I’m At a Conference
I’m sorry I haven’t posted for the last couple of days. I have been attending the regional Vineyard leaders conference. I always dread going to these things but am always glad I went. It’s not the political, strategical, organizational stuff that interests me at all. The talks are good probings into what’s going on and what may come. The music worship is good. All that’s fine. But for me it is the fellowship… getting together with my friends. This, actually, is what it is all about.
I think the church is heading in that direction anyway, necessarily. I believe we are heading to a place where organizational, institutional, political and purposeful church will be meaningless. I suspect I think and feel like the disenfranchised from Christianity and the church. I realize I don’t look like it, being a paid pastor of a church with a building which is part of a denomination which is recognized as being within Christendom. But I am not interested in what all this means. I am not interested in the future of our denominational organization. I am interested in the people within it. I am not interested in securing my salary from my community indefinitely. I would love to make my living through, say, my art or writing or cartoons while continuing to be involved in this community. I am not interested in the longevity of our way of doing church in this building. I am interested, painfully lovingly so, in the people of my community. This means a great deal to me. Anyway, I intend to write more about this. I have to pack up and go for the final day of the conference. Stay tuned.
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so good to meet you finally, and your lovely wife is a true joy! what an incredible tribe of people - amazing!
i’m so glad you came heidi. neat to meet. we’d love you guys to come here and hang out. in fact we should plan on it. keith’s very cool. fellow artist!! love!!!
i have been searching for community (fellowship) my entire life. i have done many crazy things inside and outside the church walls to foster this. i have yet to find a community that is interested in just being a community. no political goals, no “purposeful” agenda to follow, just a place to belong and touch the Infinite. Let me know if you find this place.
dj: we address this issue as a community. we haven’t arrived. but we are inquiring. come join other inquirers. you are welcomed.
dj,
What about going into the World making disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all things Jesus commands? And I believe the highest form of “touch[ing] the Infinite” is to make disciples, for that is really what the cross was about.
As far as “no purposeful agenda,” Christ set the/an agenda, and it is very purposeful. he also promised us that it would be costly and messy at times.
fishon
sounds like “true” pastorhood to me! I wish more pastors had that attitude. It should be about people.
Gosh I wish I could sit down and have a chat with you, David! I can relate to what you are saying so much. How I long to find a community where we live. BTW, I knew your parents when they lived in our little town - they inspired me to learn to paint! If you ever come up our way ….
i am with you david…i pass the ‘how-to’ workshops and go right for the fellowship…blessings