It was wonderful to continue sharing about where God is leading us. As usual, it was impossible to record every single thought and comment, but here are a few that were shared...
Consider the 3 aspects of a Christian life:
GOSPEL, COMMUNITY, MISSION
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Homework Report:
Q: In light of The Conversation last week, what was the result of your self-assigned homework over the past week?
A: I had lunch with John. Learned more about working with prison ministry.
A: To listen more, particularly to a friend who is in a lot of pain. Did that, but wanted to talk more with people in the community room. Today, listened to a lady that no one ever talks to.
A: Got together with a girl who is a new Christian.
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Q: When you hear the word gospel, what does that mean to you?
A: Living word
A: Truth
A: Matthew, mark, Luke, John
A: The lordship of Jesus, the arrival of Jesus as a new ruler
A: Good news of Jesus
A: Fellowship
A: The story of Jesus
A: Salvation
A: Heaven
A: Mission
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Our king Jesus is working in the A-Z of our life, community, and mission.
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Q: What kind of things were talked about in these passages?
A: Freedom
A: Comfort
A: Restoration
A: Good news
A: Spirit
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Q: If Jesus were to show up in Bloomington today what would he do?
A: He wouldn't come to church
A: He'd go to the bars
A: He'd go to the homeless
A: He would come to church and people would be amazed at the grace and the words coming out of his mouth.
A: Salvation army
A: Downtown Bloomington
A: Everywhere he's needed--could be the church or anywhere
A: The street
A: Hospitals
A: Campus
A: Homeless tent communities
A: Miller park
A: Not having a house, but staying with people
A: Everywhere he could go
A: Prisons
A: Doesn't matter if it is a dangerous place; He is protected
Q: How does that frame the way that we live?
A: We should be doing the same things.
A: If this is where Jesus would be, as his hands and feet these are literally the same places we should be.
A: Be ready to get to know people, anytime.
Be willing to go outside your comfort zone, go where the need is.
A: It's not our job to judge each other. If those who have needs are at the bar, we go to the bar and don't worry about what others say. A: Churches can become know as that...for being in the places people need ministered to.
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Jesus is not famous at this point. He is focusing on practical ways to share God's love. These people he is speaking to are professional Jews, and at the end of this passage, they took him to the end of town to stone him. Think though, about how these groups were marginalized…They put rules in place to keep the lost people out, and Jesus brought a paradigm shift! They didn't want to think about helping those people. It will be a paradigm shift for a lot of us to change our perspective and receive an enlarged understanding of what the gospel really is.
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3 Aspects of the Christian Life--GOSPEL, COMMUNITY, MISSION
A Christian Life lived in mission is really about living ordinary, everyday life in community, with great gospel intentionality.
To be honest, most of us look at these 3 aspects of the Christian life (Gospel, Community, & Mission) without much argument. We’ve talk about aspects of these ideas a hundred different ways, heard sermon after sermon, and have created an extensive array of programs to challenge believers to live accordingly. But truly integrating them in to our lives rarely seems to happen.
Q: When you think about letting the gospel and Jesus having your whole life, what are you afraid of?
A: Telling our secrets
A: That Jesus is going to ask me to do something I don't want to
A: Success
A: Not know all the answers
A: Not being in control
A: Getting in God's way
A: Getting the story on Facebook
A: Giving up your own dreams
A: Sometimes success looks like a cross
A: It hurts really bad
Q: What interferes most with your gospel takeover?
A: Myself
A: Fear of losing control
A: Fear
A: Not wanting others to see your dirt inside you
A: Inertia of years you spent building what's inside you
Q: How might your life change if you began to look at the gospel as the a-z of your Chrisitan life and not just about salvation of the eternal future?
A: When you're dealing with the community, it makes a difference when we talk WITH people instead of down to them. It becomes more real when we show them a piece of us.
A: Accepting the fact that this process is going to change us is scary.
A: Every time I minister to someone or help them I get more than I give. To think that if I do this intentionally I will have more opportunities. I don't think you can give more in the lords spirit than you get.
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The Paradigm Shirt Embarkation
Sometimes we have a mindset that we will bestow gifts on those in need from an elevated position.
Jesus made himself equal with us. He walked with us. He became like us. He lowered himself and cut off everything that was higher than us and came to be with us.
"When we engage needs, as the church, we become good news." - Brandon Hatmaker
Q: Where is God at work today in our neighborhood?
A: My kids' school. His teacher is a Christian. I see her witnessing to her aide and others in the school.
A: Special needs education
A: In my apartment building, a bible study
A: At my school, there's a group of teachers who gather and pray daily
A: My apartment complex is near a church plant called The Tabernacle. They have members living in the apartment complex.
A: Good News club in every school in our town
A: MCStrong trend
A: The county jails, prison ministry, with their families
A: Celebrate Recovery
A: Virginia Craig Fry 75 years old earning her GED, prays for me
A: My family. They don't go to church, but my little sister is learning about Jesus here at PoC.
A: Home Sweet Home
Q: Where does your life overlap with what God is already doing?
A: My workplace, my bosses pray for me and are part of the kingdom. Hearts of my coworkers are impacted seeing me continue to serve the lord even through my struggles.
A: Making relationships at the gym. Posting encouragement on facebook. Reconnecting with friends from other periods of life and encouraging them.
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Q: Where do you think God may be leading you in light of this conversation?
A: The Salvation Army, I had to live there for 7 months. I can go and talk with people staying there.
A: We have to be completely reliant on the Holy Spirit and be completely reliant on where he is leading us at every moment.
A: Remembering your own personal story... It's important for people I witness to to understand what a hard time I went through and how God delivered me.
Q: What are you thinking? How are you being challenged by this conversation? What questions do you have? How are you feeling about what you've been hearing?
A: It's very clear.
A: In a lot of ways we are on the same page.
A: I think we are ready to live it out.
A: This is like permission to activate and mobilize and engage and live the gospel.
A: Revival. In the old days, Christians went to revivals to listen to evangelists. We need Christ to be active in our church before a revival. Christ is alive and moving in this church. He wants us to be involved in everything so that we show him to the world.
A: As a newcomer... we've been trying to find a place to belong. These conversations have made me feel more comfortable to know we are on the right track. Now go do.
A: Potential. Nice to have sense of community in this, even when we aren't in the same physical space. It's more fun.
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