the Pie Contest because that's when the live music begins, as we listen to the sound of some of our local sensations! 

A fire will be going to warm your toes and smores to warm the rest of you.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

[The Woodycrest Community Garden is across the street from 2015 Hutton Dr. 37210]

You don't need to bring a thing! Unless you just want to! :)

The Kingdom of God

A good reminder of what we are about as Kaleo Nashville and the church in the world!

World Impact: Still Giving Plumpy Nut!

Right now, millions of suffering children are at risk of starvation, and as worldwide food prices soar, the hope of getting even one meal a day is fading fast. It is an unnecessary tragedy that more than half of all childhood deaths are linked to hunger. The devastating truth is that more than 13,000 hungry children die every day.

But there is good news. Plumpy'nut is one of a variety of nutrient-rich, high-protein pastes that resemble peanut butter — but act in a miraculous ways to save children's lives. One small packet helps in three profound ways. Fast-acting, easy to distribute, and easy to use, makes these peanut based therapies rich in essential nutrients and work faster than other treatments. Doctors call it 'revolutionary' and the most important advance ever to prevent malnutrition.

Today, our gifts, combined with government grants, will multiply 5 times to provide lifesaving food and care to children and families in 28 countries around the world.

This Impact is through World Vision!


Kaleo World Impact

The Intentional Church

Since Pentecost we've been dialoguing about what it means to be the church.
It seems the longer I follow Christ the more I realize the intentionality that is required to follow Jesus.
We are called to be His hands and feet in the world, to bear fruit in His name through His Spirit, yet none of it comes by just the decision to follow Him. It happens as we actually stand up and walk with Him.

So what does it look like to be the church in a world that tends to only do what comes natural to us?
It looks very odd. It looks very different. It stands out.
Being the hands and feet of Jesus requires us to reach out and touch, to step out and walk.

I believe most of us have good intentions about following Jesus but we just kind of assume following Him and bearing good fruit will just sort of happen along the way. While this may at some point actually occur, I think that truly existing as the messengers of the Good News in the world will require of us going out of our way.
It means stepping into the conversations we don't necessarily feel like being in. Reaching out to the person that is on the other side of the street. Moving in intentional direct loving ways and so giving hope.
Existing as the church is not simply saying "no" to so many natural inclinations and selfish pleasures, but even more it is saying "yes" to the inclinations of the Spirit and to the loving pleasures that follow.

If you find yourself leaving your witness of the Good News to the people and places that you might "bump into", you are already missing it. Because when you have News this Good to tell it can't simply be left up to the random happenings of your life... it must be acted upon, on every street corner of your day.

In Christ,
Caleb



Check out the "Crippled Jesus" movement that is happening and has begun with Kaleo's sister church's in Germany.