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From July 2, 2010

Beneath the Wrapper

I used to love getting chocolate covered golden coins at festive occasions. For a child, this delicious candy has two major draws. First, it resembles golden coins, which means it is "lost treasure" that promises adventures galore. More importantly, it has tasty chocolate just below the surface. In some ways, people are like these chocolate coins. We have a shiny exterior we want everyone to see. This is shallow and functions as a way to fool people into thinking we are something that we are not. Below the surface is our true nature, and like those chocolate coins, peeling back the outer later can be extremely difficult.

Communities at Village Seven are one vehicle God is using to slowly reveal the inner layer of our people. As we read God's word, worship, pray and fellowship together, walls that have been built to keep others out begin to come down. This is certainly no easy process. Our communities have endured conflict, heartache, and pain over the years. In spite of this, God has been faithful, and as the Gospel penetrates us, we are able to be real with one another. As a result, people begin to truly love one another in a deep, personal way.

Catalyst, our newest community, has begun this slow process. Less than a year old, it has been a privilege for me to watch this group of singles in their twenties share live life together and be refreshed by the word. At times, things seem to be moving at a snail's pace and relationships shallow. But I am encouraged as I hear them share about their experiences, needs, and how the Gospel has been impacting them. My prayer is that God will continue to grow this community and all of the others at Village Seven into places where the Gospel has stripped away those outer layers and God's people act as the salt and light of the world.

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From June 25th, 2010

Body Builders

Philippians 1:21-26 (NAS): "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again."

I had to make a very difficult phone call this week. My grandmother is dying of cancer and as she nears the end of her journey, she is struggling with understanding how our earthly journey ends and our eternal one begins. After praying about what I should say and reading through some of my books on grief, I turned to the only thing I know as the solution: the Bible. One of the verses I read to her before praying with her over the phone was Philippians 1:21-26. I explained that Paul, while desiring to remain to be with the church he loved and was called to build up, also desired to be with Christ in eternity. For someone facing death, it is important to remember that this life is temporary and that we should be ready and even eager to "depart and be with Christ."

Conversely, for those of us who are called to remain on this earth for a while, we should also be eager to continue on building up the body of believers we have been called to live with. This means that at Village Seven, we have each been called to use the gifts God has given us and use them for the sake of others. We do this not to be puffed up with pride in a job well done, but so their confidence may abound "in Christ Jesus" as they continue in their "progress and joy in the faith." By understanding this double-sided coin, we see that being "body-builders" shapes us into people who are eager for eternity but also eager to prepare others for this eternity!

Being in a community at Village Seven has built me up in this way. Whether it is through corporate praise and worship, growing in knowledge and depth of insight, praying with others, or enjoying fellowship by breaking bread together or hiking the incline, God has strengthened my faith and joy. I want to encourage you to join a community if you have not found one; to be built up with others and do building yourself. If you have a community already, I pray you would think about those you know that are not plugged-in and are missing out on this body-building. Encourage them to join a community or pass on their information to a staff member. My prayer is that Village Seven and her communities continue to be a place where God is glorified and his people are built up daily.

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From June 18th, 2010

Christianity: Living the Supersaturated Life

Supersaturation: "To cause (a chemical solution) to be more highly concentrated than is normally possible under given conditions of temperature and pressure."

In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), Willy tells the children: "Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple." Mrs. Teevee, a teacher, replies: "That's 105 percent!"While Willy Wonka is a fictional character and may be certifiably crazy, we too defy the impossible when we tell others we expect 110% from them or that they should go above and beyond their potential. These expressions seem to be mathematically impossible, but we use them because we understand they are really saying: "You can do better." "Your schedule may be crazy, but you can fit more into it." "You may have missed the last two pitches, but you can hit this one." "You have studied for an hour and feel like your brain is full, but you can do another 15 minutes."

I believe we put these concepts into practice when it comes to ministry at Village Seven Presbyterian Church. In young adult ministry, I tend to work with adults who have extremely hectic schedules. One of my leaders has a military career, a long distance relationship, friendships, leadership responsibilities, graduate school, and outdoor activities to pack into his schedule. Another leader stayed up three days for a political rally as a volunteer and then came to Sunday school because he had made a commitment to do so. I do not even want to think about the schedules our pastors have every week, because I know each of them has more to do than can be humanly done.

This is where life in the body of believers is different from life outside of the body. At Village Seven, we have something that allows us to keep going, to push our boundaries, and to keep giving and serving even when our limits are reached: the Gospel. We live for something greater. While we were sinners Jesus Christ died for us, has brought us into relationship with God, and empowers us with the Holy Spirit to do the work the Father has planned for our lives. It may seem impossible to fulfill the calling we have been given, but with God, we are able.

This is one of the reasons I love working at Village Seven. I get to see God using his weak and limited people to do incredible things. He empowers, sustains, and grows us through difficult times to accomplish his will. When I see the "supersaturation" of the leaders in my communities, I cannot help but praise God for the great work he is doing. Therefore, we must take heart and trust that God is in control and that regardless of the problems we face in life, he will enable us. Praise Him!