campuschurch
campusgroup/missional01
JESUS DOES IT RIGHT: Some of the things that I love most about life is doing life with Jesus, the way that Jesus enjoys doing life. When Jesus set out to do His purpose in the lives of people he gathered a community of friends around Himself. These guys set out on the wildest of adventures with Jesus as they not only saw, but did some of the wildest things. Jesus began to teach these guys a brand new set of rules for their lives that would forever change the way they viewed God and other people. Everything that Jesus was teaching them was like a painting of the very face of God...a painting in words of the very face of the one who was teaching them. The guys would see Jesus healing people! This had to have been so ridiculous to have seen. Jesus taught the guys how to love the most hurting and marginalized of people. Jesus taught and expressed forgiveness. God is forgiving! The way that Jesus proved himself in this area had to have been so ridiculous to have seen. He would defend the life of people who had really messed up bad. Jesus would do these things with the guys, as he would drag them into circumstances where people were in need. This is what I want to talk about here. Allowing Jesus to drag US into circumstances where people are in need. When I say US, that is a point of emphasis here.
CAMPUS GROUPS: We do community in Campus Groups. This is nothing more than YACCP (Yet Another Cheezy Catch Phrase) for a collective of believers who meet together regularly in homes to eat, pray, feast upon the teachings of Jesus, and worship together. All of the stuff that I just mentioned is vital, good, and critical. In Campus Groups we fix our eyes on the author of our salvation...Jesus. We fix our eyes on the cross. This is where Jesus died and purchased us as His children through the blood that was poured out on the cross. When we pray for each other, we pray with the faith and confidence that God's favor and power is toward us and for us because Jesus has risen from the grave victorious and is saving us now through the power demonstrated to us through the resurrection of Jesus. When we worship we celebrate this reality. One thing that is missing in all of this is doing His love in lives of "neighbors" in need. Campus Groups are made for loving "neighbors" in need. Here's what I'm talking about.
BE REALISTIC: Being "missional" (ugghhh I hate all these catch phrases) is best experienced as a community. In our home we have seen more life transforming moments in peoples lives through loving someone in need as a community. Loving someone in need will cost you something, there is no getting around that. That's why, when you signed up to follow Jesus, he made you agree to lose your life. If you missed that moment with Jesus, then you need to start over. Jesus demands that we lose our life for His sake and the kingdom. Loving someone with needs will demand a commitment of time, prayer, gifting, and resources. We all have responsibilities in life that become great excuses for apathy in this area of our walk with Jesus. I have been a Christian for 16 years and have only been an "occupational" minister "full time" (stupid catch phrases) for a few months. My wife Jamie and I both made a decision very early on in our marriage that we would continue to be engaged in kingdom work not only in our everyday life but also through intentional "missional" purpose in the lives of people in need. People comment all of the time wondering how it is that we have done this through the years knowing how much responsibility that we have had in work, marriage, and parenting. We cheat- we don't do it alone. We utilize resources that we find in community. Having life responsibilities can not and should not be a hindrance to loving people who are in need. Having life responsibilities and loving people in need simply means loving others within the framework of community.
A BIG OL' FAT OL' ROPE: When we connect as community instead of individuals we become a faster, leaner, more powerful machine in peoples lives. It's like comparing a string with a rope. Strings suck compared to ropes. Ropes are way stronger and capable of carrying way bigger loads than a string. A Campus Group should be a rope in the lives of needy people, pulling them back from the mouth of abandonment, alienation, and hell. In the kingdom of God we must be about the business of loving people into a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR: I have been doing some footwork on the streets of OKC and intentionally connecting with folks who are surrounded by neighbors in need. These are neighbors who have particular and difficult needs that we as believers should be getting out of our normal comfort zones and penetrating. Urban youth in the downtown OKC area are neighbors that have been a long time neglected by the church. (Don't get me started on all of the prejudices and fears that have made this neglect a reality today.) These are often fatherless kids who have never experienced the joy of healthy and intentional relationships. A Campus Group could go out of their way to meet a neighbor who is an urban youth and cultivate a routine of different activities with this youth that are shared and rotated around the group. 3 on 3 basketball. A Hip-Hop show. I know that the honky's in the crowd are hiding under rocks by now and saying "I can't relate." Uugghh, now you're going to get me started on the pejudices and fears that have been preventing the church from penetrating these needs. One guy or gal in need and ten people commited to invest. This becomes a life transforming opportunity. Stick with this one opportunity and do it well. Don't overload your rope with more than you can handle. If each group were to commit to a need like this then that group would be impacting at least 200% more people than you have been impacting. Let's get honest. We are not very intentional...YET! Other needs that are out there are International Students, Arts Community, and Homeless Community. That's four very definable missional needs in the downtown area of OKC that are well within the grip of a bunch of zealous college students like yourselves. Urban Youth, International Students, Arts Community, and Homeless Community. I will be working with each Campus Group helping to nurture and direct each group into some healthy investments in the lives of neighbors in need. Jump on board. This is going to be a blast!
JESUS DOES IT RIGHT: Some of the things that I love most about life is doing life with Jesus, the way that Jesus enjoys doing life. When Jesus set out to do His purpose in the lives of people he gathered a community of friends around Himself. These guys set out on the wildest of adventures with Jesus as they not only saw, but did some of the wildest things. Jesus began to teach these guys a brand new set of rules for their lives that would forever change the way they viewed God and other people. Everything that Jesus was teaching them was like a painting of the very face of God...a painting in words of the very face of the one who was teaching them. The guys would see Jesus healing people! This had to have been so ridiculous to have seen. Jesus taught the guys how to love the most hurting and marginalized of people. Jesus taught and expressed forgiveness. God is forgiving! The way that Jesus proved himself in this area had to have been so ridiculous to have seen. He would defend the life of people who had really messed up bad. Jesus would do these things with the guys, as he would drag them into circumstances where people were in need. This is what I want to talk about here. Allowing Jesus to drag US into circumstances where people are in need. When I say US, that is a point of emphasis here.
CAMPUS GROUPS: We do community in Campus Groups. This is nothing more than YACCP (Yet Another Cheezy Catch Phrase) for a collective of believers who meet together regularly in homes to eat, pray, feast upon the teachings of Jesus, and worship together. All of the stuff that I just mentioned is vital, good, and critical. In Campus Groups we fix our eyes on the author of our salvation...Jesus. We fix our eyes on the cross. This is where Jesus died and purchased us as His children through the blood that was poured out on the cross. When we pray for each other, we pray with the faith and confidence that God's favor and power is toward us and for us because Jesus has risen from the grave victorious and is saving us now through the power demonstrated to us through the resurrection of Jesus. When we worship we celebrate this reality. One thing that is missing in all of this is doing His love in lives of "neighbors" in need. Campus Groups are made for loving "neighbors" in need. Here's what I'm talking about.
BE REALISTIC: Being "missional" (ugghhh I hate all these catch phrases) is best experienced as a community. In our home we have seen more life transforming moments in peoples lives through loving someone in need as a community. Loving someone in need will cost you something, there is no getting around that. That's why, when you signed up to follow Jesus, he made you agree to lose your life. If you missed that moment with Jesus, then you need to start over. Jesus demands that we lose our life for His sake and the kingdom. Loving someone with needs will demand a commitment of time, prayer, gifting, and resources. We all have responsibilities in life that become great excuses for apathy in this area of our walk with Jesus. I have been a Christian for 16 years and have only been an "occupational" minister "full time" (stupid catch phrases) for a few months. My wife Jamie and I both made a decision very early on in our marriage that we would continue to be engaged in kingdom work not only in our everyday life but also through intentional "missional" purpose in the lives of people in need. People comment all of the time wondering how it is that we have done this through the years knowing how much responsibility that we have had in work, marriage, and parenting. We cheat- we don't do it alone. We utilize resources that we find in community. Having life responsibilities can not and should not be a hindrance to loving people who are in need. Having life responsibilities and loving people in need simply means loving others within the framework of community.
A BIG OL' FAT OL' ROPE: When we connect as community instead of individuals we become a faster, leaner, more powerful machine in peoples lives. It's like comparing a string with a rope. Strings suck compared to ropes. Ropes are way stronger and capable of carrying way bigger loads than a string. A Campus Group should be a rope in the lives of needy people, pulling them back from the mouth of abandonment, alienation, and hell. In the kingdom of God we must be about the business of loving people into a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR: I have been doing some footwork on the streets of OKC and intentionally connecting with folks who are surrounded by neighbors in need. These are neighbors who have particular and difficult needs that we as believers should be getting out of our normal comfort zones and penetrating. Urban youth in the downtown OKC area are neighbors that have been a long time neglected by the church. (Don't get me started on all of the prejudices and fears that have made this neglect a reality today.) These are often fatherless kids who have never experienced the joy of healthy and intentional relationships. A Campus Group could go out of their way to meet a neighbor who is an urban youth and cultivate a routine of different activities with this youth that are shared and rotated around the group. 3 on 3 basketball. A Hip-Hop show. I know that the honky's in the crowd are hiding under rocks by now and saying "I can't relate." Uugghh, now you're going to get me started on the pejudices and fears that have been preventing the church from penetrating these needs. One guy or gal in need and ten people commited to invest. This becomes a life transforming opportunity. Stick with this one opportunity and do it well. Don't overload your rope with more than you can handle. If each group were to commit to a need like this then that group would be impacting at least 200% more people than you have been impacting. Let's get honest. We are not very intentional...YET! Other needs that are out there are International Students, Arts Community, and Homeless Community. That's four very definable missional needs in the downtown area of OKC that are well within the grip of a bunch of zealous college students like yourselves. Urban Youth, International Students, Arts Community, and Homeless Community. I will be working with each Campus Group helping to nurture and direct each group into some healthy investments in the lives of neighbors in need. Jump on board. This is going to be a blast!
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