The Gathering

Hi. Well, it's been a while. I'll do better next time. Now, down to business.

We've been doing something fun the last couple of months. We've been inviting some other small, simple churches from around the Atlanta area to join us once a month for a time of singing, praying, teaching, hanging out, and just general celebration together. It's still taking shape, so we don't know exactly what it will look like as it moves forward - but so far it's been encouraging to connect with other churches and encourage one another.

With all the benefits that we proclaim regarding small, simple churches, there are also some dangers that are inherent in this way of being church. One of the biggest dangers is becoming disconnected from the larger body of Christ. In fact, as I understand it, many house churches form precisely for the reason of disconneting themselves from others in the body of Christ (just in case you're wondering - that's not good). So the monthly gathering is one way to avoid this danger of disconnection. Think of the description of the church in Acts 2: the dynamic between meeting in homes and gathering together at the temple (though we don't know exactly what that looked like). As a side note, there are other activities we're thinking through that will also allow us more connection with the larger body. More to come on that later.

I also thought I'd share that since my last post, one of the girls we hang out with has become a follower of Jesus. Watching her grow closer to Jesus brings me more joy right now than just about anything else I can think of. God is so amazing.

--Derik

Double dipping

Well it has been a while since anyone has posted anything... so i thought i would double dip from my own blog and catch y'all up quickly.


quick update
Because i am avoiding studying i thought i would give y'all a quick update.
Finals are here! Rejoice, let the people rejoice... i think... :)

Ansley, who y'all will remember as the girl who left Macon, is engaged! Yeah Ansley. Charise's wedding in this January. Yea Charise! More on what is going on witht he group later... there have been changes... lots of them... but like everything in life, God ordained.

Actually it has been an amazing semester filled with lots of God grabbing my attention. I've gotten to know some good people better and i have been challenged by people i have known a while too. Overall i can not complain.
Soon after Civil procedure on Friday I will catch y'all up on what is going on here in Macon. For now here is a peak at the thoughts of the moment

This morning people were giving prayer requests about the physical issues that the people close to them are going through... and i was listening... a mother with 4 kids who has cancer, a college freshman with cancer... to a guy being sent to Pakistan to work... and the thought that ran through my head is this.

We all die.

That is not a big surprise, we can't avoid it, it happens. But we don't all live... some of us rather be safe than live... The question that i have to ask myself is did i live well and did i die well?

I get very tied up to living life... and that is because until Christ took a hold of me, life meant nothing to me... so for me wanting to live and Christianity are the same thing... but i think it is as i am getting older that i understand what it really means to live life. It is not just feeling everything to the extremes, it is not just having fun, or loving people, though that is part of it... but it is not being afraid of death or dying and being willing to risk your life for Christ... that is life... and it doesn't mean that you get shipped off to a far away land, though it might be that too... but am i dying, right here, right now.

The funny things is that it is often easier to say "Yes God" to sending you to a dangerous war zone... than to say "Yes God." to the person who is hurting you in this very second. Will I say “Yes God” when my husband is hurting my heart? It is often easy to say "Yes God" to the person who is persecuting you for your faith than then person you love persecuting you... and you saying, forgive them Father they don't know what they are doing. My greatest heroes have been women who have forgiven the men who have raped them, their grandfather who molested them, the coach who assaulted them. They are my heroes... because the gospel message of forgiveness, mercy, grace, is not just an intellectual exercise for them but a stark and very real reality. They have forgiven the people who hurt them and are still in relationship (some of them have to be because of blood) with them... and their forgiveness is still there. Those are my heroes.

Anyways that is a brief catch up. I pray i live well and die well.

till the next catch up