"The Lord is Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 1 Corinthians 3:17
It is something that escapes the attentions of most people that travel to the downtown area of the biggest city (or what was once so) of the region, Detroit. It is known, especially when we win a hockey championship or a baseball championship or if we ever will win a football championship because we drap it with the jersey of that team. It is in the news when we have to pay for the restoration of its visage or when the newies are outside the Coleman J Young building (City of Detroit offices)and use it as a backdrop to whatever they are covering.
No one knows, or at least I believe they don't (due to lack of complaints by atheists and other religions), what the symbology is or what is inscribed on the wall behind the Spirit of Detroit. My friend was surprised by the fact that there is a Christian biblical verse behind the statue....a powerful and direct verse that speaks of the God, I AM, and cannot be transposed to 'substitute' for any other religion's god. It is what the city once stood for and what it wanted its spirit to be.
And it was what 20,000-30,000 Christians came to Comerica Park in the rainy early morning hours yesterday to reclaim.
The Spirit of Detroit is a city monument, created by Marshall Fredericks for the cost of 58,000 back in 1955. It was dedicated in 1958 and is 26-foot tall. It held the status of being the largest bronze sculpture cast since the Renaissance. It was restored in 2006 by private and foundation funds.
In its left hand, the large seated figure holds a gilt bronze sphere emanating rays to symbolize God. In its right hand, is a family group symbolizing all human relationships. A plaque in front of the sculpture bears the inscription, "The artist expresses the concept that God, through the spirit of man, is manifested in the family, the noblest human relationship."
As one of Detroit's most identifiable landmarks, a sketch of the statue is the central element of most of the logos of Detroit's city departments and services and is used as an image on the "Spirit Of Detroit Award" that is issued to a person, event or organization being honored for an outstanding achievement or service to the citizens of Detroit.
One of the most important aspects of the event that gathered Christians downtown yesterday wasn't the 1 million hours of community service that the E.A.C.H. movement wants to achieve with this collalition of churches, para-church and individuals (though it is a very important part of it) or the fact that the faithful gathered to pray for Detroit. It was simply said....
Where God is, where God would come and do His work and miracles and restoration; such a place has to believe in Him for it to happen. The Christians of Southeast Michigan gathered in Comerica Park to declare a moblization of the faithful to fight that disbelief and bring the Gospel message...THE GOOD NEWS....in an impactful way, through the investment of their lives into the city and surrounding suburbs. To join with the family that lives and worships in Detroit and join the toils of their hands with efforts to live the faith among those who do not believe, not for the sake of forcing the Gospel upon them but to show the faithful execution of a life given to Jesus Christ.
To beckon the Spirit of the Lord to come to the city of Detroit, a city where the world is watching what happens, to bring LIBERTY!
And that is something worthy of our efforts. And what the most noblest of all human relationships, the family, is for.
Let's do this!
Showing posts with label E.A.C.H.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label E.A.C.H.. Show all posts
Sunday, April 17
Tuesday, March 29
purposed? Purposed!
“May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.” Psalm 20:4 HCSB
I realized, as I was giving my testimony to a group of “Gideon-like” men, that I have come to a point in my story where the focus has shifted from where it was….mired in the details of reliving it all and has become freed of the muck and grime of that living into a place where I am glad for its adventurous tales, whether of woe or joy.
My story defines me. It is who I am, who I was and who I was never allowed being and who I never let myself become. It is a cherished thing, growing in detail and purpose at each retelling; never embellishing or stretching the tales to be told but bringing life to the deaths that occurred in its long and winding road.
Someone once told me that I have to ‘get beyond’ my past to realize my future. I have to heal the pains, close the wounds and release the past in order to be able to embrace the wonders of the future. It’s part of the Christian experience, I’ve been told, a part of ‘becoming that new creature.”
I think the message has gotten confused and it’s the main reason why we ‘lose’ the children as they grow up into the college-aged people who have left the church or redefined it tossing out the biblical text in favor of a more postmodern ‘peace’ that reflects an unfocused, ‘get-along’ attitude of a worldly nature. It is what is necessary to counterbalance the pain of this world…..for that is the ultimate goal of many of us. A respite from the pain.
Christ never promised exemption from the pain, but rather seems to tell us that it will get worse before it gets better. We are comfortable in our homes, so comfortable that the homeless that wander the streets of our downtowns are a nuisance and eyesore that we face confused at ‘how to handle the problem.’ We refuse to release our holds on funds to simply be the Church and Christians, rather following a ‘practical’ model of business that negates challenging the status quo. We refuse to risk, even with the ultimate risk-backer Jesus.
He faced death for us, coming to the point where He asked…no begged…for the reasoning behind His Father’s rejection as He died. He stood where we do, He did what we can do, and He challenges us to do ‘greater things’ than He did on this world.
It takes us rejecting our comfort and ‘bottom line’ and dealing honestly and lovingly with those struggling in the darkness and lost in the woods. It takes those who have been broken in those places to return with a vivid memory of the dangers and the pains so they will not fall and they can love even when love hurts.
I don’t wish for the events of my life to disappear. If I had a time machine, I would give it away or destroy it because I do not wish to go back and change my life. For each sorrow, each pain, each heartache and loss, each mistake, each sinful disobedience that I did….they have a part in the story that God started before I was born and watched with loving sorrow and joyful redemption as I’ve walked this world. It is a story of disobedience and loving purpose and it is part of my Father’s story for those still lost in the dark woods of this world.
I am a bard in my Father’s court, telling the tales of a life redeemed.
I have the desire of my heart: release from the mire of my past and the purpose of my life: to testify of the life restored and a life lived.
I realized, as I was giving my testimony to a group of “Gideon-like” men, that I have come to a point in my story where the focus has shifted from where it was….mired in the details of reliving it all and has become freed of the muck and grime of that living into a place where I am glad for its adventurous tales, whether of woe or joy.
My story defines me. It is who I am, who I was and who I was never allowed being and who I never let myself become. It is a cherished thing, growing in detail and purpose at each retelling; never embellishing or stretching the tales to be told but bringing life to the deaths that occurred in its long and winding road.
Someone once told me that I have to ‘get beyond’ my past to realize my future. I have to heal the pains, close the wounds and release the past in order to be able to embrace the wonders of the future. It’s part of the Christian experience, I’ve been told, a part of ‘becoming that new creature.”
I think the message has gotten confused and it’s the main reason why we ‘lose’ the children as they grow up into the college-aged people who have left the church or redefined it tossing out the biblical text in favor of a more postmodern ‘peace’ that reflects an unfocused, ‘get-along’ attitude of a worldly nature. It is what is necessary to counterbalance the pain of this world…..for that is the ultimate goal of many of us. A respite from the pain.
Christ never promised exemption from the pain, but rather seems to tell us that it will get worse before it gets better. We are comfortable in our homes, so comfortable that the homeless that wander the streets of our downtowns are a nuisance and eyesore that we face confused at ‘how to handle the problem.’ We refuse to release our holds on funds to simply be the Church and Christians, rather following a ‘practical’ model of business that negates challenging the status quo. We refuse to risk, even with the ultimate risk-backer Jesus.
He faced death for us, coming to the point where He asked…no begged…for the reasoning behind His Father’s rejection as He died. He stood where we do, He did what we can do, and He challenges us to do ‘greater things’ than He did on this world.
It takes us rejecting our comfort and ‘bottom line’ and dealing honestly and lovingly with those struggling in the darkness and lost in the woods. It takes those who have been broken in those places to return with a vivid memory of the dangers and the pains so they will not fall and they can love even when love hurts.
I don’t wish for the events of my life to disappear. If I had a time machine, I would give it away or destroy it because I do not wish to go back and change my life. For each sorrow, each pain, each heartache and loss, each mistake, each sinful disobedience that I did….they have a part in the story that God started before I was born and watched with loving sorrow and joyful redemption as I’ve walked this world. It is a story of disobedience and loving purpose and it is part of my Father’s story for those still lost in the dark woods of this world.
I am a bard in my Father’s court, telling the tales of a life redeemed.
I have the desire of my heart: release from the mire of my past and the purpose of my life: to testify of the life restored and a life lived.
Sunday, March 20
We have met the enemy.....
"You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine (your light must shine) before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16 HCASB
"The church was intended to be a movement of changed lives," was one of the two points that Pastor Marshall Mobley of Mosaic A2 declared today. If you get the opportunity, you should go to www.mosaica2.org and download the mp3 to listen to it. Mosaic is part of the E.A.C.H. movement that is underway in SE Michigan to give E-veryone A C-hance to H-ear the Gospel. You can go to www.eachtoday.com or www.2wordstory.com for more information on joining this revival. Mosaic is currently into the third week of the 'why' of the story and it hosts small groups who are going through the 'how' of the story telling.
I would drive it deeper though....."The church was intended to be a movement of changed lives changing lives in a community of fluid, organic living, rather than being a stagnant, wall-dwelling operational base that sends out search-n-rescue parties to 'shock and awe' the enemy." We have a tendency to bulid a church wherever we can find the space and ignore the community around it, separating ourselves from them in huddles of 'saved' and the 'needing to be' categories and limiting our outreach in the community to vivable 'returns.' We live with an agenda God did not give us, of forcing transformation rather than living transformed lives to entice and teach others how they can live such life themselves and letting God deal with the 'heart, which no man can know.' I am glad I wasn't built for the brick and mortar, for now I understand why I don't feel the most comfortable there. It isn't the community that exists inside those walls, its the community that exists outside those walls. Pastor Mobley helped me realize some things like that today. And it isn't to say that the community within Mosaic's walls or the community within the walls of some other 400 churches that I know of that are part of the E.A.C.H. movement are not involved or trying to engage their communities that lie around the locations of their assemblies, too many are or are seeking real and heart-driven ways to live the Gospel in them, not in spite of them.
For too long, we have allowed the passion of the Church to be 'shock and awe' inspired attempts at 'community building' with the intentionality of 'congregational' building that we have lost the effectiveness of the mission; to be a community within the community reflecting God back into it to transform lives by our community of transformed lives. We have trained our pastors to be 'nice' with the Gospel and the Christian experience so as not to offend and incite the 'insurgents' against the mission of the Church and have downplayed the real meat and potatoes of the Gospel. We overlook the intent of God's plan for the Church and the development of its members; all members of the same family if the biblical truths are their foundations.
We have become a 'seek-n-rescue', 'hit-and-get' mobile group of guerrillas who never stay for long and consider our rapid success in surface transformation to be an inspired and God-led thing when the enemy leader, Satan, is simply waiting for time to come to his aid and negate our limited, fragile message of 'love, love, love' and 'joy' to be weathered away by the sands of this world. It is the intention of the E.A.C.H. grassroots movment to change that 'shock and awe' into the realistic and heartdriven intention of community building by living in the community and showing the Gospel truth in the life lived.
Paul showed us how to do it in Acts. It never was his intention to go somewhere and simply preach, erecting a few tents here and there for business sake (since he was a self-employed preacher) and then move on when either the community or the message ended. He preached, led others to Christ and then followed God's lead in the community there to create the bedrock of a church plant. Then he would move on to the next location God compelled him to. We are not 'preaching' something new and haven't had anything new to say in some 2,000 plus years. The message is the same, as Paul taught to the Athenians in the Areopagus, "what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." (Acts 17:23 HCASB)
We are attracting those who are coming to realize the emptiness of the pursuits of this world and answering the questions with the honesty of the Truth. As we do that, lives are being transformed and then discipled in the reality of the Gospel mission.
That is an army I want to be a part of and a mission that will not be over until the King returns!
"The church was intended to be a movement of changed lives," was one of the two points that Pastor Marshall Mobley of Mosaic A2 declared today. If you get the opportunity, you should go to www.mosaica2.org and download the mp3 to listen to it. Mosaic is part of the E.A.C.H. movement that is underway in SE Michigan to give E-veryone A C-hance to H-ear the Gospel. You can go to www.eachtoday.com or www.2wordstory.com for more information on joining this revival. Mosaic is currently into the third week of the 'why' of the story and it hosts small groups who are going through the 'how' of the story telling.
I would drive it deeper though....."The church was intended to be a movement of changed lives changing lives in a community of fluid, organic living, rather than being a stagnant, wall-dwelling operational base that sends out search-n-rescue parties to 'shock and awe' the enemy." We have a tendency to bulid a church wherever we can find the space and ignore the community around it, separating ourselves from them in huddles of 'saved' and the 'needing to be' categories and limiting our outreach in the community to vivable 'returns.' We live with an agenda God did not give us, of forcing transformation rather than living transformed lives to entice and teach others how they can live such life themselves and letting God deal with the 'heart, which no man can know.' I am glad I wasn't built for the brick and mortar, for now I understand why I don't feel the most comfortable there. It isn't the community that exists inside those walls, its the community that exists outside those walls. Pastor Mobley helped me realize some things like that today. And it isn't to say that the community within Mosaic's walls or the community within the walls of some other 400 churches that I know of that are part of the E.A.C.H. movement are not involved or trying to engage their communities that lie around the locations of their assemblies, too many are or are seeking real and heart-driven ways to live the Gospel in them, not in spite of them.
For too long, we have allowed the passion of the Church to be 'shock and awe' inspired attempts at 'community building' with the intentionality of 'congregational' building that we have lost the effectiveness of the mission; to be a community within the community reflecting God back into it to transform lives by our community of transformed lives. We have trained our pastors to be 'nice' with the Gospel and the Christian experience so as not to offend and incite the 'insurgents' against the mission of the Church and have downplayed the real meat and potatoes of the Gospel. We overlook the intent of God's plan for the Church and the development of its members; all members of the same family if the biblical truths are their foundations.
We have become a 'seek-n-rescue', 'hit-and-get' mobile group of guerrillas who never stay for long and consider our rapid success in surface transformation to be an inspired and God-led thing when the enemy leader, Satan, is simply waiting for time to come to his aid and negate our limited, fragile message of 'love, love, love' and 'joy' to be weathered away by the sands of this world. It is the intention of the E.A.C.H. grassroots movment to change that 'shock and awe' into the realistic and heartdriven intention of community building by living in the community and showing the Gospel truth in the life lived.
Paul showed us how to do it in Acts. It never was his intention to go somewhere and simply preach, erecting a few tents here and there for business sake (since he was a self-employed preacher) and then move on when either the community or the message ended. He preached, led others to Christ and then followed God's lead in the community there to create the bedrock of a church plant. Then he would move on to the next location God compelled him to. We are not 'preaching' something new and haven't had anything new to say in some 2,000 plus years. The message is the same, as Paul taught to the Athenians in the Areopagus, "what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." (Acts 17:23 HCASB)
We are attracting those who are coming to realize the emptiness of the pursuits of this world and answering the questions with the honesty of the Truth. As we do that, lives are being transformed and then discipled in the reality of the Gospel mission.
That is an army I want to be a part of and a mission that will not be over until the King returns!
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