Aside from being a sick The Who song “Who Are You” is the question that we are trying to figure out. Chris and I were planning some content for the blog and were trying to figure out who are the people that are actually checking it regularly. Rather than just guess (my natural approach), we figured we’d just utilize the sweet polldaddy widget and figure it out for real (Chris’ influence coming through.) So if you are reading this take the extra two seconds and let us know who you are. I promise it won’t hurt to make the extra click and would be helpful as we try to keep up to date info rollin’ on the blog. -
November 17, 2008
As we left our Sunday Gathering last night, I gave a Scripture Candy to everyone. These delicious peppermints are a great witnessing tool because they come in wrappers that have King James Bible verses on them! Another reason they are great witnessing tools is because when you give one to someone they might be so overwhelmed at the mediocrity of the peppermint inside that they ask you where you got it. You could then tell them you got it at a Christian bookstore. They would go to the Christian bookstore, pick up Joel’s newest book, hear about the brutal crucifixion of the Son of God where he bore the wrath and judgment of God in our place…
Okay, end sarcasm.
The reason I gave you the candy is to ask you, “Do you have 1 Peter breath?” Let me explain what I mean.
As I have been studying 1 Peter over the last few months I have become convinced that Peter had been feasting on two sections of Scripture at the time he was writing. There are two sections of the Old Testament that seem to keep sneaking into his writing: Psalm 34 and Isaiah. I want to look specifically at Psalm 34:
1:17 Fear is striking theme of Ps. 34:9, 11
1:18 Redemption is how this section ends, also how Ps. 34 ends, vs. 32
2:3 Check out how Peter rips off Ps. 34:8
3:10-12 is a direct quote from Ps. 34:12-16
Peter had been soaking in Psalm 34. These words, stories, concepts, ideas, illustrations constantly perspire out of him as he writes.
Peter had Psalm 34 breath. Do you have 1 Peter breath?
Earlier when I wrote about the Scripture Candy being “witnessing tools”, I was being sarcastic. I really think that what will draw people in our city to the gospel will not be some new tactic, technique or tool. It will be the people of God (us) living our lives so soaked in the story of the gospel, so intertwined with the grace, glory, hope and love that Peter writes about. When we move in and breathe our 1 Peter breath on people they will smell the aroma.
Do you have 1 Peter breath?
Are you soaked in the story of the gospel so much that it is the aroma of your breath and life?
Are you close enough to people that they would even smell your breath?
November 12, 2008
It is crucial that we look ahead and seek to define what success and failure might look like in our community. It is a misstep to just assume we all know what success would be. Most of us (all?) are accustomed to a traditional church model where success is measured and evaluated primarily on the basis of a weekly worship service. This leads to certain assumptions about what success looks like. These aren’t wrong, but just different from what we believe we are called to do.
Our primary goal is not to gather people for a meeting, organize small groups, form an institution, or create the newest hip thing. Our calling is to form, grow and multiply gospel-centered missional communities to live out their identities (Family, Servants, Learners, Missionaries) together by practicing Communion, Community and Mission.
Therefore we will not primarily measure…
1. Sunday Gathering Attendance
2. Quality of Sunday Performance
3. Money in the Bank
4. Popularity or Hype Surrounding TCC
Yet, we are not just a reactionary movement moving away from things. We are a missional movement that is about something.
Post your thoughts: What are we about? What do you think we should be measuring? What are the marks on a Missional Report Card?
November 10, 2008
Last night we gave out 25 copies of 50 Days of Heaven. (If you did not receive one and want one, email me and I’ll get you one.) Now comes the accountability/community aspect. For everyone who picked one up, and we assume you are reading it, drop a comment below about the book. Here are some questions to get us started:
What statements in the book ring true?
What has encouraged you in your reading?
How will what you are reading better equip us as a community to move forward in our mission?
November 5, 2008
Many of you know my friend Luke Cooper. He is a funny, funny dude. He tells this story about visiting a friend back in college. His friend’s roommate wanted Luke to tell funny stories, do impressions, and sing songs all weekend. Finally, Luke got so tired and frustrated that he burst out with a classic, “I’m not your damn monkey!”
I have been in ministry for 8 years. Apparently over that time I have become a decent public speaker, can attract a decent crowd, and can hold their attention by yelling at them for 45 minutes (65 if I talk about Sex or Porn). It is so easy to live out of this. I become the Ministry Monkey who has to put on a good show and perform for people. I have to be hard hitting, passionate, funny, put together, real, vulnerable, biblical.
I realize it is so easy for me to slip into this mindset. I see ministry as a job I do, a task I perform, a constituency I have to keep happy. I become the “damn monkey”.
So that leads us to today. A pastor from another church asked me, “So aside from church and ministry, are you doing okay personally?” And it hit me: The two are not separate anymore. I can honestly say that for the first time I feel like I am a part of a family! I am not the monkey. I am a brother who has been freed up to study, think, pray, and lead on the mission.
On Sunday I didn’t feel like I was up on stage. Yes, I led. Yes, I preached. Yes, I was responsible. But, no, I wasn’t the monkey. I was part of the family. It is absolutely thrilling the type of culture created when you have a community of people who are invested in the mission together. You are not looking for a performance to consume. Rather you are asking me to help lead in a mission. And that makes all the difference.
So, from the bottom of my heart: Thank you. Thank you for the gift of loving me unconditionally. Thank you for the encouragement. Thank you for creating such a gospel-soaked culture that I can step up and lead without having to be the monkey.
I love you.
I love how we are family.
I love serving rather than performing.
I love the mission we have been called to.
And I love thinking about the adventure ahead of us.
November 3, 2008
1 Peter Recap: Setting our hope fully…
Posted by tempecitychurch under One Peter, Resources, Sunday Nights1 Comment
Last night we had a wonderful discussion on why we don’t “set our hope fully on the grace that will be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13). I had planned to teach all the way through verse 21. But it really seemed like 1:13 was where we needed to sit.
If you were not there last night, here is the recap: In light of all that Peter says is true in verses 1-12, we are to (1) prepare our minds for action, and (2) set our hope on the revelation (return) of Christ.
But, if we are honest, we have to admit that we don’t obey this second command very well. We don’t long for heaven. Why? There are at least 3 issues that are common to our community:
1. We seek to make ourselves comfortable here and now.
2. We insulate and isolate ourselves from brokenness and hurt in the world around us.
3. We have inaccurate views of Heaven (harps, clouds, soul stew, eternal worship concert).
How do we wage battle against these?
1. Comfort. Do not just try to sell your stuff on Craig’s List. That doesn’t get to the heart. Go to battle against the idol of comfort that is wedged down in your heart. Which one of the 4 Gospel Identities are you not believing? Why?
2. Isolated from Brokenness. How can you intentionally and strategically put yourself in the way of brokenness?
3. Inaccurate Views of Heaven. Study 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 21.
Resources
Fifty Days of Heaven, Randy Alcorn. We mentioned this last night. Don’t buy it! I am ordering a copy for everyone. Should be here on Sunday.
The Triumph of the Gospel in the New Heavens and the New Earth, John Piper. Listen to this message to get the juices stirring!
October 24, 2008
This Sunday night we are going to continue our fast-paced discussion of the book of I Peter and dig into the next few verses (I Peter 1.10-12.) So if you want to be soaking in the passage ahead of time thats where we are going to be feasting in the Scripture this week. It’s a rich description of the great salvation that is our because of our glorious Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are also wanting to be considerate of our lease @ Thew and so will be arranging the gathering around 5 rather than 5.15-5.30. You can show up anytime from 4.15 on so set your biological church clock to 4.45 intsead of 5.15… See you Sunday if not before!
October 20, 2008
The purpose of our Sunday Gatherings is to serve the Missional Communities and be a reflection of the people that are there. As we are still forming the culture of these gatherings, we’d love to get your feedback. Take a couple minutes and post your first flinch from last night as you drove home (or sat at Slices).
What did you learn last night?
What moments stick out to you as you think back?
Go ahead. Leave a comment…
October 16, 2008
We are back in the cafeteria at Thew this Sunday night. Doors will be open at 4:30. We’ll try to start right around 5ish and get done a little earlier than last week so we have time to hang afterward before we need to lock up at 7:30.
We’ll be diving back into 1 Peter and tackle verses 3-9 of chapter 1. Take some time in the next couple of days and read through the passage. It is packed. See if any of the phrases stick out to you and let them marinate for a bit.
October 14, 2008
This Sunday night it was so sweet to look around and see a community of people praising God for all that He has been doing in family, friends, TCC, and throughout the world. It was sweet because it was another realization that we are aimed towards that which we say we want to be about. Namely, lifting the name and fame of Jesus up through the way we declare and demonstrate the gospel. The truth is that as we live as family, servants, learners, and missionaries in this world we have a desperate need to be in communication with our God. He’s not a far off force, or a gob of spiritual goo in the heavens, He is our Creator, our Savior, our Sustainer, He’s the one who has redeemed us and who sends us out on mission. Prayer is simply those conversations we have with God.
So as a family what can we be talking with God about this week? Feel free to post areas where you are seeing God’s grace so we can thank Him together, areas where you are experiencing brokenness so we can cry and interceed for each other, and whatever else you want your family to be lifting up to our Father together…
