One of the defining turning points in my mind when I think of the history of the twelve tribes of Israel was a point of decision. God had, with a mighty hand, led them out of slavery in Egypt, through the mighty red sea, and now into the desert where he would prepare them for their promised land. The whole nation was encamped near a mountain and God had told them to draw near so he could talk to them from the mountain. He desperately desired fellowship and open communication with His people.

The people purified themselves and drew near to the mountain, which was now enveloped in loud thunder, flashes of lightning, great quaking, and a roaring fire: a display of the awesome glory of God. The people were afraid – and their fearful desire for self-preservation was greater than their desire for fellowship with their creator – so they told Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Ex. 19:12 – 20:21) So the people withdrew from the bottom of the mountain to stand afar off and watch.

I can only imagine God’s disappointment when he saw the people back away. He had done so much for them and all He expected in return was an open line of communication. He did not want to start a religion, He wanted to start a relationship with His people. He wanted to talk to each of them, and only one was willing to do it face to face. Only one was hungry enough to know God that they were willing to risk hair and hide to find do it. Only one.

The unfortunate dilemma in many church systems today is very similar. Churches have been set up using Old Testament hierarchies when the Old Testament has passed away. The church in the first century was so wonderfully free from religion that there were no heads or tails among the people. No pulpits and pews in their meeting rooms. No clergy and laity. Rather all were kings and priests to God, and for the most part they acted like it. They all ministered in different ways, all were used in differing gifts of the Spirit, all took part in building up the whole body. As a result, all layed hands on the sick, all visited the infirmed or imprisoned, all baptized new believers, and all were charged with being prayer warriors and soul winners.

The average church group today looks very different. They have a Moses, and they have told him, “You go for us.” Without realizing it, they have rejected God as their King and heaped to themselves a mediator. Someone who will talk to God on their behalf and deliver His messages for them. A leader they can call their own and who will represent them to the world and to God. This setup hinders the forward movement of the body of Christ in at least two key ways. The leader becomes overworked and born down with way too much responsibility, and the saints under their ministry become fat and lazy and carnal – I say this with great respect for the motives and efforts of every church group today, because I used to be on both sides of that coin.

What is most unfortunate is that most saints prefer it this way!

This is a tremendous conference and an excellent resource opportunity. I have attended this conference, and would highly recommend it to all Colorado House Churches. With speakers like Wolfgang Simpson, Frank Viola, and Paul Young (author of The Shack), you know you will get a lot to chew on.

Below is an email from Tony Dale about the conference, click here for the House2House 2008 Conference Flyer.

I am dropping you this note to enlist your help in getting word out about the H2H National conference, and to bring you up to date information on what we believe will be accomplished by the conference. Through your mailing/emailing lists, if you are open to helping us in this way, many who are likely to be interested in what this conference is about will be able to hear and possibly decide to come because they value your perspective and endorsement.

This year, we are hosting a very special conference in Dallas, Texas. I’ve attached a flyer that explains the details of this conference. The conference is over the Labor Day weekend, which this year is the last weekend in August.

Specifically, I’m asking if you would kindly send a special one-time email blast to the people on your mailing list with your encouragement to people to seriously consider going, with the attached flyer. The subject line of the email could say something along the lines of: “The 2008 National House Church Conference.” We would like to extend our “early bird” registration rate to your contact as our thank you for you doing this email blast for us.

Registrations are already at the highest level we have ever seen for one of these National conferences. In fact they are running more than 2 X’s higher than we have ever seen for this early in the summer. The Holy Spirit is obviously drawing people. The mix of those speaking and the four “tracks” that will make up the bulk of the conference experience are also a factor in drawing people. These four tracks, of which people will be able to choose one primary track to be a part of are:

• House2Harvest-Reaching the unreached through world missions
• House2Harvest-Maximizing our workplace involvement and impact
• House2Harvest-Understanding the basics of House Church life
• House2Harvest-Relationship Christianity: Deepening our walk with God and with each other

Those speaking at the main sessions, will also each be involved, but under the facilitating leadership of others within the four tracks that will define the conference experience. We are very blessed to have the following coming as our main speakers within the plenary sessions:

• Dennis Balcombe – Missionary extraordinaire to the Chinese House Church movement.
• Wolfgang Simson – Author of “Houses That Change The World” and “The Starfish Manifesto”.
• Frank Viola – Author (with George Barna) of “Pagan Christianity” and many other books.
• Paul Young – Author of “The Shack”, which has taken the Christian world by storm over the past year.
• Felicity and I will also be involved in the plenary sessions

Although our official “early bird” registration date is already over, if you contact Paul Byerly at paul@house2house.com he will give you a “Registration Code” which when used by your contact list by June 20th will give them the same early bird registration rate as those who heard about the conference and registered early through the H2H lists. This rate will need to be limited to those who register by June 20th to help our planning processes. Please also note that the pre-conference day for network leaders and others in Christian leadership positions is already 70% full, and so if you have contacts that you think need to be a part of that pre-conference day, please urge them to register now, as we have to limit numbers there to around 100 because of limited space available at the hotel on that day.

Thank you very much for your consideration. If you have any questions, please feel very free to contact me directly.

Tony Dale on behalf of the H2H conference planning team.

The site is back up!

Last week a malicious script got into our database, and my website host was no help (“we have escalated this help ticket”), even after a half dozen emails and phone calls. And of course, as I administer this site in my free time, it was in the middle of two of my busiest weeks.

My apologies for any inconvenience caused by the down time. Some notes

• We are on a brand new host, with a fresh install of wordpress
• You may need to create a new account to comment on the site or subscribe. Or you might be able to hit “forgot password and it will email you a new password.
• If you know anyone who stopped coming to the site because of the damage by the hacker, let them know the site is back up

I must admit it felt like an attack on several levels, and was very frustrating. It is a reminder to me that this world is “not as it should be!”

I started reading Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr. a few nights ago. It’s not a house church book, but I read something that really touched and challenged me. It totally fits with house churches. Here’s the quote:

“Our homes must be rife with the aroma of love. Those who visit us should notice immediately that they have left the world of self-serving, egocentric narcissism and have entered a safe harbor where people value and esteem others above themselves. Outsiders should enter our homes and never want to leave. Our neighbors should find excuses to visit us just to get another whiff of the fragrant aroma of love. The brokenhearted should long to be near us. The downtrodden and the abused should seek us out. Families on the brink of disaster should point to us and say, “Why can’t our home be like that?”

Wow. That is my desire and yet, we fall so short of that! Lord, please forgive our selfishness and help us live out 2 Corinthians 5…

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

May we be more aware of our broken state, His redeeming love and those who are lost and blind.
~Rose

How often to pray for other believers? What do we pray for other believers?

For a long while now, I have felt somewhat inadequate in my prayers for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want the family of God to be blessed and strengthened and helped… but what should I actually be asking God for when praying for them? I end up asking God to “bless them” and “help them,” especially when I don’t have any other specific needs I know about for these individuals whom God has placed in my sphere of influence. Of course there is great truth in “The Holy Spirit making intercession for (through) us, with groanings that cannot be uttered,” however, Jesus also instructed his followers to ask, and ask specifically.

I have also noticed this deficiency when praying together with my two young boys for a variety of other children (we take turns praying for the different children we know) – and that has proved the most challenging. How can I teach my own boys how to properly pray for others when I myself lack the right words? As it turns out, the scriptures have more than enough information on this subject within the epistles alone to give the believer the right direction they need when praying for the saints…

First of all, the most common greeting and prayer that the New Testament writers made known to their audience is that “grace and peace” would be given to them continually. Grace from God to help them at all times. Peace to keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This request is mentioned so often and so consistently, that listing these verses would be pointless and repetitive. May the reader understand that this prayer, being so consistent in the epistles, might be the most important and most potent prayer we can pray for others in the body of Christ. Grace and peace continually.

Having that said, I have broken down the following scriptures into two categories:

1. Prayers for the Saints Everywhere

2. Prayers for the Apostolic Church Planters

The meat of this study is simply listing these excerpts below for the parousal of the reader. From simply reading through these verses from the epistles, a clear pattern becomes evident in their prayer requests for the saints. All excerpts below are from the NLT version of the Bible for simplicity of theme in this study. I have underlined what I have noticed are some common themes in these passages especially worth noticing.

Prayers for the Saints Everywhere:

Romans – So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1 - Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

Asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.

I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him.

Colossians 1 – We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you.

We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, We ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need.

Epaphras, from your city, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident of the whole will of God. I can assure you that he has agonized for you and also for the Christians in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Galatians 1 – Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. I always pray for you, and I make my requests with a heart full of joy

I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns.

1 Corinthians – I can never stop thanking God for all the generous gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians – We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly.

As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

2 Thessalonians – We keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which he called you.

And we pray that God, by his power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds.

May the Lord bring you into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ.

Prayers for the Apostolic Church Planters:

Romans – Join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the Christians there will be willing to accept the donation I am bringing them. Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a happy heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

2 Thessalonians – I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be saved from wicked and evil people, for not everyone believes in the Lord.

One brief observation to start, before summarizing a few of the main themes in these passages. It is telling to note that all the prayer requests the writers mentioned were for the spiritual well being of the saints. No prayer requests are mentioned in any of these passages for the physical or material blessing of the saints. This is not to suggest that they never prayed for these things, or that these things were unimportant in the lives of the saints – however one thing seems certain notwithstanding: if the material well-being of the saints was not mentioned once in any of the prayers listed in these passages, then it probably should not be the primary focus of our prayers for God’s people today, and it is not the main purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught about money and material possessions of course, but with the common theme of how unimportant these carnal concerns were in the light of God’s everlasting kingdom they were entering. The cry of the New Testament writers was solely for the spiritual health and growth of the saints of God everywhere.

Unceasing prayers offered: On the question of how often the New Testament leaders fathers prayed for the saints, it is clear that the writers strove unceasingly in prayer for the saints and churches they knew of. This they specifically stated in at least 5 different letters. Therefore first and foremost, consistent and continual prayers were offered up for the saints of God. This, it seems, was a foundational part of the apostles ministry to the churches. As they labored for the sake of the many churches they had planted, teaching and admonishing them to continue in the Lord, it was from a solid foundation of countless tears and prayers for them.

Giving thanks for the saints: It also is worth noting that thanking God for the wonderful work he had done and was doing in the churches and the saints is consistently recorded. Even when the writer had no immediate hand in planting a church, it is stated that he gave continual thanks to God for them when he heard about them.

That God would give them understanding: This is the most often repeated theme among all the verses listed above.

Prayers were that they would understand:

- the wonderful future he has promised to those he called & what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.

- the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him

- what God wanted to do in their lives – the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ.

- what really matters

The end result of understanding these different truths is also mentioned:

- so that they might grow in their knowledge of God

- so that the way they lived would always honor and please the Lord, and they would continually do good, kind things for others. All the while, they would learn to know God better and better

- so that they would then live pure and blameless lives

For me, this verifies the idea that all that Christ has provided for His saints is fully at their disposal from the moment of their new birth into the kingdom of God. Unlimited power, wisdom, grace, peace, help from the Father – all these things and a host of others had been given to the believer from day one. The growing and maturing process in the Lord subsequent to initial faith in Christ consisted primarily in understanding more and more what they already possessed! We as believers today already have the powers and wisdom and character of the world to come, but only in the very modest measures that we can understand and handle. It would seem that the work of the enemy then, would be primarily focused on hindering our understanding of the great kingdom power and life we have in Christ.

This could be compared to the son of a great king. If he has no understanding of the royal blood flowing through his veins, then he might be found living as a pauper in the ghettos of the city. However, when he realizes who he is – what royal bloodline flows through his veins, what royal seal hangs upon his finger, the great authority in the name he bears – he will soon move into the castle with the king, begin exercising his royal authority, begin seeking justice for the weak and powerless with confidence, and begin driving out the enemy from his lands without fear.

What would happen if we truly understood what we have at our disposal! If only we would understand the reality of the eternal life we have been given! If only we would truly grasp the unlimited power we have through the Holy Spirit! If only we would begin to understand what God’s ultimate maturing work is aimed at – in each of our lives and hearts. We would begin exercising our God-given authority with confidence and soundness of mind, and resting at all times in the patient work He is doing in us.

Make them holy & complete: Another common theme was the perfection (completeness) of the saints. That God would make them worthy of the wonderful life he’d given them, make them holy in every way, that they would live pure and blameless lives, that the way they would live would always honor and please the Lord, and that they would do good kind things for others. The maturity of character (holiness) and a completeness of good works (love) of each saint seems to be the major end purpose of the gospel of God for his people while they are on this earth – and the NT writers seemed to verify this, always praying that the churches and the saints would eventually become complete in all that they were lacking, as they grew in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Other specific prayers are mentioned in these passages which may be just as important to take note of when praying for the saints, but for now I have only taken the time to cover the major patterns in these verses. I pray that this brief study may give the saints of God everywhere the right tools for what to pray and how to pray for other brothers and sisters! May the people of God labor in prayer for all people, especially for the saints of God everywhere!

—With a lot of love, Sean Hyatt (Aurora)

THE QUESTION:How does your house church deal with (or avoid) the issue of finances?
Leave a comment, we want to hear what you have to say

Money matters. We all know this. For those of us who are part of the movement to return to the simple roots of the New Testament Church, we have also recognized there is something quite wrong about how the “traditional church” in America has dealt with finances. Neil Cole, a simple church thought leader, says that nothing slows down organic church multiplication like Buildings, Budgets, and Bigshots. I would say we have alot of all three. One might even look at the American church and surmise that church and finances are like oil and water…they just don’t mix.

Many house churches have sought to eliminate the resource draining “three B’s,” but in their place is a vacuum. I have been apart of, and read about, a multitude of church networks. Almost without exception, there is a lack of clarity around the issues of finances. I have felt prompted by the Spirit to begin revisiting what the Scripture has to say about finances, and hear what other spiritual families are learning. Also, since I have a full time job in web design, I can ask these questions without some of the awkwardness that others might feel who raise support.

So I would love to hear from you…How does your house church deal with (or avoid) the issue of finances?

Here are some questions I am exploring.

• What does the Bible say about how we are to use our finances to further the kingdom of God?
• Can we, or should we, prioritize how we use our money? Potential areas of usage are the poor, brothers & sisters in Christ, apostles (overseers of larger church networks), etc.
• We are the richest nation in the world, and yet we as a nation and individual people are increasingly in debt. What are the consequences of this as a body of Christ? How can we show a “different way?”
• Who are the people in our church networks that should be freed up, or kept free, to lead the church without the potential distraction of outside employment? Are we supporting them? If not, do they feel free to ask for support?
• The issue of finances can raise such confusion and fear. I know as a pastor’s kid, I saw how money could divide in church politics. How can we approach this differently, organically, simply?
• Jesus was far more concerned about questions than answers, he almost never directly answered a question. So, what are the QUESTIONS Jesus wants us to be asking about money, what questions DID he ask about money? How will joining with him in that dialogue enrich our spiritual families?

What are your thoughts?
What are your questions?

Friends,

All of us have been drawn into simple/house churches believing that Jesus had more in mind for church than what we had been experiencing in the institutional church. At this present moment, we have the opportunity to explore more deeply Jesus’ idea of church by partnering with simple churches in Kenya in this time of their desperate need.

Let me give you some background.

In the Fall of 2006, three of my friends Greg Strand (Indianapolis) and Jan and Tina Cowles (Denver) were asked to come to Kenya by church leaders there to teach on simple church. What they found during their 16 day stay was a situation prepared by God. They ministered in several different cities but here is a comment from Greg following their 4 days of training in one of those cities called Kitale:

“Incredible conference! God has been moving powerfully. These men and women have been prepared by the Spirit with the same message we have been learning… The major training in listening to the voice of Jesus, Luke 10 teaching, community and doing life together has been readily accepted. They have a renewed vision to reach this area as the Spirit guides each one.”

Since that trip, scores of simple churches have been planted by the Kenyans in their own country and in surrounding countries. Greg and Jan and Tina have continued to stay in regular contact with the Kenyan leaders through email and phone (Skype).

In November of 2007, my friends, Roger and Brooks Thoman (Central California) traveled to Kenya to further encourage the leaders of the growing simple church movement there. Here’s what Brooks reported:

“But what I saw in Kenya, I also see in America and other parts of the world…The Reformation of the 21st Century, led by the Holy Spirit, is taking Christianity out of containers into the open spaces of the neighborhoods and nations of the world.”

Then, this last December, shortly after Roger and Brooks returned to the US, widespread violence broke out in Kenya as the result of a disputed presidential election. Thousands have been killed, hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. Many of our new simple church friends have been deeply affected. Here’s an email from Isaac Cheduke to Roger just a couple of days ago on 1/31/08:

“So far since you left us I and my wife Colleta had managed to teach and multiply our Nakuru house church membership to thirty houses which has total number of 100 people. From these houses being the meeting points, people were being mentored to go and begin more house churches and continue multiplying in other surrounding areas.”

Roger – Obviously, the situation has now greatly changed and the following report is hard to even imagine:

“It’s unfortunate for us that in our process of the Good News spreading to broaden our Nakuru House church network in Kenya calamity has befallen us. All of us are displaced and our houses looted from, our businesses closed down, our women and girls raped, our members killed. Right now as I speak we need to bury ten of our members killed in this violence. Some of us have received death threats, but in the camp where we are, we have learned to stick together as a family. We pray together, read and discuss the word, sing praise and worship songs. We share our experiences and put all our trust in God. Surprising, for when we begin our services many people are joining us and we are telling them we are Nakuru House church and teaching them the gospel of multiplication. So far we have ten families which have joined us right in this camp.”

Isaac goes on the describe some of their imminent needs:

“I personally need to move my family to safety. My wife is being threatened to be raped and I have also received death threats. My two boys are not going to school anymore.” (Note from Roger: money we are sending this week has been partially earmarked specifically to get Isaac and his family to safety).

We need to bury our members who have been killed as a result of this violence. Currently there are ten bodies: 4 women, 3 men, and 3 children.

We have had three girls and five of our Nakuru house church women raped before their husbands and children. Three of them were raped with more than ten people and two of them with more than seven people. These women have not been thoroughly examined by a doctor and treated for lack of finances.

I need to move our members who are not the tribe of this place (Nakuru) to western Kenya. Otherwise they will be killed. There are ten families. What they need is only transport and Police escort. Here we pay police escort. These ten families are all numbering 30 people. Transport which includes police escort fee is KSH 3000($50) per person. Without police escort here traveling is like committing suicide…

Even though we are weak now but we are strong. Some of us have never been in such a situation, sincerely we don’t even know what to say or how to act. The more days go by the more it sinks in for us that it’s happening.”

This is where simple churches in North America and the rest of the world come in.

A number of us have felt that we are to present this situation to the simple churches here so that they can ask Papa how we are to partner with the simple churches in Kenya.

Here’s what we have done…

1. A Kenya Listening Team has been assembled. This is comprised of Greg Strand, Jan and Tina Cowles, Roger and Brooks Thoman and Dawson Mudenyo (a house church leader in Kenya). Their mission is to listen to what is going on in Kenya and to listen to what God is saying about what to do about it. Specifically, they will direct whatever funds are contributed to help in Kenya.

2. A website has been set up. Roger has set up a website to keep us informed on what is going on and what the Listening Team is hearing. http://www.simplechurchescare.com

Make sure you look at the short video at http://www.simplechurchescare.com/learn.html

Information on contributing finances is at http://www.simplechurchescare.com/donations.html

Here’s what we are asking you to do…

1. Look at the website. Take a look at the website to see what is happening. Share the info with your simple church.

2. Ask Papa. As a church, ask Papa what He want you to do.

3. Pass this on. Send this email on to other simple churches that you are in contact with.

So, here’s the bottom line.

This is an opportunity for us to step up and partner with brothers and sisters who are on the same journey we are on. We are not working through huge organizations or ministries here. We are working through relationships. I know the people on the Kenya Listening Team and I trust them. They know the house church leaders on the ground in Kenya and trust them.

Isn’t this the way we pictured simple church working?

Your brother,

John White

“The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gifts to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.” Acts. 11:29,30.

Thanks to a collaborative effort, here are photos I took from last Saturday evening. Click on “show as slideshow” to enjoy a slideshow or click on a single thumbnail to see it larger.

I really enjoyed bringing our dinner to have a time of fellowship to start things off. Everything from the wonderful times of worship, to breaking up into discussion groups to drawing our thoughts on paper and having a time for people to share was tremendous. I have been blessed to be stretched in my journey of following God the past few years. Going from traditional mega church in CA, to struggling to plant a church here in Denver to discovering that God was leading us to house church, Desi and I sure have learned a lot. I think one of the most beneficial things for me has been to be open to the unfamiliar, different or unknown. It’s been amazing to see that when I am open, these differences (whatever they may be) have been catalysts for my personal growth. I love to hear people share their story…their struggles, questions, answered prayers…what God is doing in their lives. It’s times like these gatherings that show me how much BIGGER the world (and God for that matter) truly are. Thank you to all who participated and made this gathering come together for a second time. I look forward to the next one!

~Rose

p.s. thanks Brian for helping me get these photos up and doing so much for this website

We are excited to see you all at the gathering this Saturday night at 5pm!

This morning church leaders from around Denver gathered to pray, share, and rejoice at what God is doing. A common theme was difficult times over the holidays, how much more important that we gather to comfort and encourage one another.

Here are final details

• Food: Brown bag it! Bring your own brown bag dinner, or you can always stop at Chipotle on the way and grab a burrito (carnitas of course . Bring your own drinks, basically bring a self contained dinner. The coffee bar will probably be open as well.
• Musicians: Anyone wanting to help with music (musicians, singers) come at 3:30 for practice.
• Childcare: will be provided for children 8 and under. Please bring a few dollars to give to those who are watching the children
• Help Setup: to help setup, come at 3:30 and we will setup tables and chairs
• Topic: we are going to be discussing the question What have you been learning about how to listen to God as a group/church?
• The general schedule for the night:

5pm: Sharing a meal around the tables. Bring your own meal.
5:45pm: a few songs from the worship team
6pm: “World Cafe” We will have some key questions prepared about what God is doing in your house church, obstacles for growing healthy churches, and more. Around our tables, we will share with each other from our hearts and experience. Call it eavesdropping on the Spirit of God, it is going to be an awesome time of sharing.
7:30pm: worship through some amazing music. If you were there last time, you will remember how wonderful it was to be in the midst of 100′s of brothers and sisters praising the Lord. We are going to sing until people don’t want to sing anymore. So stay as long or as short as you want!

• The location is the same as last time: Hillside Community Church, 103 N Ford St, Golden, CO. However, we will be in the big room this time to avoid standing room only like last time!

The season leading up to Christmas, which has already begun for this year, is an opportunity to celebrate, ponder and engage a little-talked-about Truth. In our dash toward Christmas, we race right on by a power-full rest stop – one that is good for our entire life. This is the Truth of the Incarnation!

IN-CAR-NA-TION: (noun) “assuming human form or nature”

As Followers of The Way, we do not accept just any “incarnation.” A careful reading of the key teachings of other worldly religions reveals an awareness of “incarnation,” often under the idea of “reincarnation.” In fact, not long ago, because of the power of incarnation to move people, the Chinese government passed a law that no one can be re-incarnated without their permission! Tibetan Buddhists acknowledge incarnation. You’ve probably heard that various factions of Islam are also awaiting yet another “incarnation” of one of their great teachers.

As Jesus-followers, we believe The Incarnation. This is the teaching, or doctrine, that the second Person of the Holy Trinity assumed human form in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He is the God and man – fully God and fully human – a Divine Person intimately and permanently united to a human nature with a human body. And, he needed no one’s permission to be so!

For years, I have quietly pondered the Nicene Creed’s confession: “Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man.” Too bad we read this so quickly thinking we have confessed this transforming Truth. Here, we believe The Incarnation is for the purpose of our salvation – rescue.

The Incarnation of the LORD causes me to pause for it speaks of the condescending nature of our God: “he came down from heaven.” So many want a God who is larger, bigger, stronger, above it all, what we call “transcendent.” Yet, in The Incarnation, He comes to us! He enters into the world he made! He takes on the human form designed to bear the Image of God! He becomes the servant among us … living as we live … speaking as we speak … learning as we learn … working as we work … laughing as we laugh … crying as we cry! In a specific place and within time, God the Son empties himself, submitting to all things and everything human – being tested in every way as we are – even to death. Too many people still overlook this mystery of Grace; this God-coming to us as we are – and for our benefit!

What could happen today if Christians believed The Incarnation? I know, many read the Nicene Creed and claim to agree with what it says. Others will take the less-than-thoughtful position “the Bible teaches it; I believe it; that settles it.” Still others will say “I’ve been to pastor’s bible study on incarnation and I believe what he taught” or “I’ve read the textbooks on the topic.” My question is “So?”

What this exposes is a faulty understanding of “believe.” To “believe” something – like The Incarnation, let’s say – is not so much being able to agree with the doctrine, studying it, intellectually assenting to the teaching or even accepting it as true for those who believe it. When I listen the conversations many “believers” have nowadays, I regularly hear “belief” is what I can agree with, understand. Too many overlook this mystery of Grace because they think they “believe” it.

Here is where it is helpful to move beyond the Hellenized world of our culture and enter into the Hebraic world of the Incarnate One. Jesus did not live in a world where to “believe” something primarily meant you agreed with it. He served in a world where “to believe” meant you drew strength from what you “believed.” Since words tell stories, the Scriptural words for “believe” tell the story of “one who is weak drawing on and from the strength of one who is strong.” In other words, what you “believe” is fully relational and life transforming!

Consider the man whose son is healed and blurts out “I believe, help my unbelief.” This grieving father’s confession rarely impacts our lives. Most of us think the man was saying to Jesus “I agree with what you’re saying/doing, please help me to overcome my ignorance.” That, to me, would seem an odd way of hearing what this father was crying out for. Consider the alternative: “I have drawn strength for living from you, but I still need your help in drawing strength further so that I can continue to live.” I like that a lot better!

OK, so you say “I believe in the Incarnation.” My question is “really?” Do you mentally assent to the doctrine or do you draw strength for daily living from this even-now Reality? Do you claim to know what this means or do you recognize the Life-Changing Truth offered to you? Just imagine, if we “believed” The Incarnation, how this transforms everything about the world in which we each live. The Living God has honored my human nature, my human body, my human vocation, my human living of life! And, “Faith” is not so much agreeing with the teaching of such-and-such or so-and-so, but is the daily drawing of breath and strength, vitality and hope from the One who knows – really knows – what it is to live in this world!

So, back to my question, what could happen if Jesus-followers “drew strength for living” from the Incarnation? While I suspect there is likely a multi-faceted response to this question, let me suggest at least one opportunity: Jesus-followers would themselves be “incarnational.”

IN-CAR-NA-TION-AL: (adjective) “the act of assuming the form or nature of a local neighborhood.”

I so appreciate the paraphrase of John 1:15 from The Message: “The Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.” That Jesus – the fully Incarnated Son of the Living God – “moved into the neighborhood” is a pretty good understanding of what the Spirit moved John to record for our learning. The original text says that The Logos came to “tabernacle” among us. He was the mobile Presence of the Living God! This highlights that Jesus lived the human life as we do, that he used human language, that he developed human relationships, that he learned to speak, read and write as we learn, that he faced temptations as we do, being as we are. To meet Jesus is to meet the Living LORD!

This short verse unites the reality of the Incarnation (the Word became flesh) with the life-focus of being incarnational (moved into the neighborhood). As I suggest, to “believe” the Incarnation leads to incarnational living. We draw from Jesus the pace and direction of our lives as his apprentices.

Jesus-followers are like a van load of people on tour observing him in the local culture while learning to live as he says is best. We “move into the neighborhoods,” placing our lives alongside the mission of Jesus to the people of the world in the places where they live, work and play. This is certainly a multi-faceted, life-on-a-mission approach. Using our sanctified imagination, engaging our creative gifts with a life toward loving God and our neighbor, the incarnational life opens many possibilities for Jesus-following in the local places of life where he is already active.

Consider: “as the Father has sent me (Incarnation), so I am sending you (incarnational).” Suddenly, Immanuel – God with us – is real! Being incarnational is stepping out of our safe places and engaging people and neighborhoods around us as Good News. Francis of Assisi reminds us: “preach Christ often, sometimes use words.”

“Drawing strength” from The Incarnation makes possible the life that is Incarnational. Not automatically, however. Sure, you can agree with the doctrine of Incarnation, you can even know what “incarnational living” might look like in your community. There is no end to the conversations that could be had if all you do is talk about what Jesus says is best. What must take place at some point in your journey with Jesus is choosing to become an “incarnationalist.” And, as part of your choice, you must take action – “you” being plural!

IN-CAR-NA-TION-AL-IST: (noun) “one living an incarnational life”

Frankly, I’m not even sure if that is a word regularly used by Jesus-apprentices, but it does seem to capture one aspect of our privilege in life today. Being an incarnationalist asks that we move from our understanding of Incarnation and beyond our agreement with incarnational living to the actual, everyday being with Christ and living along the relational contours He offers. Up to this point, learning to live as Jesus says is best keeps us in the house with our buddies doing the necessary study to make sure we’ve got it right. Becoming an incarnationalist moves us from being a living-room learner to one who lives what we believe (remember what “believe” means?) in the places where people live, work and play – where Jesus already is.

As I consider this call upon our lives, I realize the unique way each of you will bear witness to the Incarnate One. It is within this marvelous diversity of living that the “nations” (local cultures) of our world can be shown a glimpse of the Life our Lord gave his life for us to have. My dream is for this “glimpse” to become an “apprentice” of our Master, and a community without walls.

Enjoy your time with family and friends, with your local church as you are equipped, graciously living with gratitude “for you and for your salvation.” Then, quietly ask for guidance as you’all “draw strength” to live as an incarnationalist in the coming … If we can help, let us know.

Craig W. Henningfield, M.Div., D.Min.
Missionary – Coach
The Church Without Walls
craig(AT)thechurchwithoutwalls.info
303-725-6760