Conversations

Looking forward to today and tomorrow. I am headed to Harrisburg, PA to spend some time with my friends and church planter, Ryan and Kim Braught and to participate in a workshop with Hugh Halter.

Ryan and Kim are leading the church plant that Community of Joy is supporting and I am excited to hear what is happening there!

Hugh Halter wrote a book I read last year that was over the top! Tangible Kingdom is a very helpful book. Just the title alone is a helpful way to think about the mission Jesus has given the church! Hugh has another book coming out this year that I am anxious to read called AND: The Gathered AND The Scattered Church. That title is also a helpful way to think about the mission of the church. It really is AND... not one or the other! Hoping that I will have opportunity to ask some questions of Hugh tonight at supper.

Should be a great weekend!

Some quotes from Tangible Kingdom... "Church must not be the goal of the gospel anymore. Church should not be the focus of our efforts or the banner we hold up to explain what we are about. Church should be what ends up happening as a natural response to people wanting to follow us, and be like us as we are following the way of Christ."

"Influence doesn't happen by extricating ourselves from the world for the sake of our values, but by bringing our values into the culture."

"The ancient church influenced the world not by lightening up their values or by veiling them but by living them out in plain view of culture around them. Their lives exposed and challenged the present value system with new kingdom."

"What causes exclusive community is fear. What creates inclusive community is love!"

"The gospel is the tangible life of God flowing into every nook and cranny of our everyday life."