Thank You

I was a little overwhelmed with your quick and generous responses to my plea for help getting Bibles for our children's Bible classes.

I am happy to announce that we got all of the money we needed, the Bibles have been ordered, and they have arrived! (Some of them, anyway...) I didn't get any pictures of the kids using them this morning... :( but they've been anxiously awaiting their new Bibles and have been very excited. I did get a few pictures of a very excited Conner as he opened the box, though.

He's currently reading about the plagues in Egypt, I think when we had to stop we were at the locusts.

I don't even know how to express our gratitude for all of the support you have poured out upon us -- both through gifts such as these, earnest prayers, and simply through your interest in keeping up with us through this crazy blog. Thank you, and we love you!

Foundations

For several hours yesterday evening, and then pretty much all day today I attended the Christ Journey Foundations Retreat. Bret was the instructor, and we learned about the seven episodes of God and His creation -- Creation, Crisis, Covenant, Confusion/Clarity, Christ, Church, Culmination. More than anything though, we learned how these episodes are part of our own story -- and how to share that with others.

It was a great weekend. I really enjoyed the chance to spend some time with these new friends and get to know them better.

One of the things, in my opinion, that was among the most impactful was our time of Lectio Devina this morning. We meditated, prayed over, listened to God, and discussed 1 Corinthins 3:10-13. Allow me to share:

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light."

It was amazing to hear God speak through our community. Thank you Bret, for all the hard work and study you put into this weekend. It was great! And thank you to Chris, Wendy, Pam, and Mike for all of your work, too.

Brief Foundations Update...no seriously, it'll be short

**by Bret

We began our Foundations retreat last night. As I've been talking to people leading up to the retreat, especially people who grew up going to youth retreats, I've had to say, "Its not really that kind of retreat"

There are no blind-fold walks or trust falls.

However, last night was pretty hilarious. There were several moments when I experienced flash backs to my years as a youth minister (in a good way!)

Several of these folks were friends in high school and so there were stories of doing group projects together in 7th grade and the crazy teachers they survived. We even had a couple teenagers present who were cracking up because they have those same teachers and have the same experiences with them!

What was great was that the laughing and goofing around our tables was not the kind that happens when a bunch of adults are trying to protect their carefully crafted facades; very little evidence of posturing - just good friends and family, letting down their guards and experiencing life together.

That's an important part of this Story, isn't it?

Church...Community...Friends...FAMILY

Yesterday was a crazy day. We had been planning to go to the zoo with some friends from our church. It was the Spring Break half-price day -- big crowds but hey, we'd be saving money, right?

The original plan was to arrive at the zoo as it was opening. Then we moved our departure time back to accomodate a work schedule. While part of me cringed a tiny bit at arriving later, about the additional crowds there would be to fight, most of me knew that this was no problem...this day was not about getting the best parking place or being among the first ones into the zoo. This day was about friends and fellowship.

We were just leaving Burleson, making a quick run through the McDonald's drive-through on our way when I got a call from Bret. He was at the gym and his truck wouldn't start -- and he had a feeling it was more than just a dead battery. Ugggh. I pulled up to tell my friends what was up, and that I needed to go help Bret, I may or may not make it to the zoo. I insisted they go ahead, I would let them know what was going on...and I ended up with the key to one of their vehicles that was just sitting in the driveway for the day. Even if we couldn't get the truck going, there was no reason we would have to miss the zoo. Awesome.

I met up with Bret, we jumped the truck and got it started. He went on his way and I went on mine. Twenty minutes or so later, I pulled up behind the line that was the Ft Worth Zoo Spring Break Half-Price Day Parking Fiasco. (No, seriously. If you watched the news last night, you saw it.) The zoo parking lots were full. There were signs pointing to additional parking, lines of cars followed only to discover that all of these lots were coned off because they were supposedly full as well. To follow the zoo parking signs meant going in meaningless circles, fighting traffic all the way. And all of this while a steady stream of traffic was leaving the zoo -- there had to be empty parking places in there. I could see them everywhere. Why would they not let anyone in?! Was my zoo membership worth nothing on this day. (What a zoo snob I've become!)

My friends had gone on ahead while I was helping Bret, had waded through the meaningless signs, and eventually found their way to the back of the zoo where there were some parking places. I did my best to follow directions over the phone while I was driving, in a part of Fort Worth that I am completely unfamiliar with. Yeah, right. I didn't get lost, I just never found any other way into the zoo except the front entrance.

So after about an hour of looking for a stinking parking place, I ended up parking in a grocery store parking lot. (I found out later that this was .84 miles away from the zoo entrance!) I sat there for a few moments trying to talk myself into just giving up and going home. But my kids, who had been so incredibly patient for the past hour, had their hearts set on the zoo. And I had my heart set on hanging out with friends. We pressed on.

I got out the huge 20-pound double stroller, loaded it up with the snacks and drinks, sunscreened the kids, put the 25-pound baby in the stroller, put the 36 pound 3-yr-old in the stroller (the stroller now weighs probably about 85 pounds), and gave the 5-yr-old a pep talk for the long walk ahead.

We started on our way, and then I realized that we would have to be crossing the street. The other pedestrians were rude, the drivers (understandably annoyed with the traffic situation) were inconsiderate, but we made it across -- to the curb on the other side. I hurriedly got Conner on the sidewalk and did my best to get the 85 pound limo onto the curb. Then I saw a car coming, freaked out, hurried more, fell in the street, and then got everyone up on the sidewalk just in time. Whew! Too rattled to even be embarrassed, I once again considered turning back. But we had already come this far, it would be silly to turn back now. Besides, spending the afternoon with our friends would so make all of this worth it. We pressed on.

But then everyone we met (it was late enough in the day that there were just as many people leaving the zoo as there were coming), met us with, "Oh, honey. Just turn around and go home," and "Girl, are you sure? It's not even worth it." Turning around was now more tempting than ever...

Then Joey started crying and Micah started throwing a fit and Conner was whining. That was it. The screaming children were the straws that broke this camel's back. I collapsed there in the grass beside a tree and desperately tried to talk them into ice cream instead. But they had their hearts set on the zoo, and I felt horrible. I was an incapable, blubbering idiot that couldn't even find a decent parking place or take a little walk. So I called Bret. I knew he was in a meeting, I knew he wouldn't answer...so I called several times right in a row so that he would know that I really needed him. I never do that. And sure enough, he finally answered, he calmed the kids down, he got them excited about ice cream, it gave me a minute to catch my breath.

And as we turned around, it was the strangest thing. Totally unlike me, I didn't feel an overwhelming sense of guilt at having let my friends down, I wasn't overly embarrassed at my failed attempt. I knew that they would be bummed for us, but that everything was going to be okay. When "life" happens in this church and community, we simply take it stride, do what has to be done, loving and supporting each other along the way.

On the way back to the van, we walked an extra half-block or so in order to use the crosswalk, in my hurry my precious Sonic diet coke was spilled in the median, when we got back to the van Micah needed to go potty (I wasn't even getting everyone back out -- I gave him a cup to pee in!), and I was absolutely exhausted.

Then I found out that Bret was right. It wasn't just the battery that had gone out in his truck. It was the battery and the starter solenoid...and possibly the starter. Uggh!

I made it back home, we cancelled our plans and decided to just stay home for the evening, trying to make something a little easier on ourselves. The next thing we knew, friends were in the driveway delivering the parts Bret needed to fix his truck.

Oh. My. Goodness.

This is more than church. This is more than community. This is more than even friendship. This is family. We have only been here for six months. We have had good friends at every church we've been a part of -- but we've never connected with this many families on this level this quickly. There is something different going on here at Christ Journey. And it, like the mighty God we serve, is good. Oh, so good.

PS - To my friends that did survive the Fort Worth Zoo Spring Break Half-Price Day Parking Fiasco...you have bent over backwards letting me know how badly you feel for us, how guilty you feel -- even when it's not at all your fault. Stuff like this just happens. Life happens...and to the watchful eye makes for entertaining blog posts! :)

And to our friends who came bearing the gift of truck parts...thank you. You have no idea...

Crisis

Yesterday our Sunday morning worship service was one of the best I've ever been a part of. It was awful, it was uncomfortable -- but it was so wonderful. To put it shortly, the morning's topic was crisis. The sermon was moving, and the response time that followed was appropriate, following a week that was especially crisis-filled for many of our fellow journeyers -- and therefore our entire community. What followed was a moving prayer time that I don't think left anyone present doubting the presence and embrace of God that morning.

For a glimpse of Bret's sermon, click here. The podcast should be coming soon at christjourneylife.com.

Please pray for our families who are in the throws of health problems, divorce, pregnancy difficulties, in search of employment, and other challenges. I am so thankful that we are in the midst of a community that can praise God together even in the midst of our suffering!

Questions

**by BretWhy do we emphasize house churches so much and what does that mean really? Is what we’re doing really any different from a traditional model with a small group ministry?

These questions have come up in a few settings recently and they have been rolling around in my mind constantly. I can honestly say that I have spent a tremendous amount of time praying about this, asking God, “Is what we’re attempting here worthwhile? Is it what we should spend our energy investing in? Are we cultivating something that will invite people to experience greater transformation in you?”

I’ve attempted to listen for a response to these questions - as opposed to just praying and then figuring it out myself!

The short answer I believe I’m hearing: “Yes!”

The transition to experiencing community and engaging in the mission of God instead of “going to church” is very difficult for those of us who have been inundated our whole lives with church culture...whether we were participants in that culture or not.

Not viewing “Church” as place or even a worship service on Sunday is easy to say, hard to do. When I write or say that Christ Journey is a network of house churches in the Burleson/south Fort Worth region it is like saying, “The Kingdom of God has come!”

We’re experiencing some of the already-but-not-yet life of faith. Just as the Kingdom of God has come and is also still on its way, so it is with Christ Journey. We’re striving to cultivate an environment where community is the norm, confession is commonplace, neighborhoods are re-engaged and redeemed, neighbors are known and loved.

In many ways we are experiencing precisely that...and in many ways we are anticipating this experience.

From a church planting approach the question that comes up is whether a focus on house churches is best utilized in a “simple church,” “organic,” or “cell church” model. To those who aren’t familiar, these approaches typically focus exclusively on the house church/cell church - in other words there is no larger gathering, such as what we experience together at the Party Room on Sunday.

There are benefits to this approach for sure - there is little cost involved, it is simple and very mobile. It forces people to invest in one another because the community is so small.

However, even though they a part of much larger network, they rarely see those folks and may not know who any of them are. And this I believe is a major downside. I could spend a lot of words laying out the various reasons why it is beneficial to remain connected to a larger body, including mentors and mature Christians. For space sake I’ll encourage you to join me at Denny’s sometime if you want to talk about those!

But I do want to say something about the value of gathering on Resurrection Day because this is something I am not willing to give up.

My argument is not the legalism, “we have to because the early Christians did.” The truth is that we have ample evidence of the early Christians doing plenty of things that we don’t feel compelled to do - and plenty of things the early Christians did that we should not do (things which led Paul to write letters in order to get them to stop doing!)

But especially as we take the call to engage in the mission of God more and more seriously; as we pour ourselves out for one another and for our neighborhoods; as we seek to cultivate and experience a radical community of reconciliation and hope, I believe we’ll find ourselves NEEDING the opportunity to come together and celebrate on the day that Jesus defeated darkness, death and despair! We need to rejoice together because of what we experience together. For some folks on some weeks there will be so much joy and excitement that is spilling out that we need an outlet in community to praise God in song and prayer. That doesn’t mean that we should wait for Sunday or that we can’t do this with our house church - we should do precisely that. But there is something powerful about gathering with a group to celebrate isn’t there?

Other weeks and other folks will need to come together around the table to celebrate the resurrection because the darkness has threatened to pull them under. As we engage other human beings we make ourselves vulnerable to experiencing the pain and hardship that so many deal with each day. Nothing less than God himself entering into this story and defeating death can bring hope to some situations. So we gather around the table with dozens of other folks and proclaim together - Jesus is Lord and he is risen!

I think it is okay for Sunday to receive a lot of attention and preparation, even though we repeatedly remind one another that the basic expression of Church in our community is the house church. It is the basic expression because it is the place where we come together with a small group of people whom we are able to be completely open and vulnerable around. It is where we say, “This is what it looks like to live this life together.” And then we do that with these people. We hold each other up when it is hard to live this way. We rejoice when we experience the power of God transforming our lives and those around us. We are Church for one another.

And then on Sunday we gather with other house churches and we see that we are not the only ones experiencing this life. We are reminded that the Church is larger than our small circle of influence. We remind ourselves that though we are experiencing amazing things in the Kingdom of God, there is much more to that Kingdom than we can ever see at one time. We remember that we are members of the Body we are not the whole Body...and we are not the god who gives the Body life.

So when I say that Sunday morning is not the full or even primary expression of Church that is not in anyway to diminish its significance. The transition to seeing “Church” as a life lived in the midst of community and not a service we attend is definitely difficult. And as long as we gather on Sunday in the midst of the Bible belt, people are going to struggle from time to time seeing the distinction. But, as a friend said to me today, the transition we need is not to diminish Sunday but to emphasize the importance of shared life in our house churches.

If you are a participant in the Christ Journey with us here in Burleson, I invite you to find ways to make this transition real. If you are a companion on the journey with Christ in some other place we pray that you too will see this transformation take place in your own life of faith. May the words of Psalm 84 find expression in your life:

Blessed are those whose strength is in [God],
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage