Two Bold Declarations

Declarations are dangerous things. Take for example the Declaration of Independence. When the founding fathers of the United States signed their names to this document they were doing more that just putting pen to paper, they were commiting themselves to a cause that would require sacrifice and possibly even death. While they looked upon this document as their stated objective to live free, those to whom in was addressed saw it as an act of high treason. Signing the Declaration of Independence meant that there was no turning back.

As a church family we have made two bold declarations from which there is no turning back. To see them come to pass will require commitment and sacrifice to a cause that is born in the heart of God.

The first declaration can be summed us in three words: Seek, Touch, Invite.

We have been called together to seek out overlooked people and places offering the compassionate touch of Jesus and inviting people to go with us on our journey of discovery, restoration, and healing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The second declaration is that within one year we will have 8 families sharing Jesus with reckless compassion in overlooked places of our comminity.

Now to some reading this these might not seem to be very bold at all. But rest assured if our church family will truly make these two declarations their own we will see that they are bold indeed....

In what ways can you make these declarations your own?

Share your thoughts below....

Going Farther in Compassionate Service

When Jesus called His followers together on the mount of ascension it was loaded with meaning. As I mentioned in my previous post to this blog the mountain top has a spiritual connection that crosses cultural lines. In the Bible God often calls His people to the mountain in preparation for sending them to 'go out' on assignment (Abraham, Moses, and Elijah come to mind) which creates the natural/spiritual connection between climbing higher in authentic worship and going farther in compassionate service.

As followers of Christ it's always tempting to try and dwell in the 'mountain top' experiences of our walk with Jesus. Those times of incredible intimacy with our Creator and Lord are truly inspiring and energizing. But, while we walk this earth our times of worship and intimacy are the fuel for our seasons of compassionate service.
We're reminded of this in Acts 1:8 when Jesus tells His disciples - my paraphrase - "You will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you (climbing higher) and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the world(going farther)."

What are some ways that you can prepare your heart to transition from times of authentic worship to seasons of compassionate service to others?

Share your thoughts below.......