Posts
I was asked to come and spend part of this weekend with some friends that I met in Stratford in July when Wayne and Sara Jacobsen came for a visit.
It has been a time of getting to know one another even more, such richness this has been.It was a wonderful joy also being a part of their house gathering with so many of their extended family. Being included in they’re working out, sorting out, just what church life might really look like.
It’s wonderful seeing the Father making known to us our intense need to be loved by Him unconditionally, and as this reality is unfolding in our hearts, we are freed to view more pieces of what it just might all be about.
The father’s love is freeing us from so many lies/fears that have dogged us most of our Christian lives, and in the process, becoming relaxed, or at peace with hearing the same Father expanding and opening up piece by piece, of what His church looks like.
Within this home fellowship/meeting, both of my friends have presented to those that regularly attend, of how, without there being a greater knowing of Papa’s unconditional love for us, it will be the same old, same old, clinging to something/one other than Him.
Meaning, I see most clearly, not all of it mind you, but enough to know that He is defining and redefining by His life in us what church is going to look like.
The beauty of this is in my opinion is solely about His life defining what, if any structure is going to look like at any given moment, and for how long.
As my brother Wayne shared recently on a pod cast, ‘Let’s stop talking about IC (institutional church) HC (home/house church) but instead, talking about Jesus.
Many point back to the first century church as a model, pining or lamenting over what was, vs what we now have, as if we have lost something.
If only we could go back…the God who was, or will be? But what about the I AM, who says, I am the same yesterday, today and for evermore, I change not declares the Lord!Is it possible what appears to be a contradiction, is simply an inability, not recognizing how He has dealt with His church in different dispensations?
Back to the home meeting/gathering last night…If it is in fact His life defining/redefining what we are to look like, structure wise, if we are not secure in the knowable reality of His love for us, then like so many repeated times down through the centuries, as soon as He begins to define what Church (relational living) is to look like in a new group of believers, they have been attacked, and in past ages put to death for not doing IT, the right way.
Wasn’t there a moment when a couple of Jesus’ disciples come back to him fully expecting to receive some kind of reward for setting matters straight? They said Lord, we met someone trying to expel Satan out of a person, but we told them they were NOT doing it the right way, our way, or the highway.We know what Jesus said, those who are for me can not be against me.
What His church is going to look like at any given moment just might be His business, him being the Head of the church.The lies and fears that hold us captive will not allow us to let go of what we have believed to be the right way of doing church, apart from His love becoming something far more than a nodding of the head.
I am anticipating hearing further reports from my friends of how this graced flexibleness is freeing this home gathering to allow His love/live, define what it’s supposed to look like for them, as it will be in seeing our Head define what it will look like in each of those He has birthed, and calls His own.
Rich
It has been a time of getting to know one another even more, such richness this has been.It was a wonderful joy also being a part of their house gathering with so many of their extended family. Being included in they’re working out, sorting out, just what church life might really look like.
It’s wonderful seeing the Father making known to us our intense need to be loved by Him unconditionally, and as this reality is unfolding in our hearts, we are freed to view more pieces of what it just might all be about.
The father’s love is freeing us from so many lies/fears that have dogged us most of our Christian lives, and in the process, becoming relaxed, or at peace with hearing the same Father expanding and opening up piece by piece, of what His church looks like.
Within this home fellowship/meeting, both of my friends have presented to those that regularly attend, of how, without there being a greater knowing of Papa’s unconditional love for us, it will be the same old, same old, clinging to something/one other than Him.
Meaning, I see most clearly, not all of it mind you, but enough to know that He is defining and redefining by His life in us what church is going to look like.
The beauty of this is in my opinion is solely about His life defining what, if any structure is going to look like at any given moment, and for how long.
As my brother Wayne shared recently on a pod cast, ‘Let’s stop talking about IC (institutional church) HC (home/house church) but instead, talking about Jesus.
Many point back to the first century church as a model, pining or lamenting over what was, vs what we now have, as if we have lost something.
If only we could go back…the God who was, or will be? But what about the I AM, who says, I am the same yesterday, today and for evermore, I change not declares the Lord!Is it possible what appears to be a contradiction, is simply an inability, not recognizing how He has dealt with His church in different dispensations?
Back to the home meeting/gathering last night…If it is in fact His life defining/redefining what we are to look like, structure wise, if we are not secure in the knowable reality of His love for us, then like so many repeated times down through the centuries, as soon as He begins to define what Church (relational living) is to look like in a new group of believers, they have been attacked, and in past ages put to death for not doing IT, the right way.
Wasn’t there a moment when a couple of Jesus’ disciples come back to him fully expecting to receive some kind of reward for setting matters straight? They said Lord, we met someone trying to expel Satan out of a person, but we told them they were NOT doing it the right way, our way, or the highway.We know what Jesus said, those who are for me can not be against me.
What His church is going to look like at any given moment just might be His business, him being the Head of the church.The lies and fears that hold us captive will not allow us to let go of what we have believed to be the right way of doing church, apart from His love becoming something far more than a nodding of the head.
I am anticipating hearing further reports from my friends of how this graced flexibleness is freeing this home gathering to allow His love/live, define what it’s supposed to look like for them, as it will be in seeing our Head define what it will look like in each of those He has birthed, and calls His own.
Rich
No comments:
Post a Comment