everyday church part 2 (the response)

I found this book (Everyday Church) incredibly challenging. It is asks, How do Gospel communities in the 21st century do mission effectively?

mission = evangelism + discipleship

That's what we're all about, kids.

Post-Christendom, there is a serious need to approach missions with creativity and gospel intentionality. It's different now than during any of the revivals of earlier centuries, when preachers could just start talking and be assured an audience of people consciously thirsty for Truth. People need to be persuaded of their need for Truth, and of the availability of it in Christianity.

This happens through community.

They will know us by our love.

Looking ahead to another semester in leadership with ISI, which I think can only and wholly be described as a 'gospel community,' this book spoke to me not only on a 'hm, cool ideas' level, but also a 'wow, I need to do this' level. Because evangelism and discipleship? Like I said, that's what we're all about.

Takeaways:

• 'It is so important to love your neighborhood and its culture' (45). 
• The point of a campus ministry group is not to create a haven in which people can hide from the corrupting influences of the world. The point is to create a living body from which to send people to love the world.
• This means that ISI as a group and its members as individuals must be known for their extraordinary love for and involvement in campus life. This could mean dorms, sports teams, extracurricular groups, or just people in general. The things that matter to our next-door neighbors must matter to us BECAUSE they matter to our neighbors, whom we love.
• 'An exclusive focus on community will kill community. It is only the Word of God that creates an enduring community life and love' (60).
• The point of a campus ministry group is not to be a campus ministry group. The point is to approach Christ together, and so see Him more fully for who He is.
• This means that ISI members can love each other best by feasting our eyes, ears, hearts, and selves on Jesus--when we see Him as He is, we become like Him. He is love. When we see Him as He is, we cannot help but love.
• 'The vast majority of Christians feel that they do not get any significant support for their daily work from the teaching, preaching, prayer, worship, pastoral, group aspect of local church life. No support for how they live 50% of their waking lives' (90).
• The point of a campus ministry group is not only to pray for each other's non-physical spiritual endeavors. The point is to hold each other up through every good endeavor, recognizing that everything we do has potential to change the individual and the community when done with an eye to the freedom of the gospel.
• This means that ISI cannot pass through prayer time or accountability groups and only discuss the movings of the heart and the mind. We must also discuss with sincerity and intensity the movings of the the hands, the feet, and the tongue.
• 'To lead a gospel community you do not necessarily need to be able to deliver a forty-minute sermon, but you do need to be able to apply the gospel faithfully to people's lives' (145).
• Thank God it's not about eloquence.
• Thank God the gospel is living and active beyond my ability to proclaim it prettily.
• 'Although the primary place of belonging is in the gospel community, the weekly event is also important. This is where we stir our minds and our hearts to action through singing God's praises together, sharing stories to inspire one another, and learning from the Word' (155).
• The point of a campus ministry group is not to rally once a week. The point is to energize and equip each other there by focusing on the Living Christ, and thence go and serve.
• This means that if ISI Thursday night tanks on a given week, we will all be okay, really. Even someone visiting should have greater cause to be there than the idea of 2 hours on a school night listening to awesome music/talks: the cause should be the idea of 2 hours spent with people who have proven themselves to be consistent in Love.

All in all:

Nothing I as a leader can do administratively will change the way ISI operates, for better or worse. Because ISI is not the thing God uses to reach people; people are the ones God uses to reach people. After all, He does not live in the institutional structure, whatever little there is. The Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands. He dwells in human hearts, and He changes them and the people around them.

My job?

Letting the gospel take effect in my life. 

Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. 

Living like I want to see every member of ISI living.

Opening myself up to admonishment and exhortation when I'm failing at that.

Loving people.

Finding peace in the efficacy of the gospel to the lives of the Christians I am blessed to commune with.

Encouraging my brothers and sisters to do the same.