Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Recent Post on the Village Seven Blog:

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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