And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. - Heb. 10:24-25
Tonight was one of my first nights hanging out with my simple church community in what seems like forever. Now I know why the author of Hebrews reminds the church not to forsake assembling together. It was so refreshing to my soul to be back with my family after not being able to be with them for most of the summer.
It was so encouraging to be together again loving one another and being reminded of how much God is at work in our lives. I can't even begin to describe the crazy experiences I have had today. I guess I'll work my way backwards. Tonight, our group got together. We had some worship time, and it was really cool because one of the guys that first led worship for us when we first started showed up and helped lead worship. It was crazy because normally I would be pretty anal about people just coming in and leading worship because I use to have certain expectations and ideas of what worship should look like and how we should experience it. But God has been really revealing to me how beautiful it is for others to take part in what He is doing. God wants all people to be able to experience his redemptive power. Tonight was a cool picture of that in being able to see one my friends play guitar for us in the first time in many many months.
After that, we went into a time of intercession. We broke into groups of three and prayed for one another. I got to pray with my two Chinese brothers Yanqing and Jiannan. It was awesome being able to hear the prayer concerns, pray for them, and then have them pray for me. We had another Chinese friend there too who isn't a Christian, but ended up praying with her small group as well. After a time of prayer, I got to share some of the things God had been putting on my heart.
I shared from 2 Corinthians 4:7-9. These verses have been super powerful in my life and are what I talked about in my last blog. We had a group discussion on what God was speaking to us through the verses, and it was so awesome hear peoples insight. I shared with them how the "Jars of clay" were like trash cans, but in spite of that, God uses us to demonstrate his glory. I got to really encourage people that no matter where there were at in their life right now, God loves them and wants to use them to demonstrate his power. I then went into talking about the legacy of what God has called us to as a simple church planting movement. I talked about the move student missions tracing it all the way back from the Haystack Revival, to the Student Volunteer Movement, to what we are experiencing today. I hope to talk more about this history later because it is super powerful.
So after Kelly and I shared some of our heart, I encouraged our group with what the next step God was calling us to. God has put on our heart to begin to pray for one another and for those who don't know him, and then to begin to invest our time in the communities God has called us to. We intentionally prayed that God would identify and begin to bring us three people who don't know Christ yet that we can begin to invest time in. We spent a few moments asking God to put those people in our hearts and pray for them.
After this time, some of the guys cooked up some spaghetti for us, and we at together. During this time, I had some awesome conversations with people. I got to pray and prophesy over my friend Zach and really encourage him to pursue his calling and gifting in music. I got to talk to a newcomer named Alex over what God was putting on heart, and I got to pray for clarity i figuring out what God was calling her to study. Also, a friend from California who we had met in Epic Conference two years ago was in town and I got to talk and pray with her also.
One of the craziest things that blows me away is meeting this new guy named Alvin. It turns out that Alvin is a senior here at ASU. He is a Japanese major, and he studied 11 months in Japan. Of all the places in the world and of all the places in Japan, it turns out that Alvin was actually in the same place in Japan that I went to last summer - Nagoya, Japan. We actually found out that we know the same people working for Campus Crusade for Christ, and on facebook we have mutual Japanese friends from the school we worked with there. I am absolutely blown away by this. How in the world does that even happen? Last year, God put a international Japanese student from Nagoya in our group, and we got to build a relationship with. Then today, God brings Alvin to our group, and he actually lives in the global village section of the dorm that I lived in and prayer walked over all last year. Is that crazy or what? God or odd??? All I can say is that is crazy. It's not everyday that you meet people from Nagoya, Japan. It's not like it is the biggest or populated place. And yet there have been many people from there that I have met at ASU. Something is happening. I have no idea what is happening. But whatever God did in my heart in Japan is coming back, and its freaking crazy!
Then as I was washing dishes today, I had an awesome conversation with Lydia. She was telling me about the awesome things God is doing in her life. She has a heart for the Uzbek community here at ASU. She did some work there with her family when she was younger. So God has totally put it on her heart to work within their community here and find the places where Jesus is at work. She told me about a message she was listening to the other day. A influential Christian leader went to Iraq and talked to the some important officials there. The Christian leader asked the Iraqi leaders an interesting question. He asked them if they had seen Jesus. The Iraqi leaders responded by asking why he asked the question. The Christian leader went on to respond that in the Bible Jesus showed up in the places that people least expected it. And of all the places in the world, Christians would probably least expect to see Jesus in Iraq. So the leaders asked him, what would it look like if Jesus was here. The Christian leader responded by asking them what they thought it would like. They went on to discuss it, and they thought that Jesus would care for the poor and outcast. So the Christian leader said ya you re right. Let's go do that. In response, some of top ranking officials told the Christian leader that if wanted to go do that work in their towns, they would offer him full protection to go to do those things.
The point is that God is work in the lives of people. Are role is not bring Jesus to people, but to find where he is already at work and be a part of it. One of the coolest things that I got to experience today was talking to my friend Brian and later Chris. As I talked to them, I shared with them a picture that I though would represent the move of God at ASU and in our communities at large. I saw a picture of ASU. In the middle of it was the prayer house. From the prayer house was a light that was moving outward in all directions. But I also saw from the fringes, a light surrounding map and moving from the outside in.
In this season, God has called me to go plant churches on the fringes of society. God has called me and many of those in our community to go love the seemingly unlovable. We want to go to the poor, the sick, the social outcasts. We believe that God is going to raise up an entire generation of misfits who will bring the Gospel to others like them and also back to the institutional church. Some may be offended by the notion of the social outcasts being powerful carriers of the Gospel. But that is who Jesus chose, and who he used. It's crazy to think of the amazing thing that God is doing.
Talking to Lydia today really reminded me of the heart behind what we are doing. At the core of why God has put this passion on our hearts is for the very reason of having the heart of Jesus himself. Jesus loved people, and he demonstrated this by spending time with them. There is something so powerful that people on the fringes of society will be able to understand and grasp about Jesus that I may never understand because of the ways I have lived in privilege. But as Jesus stated to those who have been forgiven much will love much. And at the heart of everything, God has called me to do, I must remember that loving with the heart of Jesus is the reason why w do this. I have realized that I often times have failed to truly love and have a heart of compassion for people or those I am with. I have a hard time connecting with people at a heart to basis at times because I have often gotten so caught up in the vision. I can encourage people with the big picture and seeing the move that God is doing, but I sometimes fail to really see people where they are at and connecting with them with my own heart.
I realized that talking to Sara today. I often fail to really listen to her and understand her. Instead of speaking to her emotions. I speak to her mind in a logical sense. It is interesting to see even that regards how men and women differ. But there is something so powerful that women possess in being to possess that kind of heart-felt emotion for others that I as a man tend to struggle with. It reminds of me this idea that Lydia alluded to when she mentioned that women are usually the first to come Christ in many cultures because they are usually the most oppressed, and they are the first to realize that they really need Jesus. I think that there open hearts and emotional bent really helps them to understand the love of Jesus in a unique way as well.
All this to say, that the body of Christ is so diverse, and we need one another. Sometimes I get so caught up in this mentality of trying to control others and have a say in everything that others do. But in this sense of control, I am limiting others from being who God made them to be, and I am also limiting myself because I am worrying about others rather than being an encouragement and then doing my part in responding to what God has called me to do. I realize how God has put other people in my life and is raising up others around to carry some of the desires and dreams that are on my heart. I wrestle with pride at times in not understanding to being a part of what others are doing. But I realize that when others are stepping into these roles and responding to God, it is actually an answered prayer, and it is releasing me to be able to step even further into what God has for me without having to be tied down to other obligations that were distracting from what God is really calling me to do.
So ya, today has been powerful and encouraging for me. Being in community once again was so refreshing and amazing. It is a small glimpse of what it will look like when the body of Christ comes together as a whole and begins to live out there destiny. What a powerful force that will be when body in unison works together to bless one another and bless those around them.
Let it happen, Jesus! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! We desire to take hold of all the promises that you have for us! Thank you for community. Thank you for the body of Christ. Thank you that you are already victorious and have overcome darkness. There is no pressure on us. Keep me from temptation and from pride. May I never forget the grace that you have and love that covers me. I desire to be fully surrendered to you, O Lord. Here I am, send me!
It was so encouraging to be together again loving one another and being reminded of how much God is at work in our lives. I can't even begin to describe the crazy experiences I have had today. I guess I'll work my way backwards. Tonight, our group got together. We had some worship time, and it was really cool because one of the guys that first led worship for us when we first started showed up and helped lead worship. It was crazy because normally I would be pretty anal about people just coming in and leading worship because I use to have certain expectations and ideas of what worship should look like and how we should experience it. But God has been really revealing to me how beautiful it is for others to take part in what He is doing. God wants all people to be able to experience his redemptive power. Tonight was a cool picture of that in being able to see one my friends play guitar for us in the first time in many many months.
After that, we went into a time of intercession. We broke into groups of three and prayed for one another. I got to pray with my two Chinese brothers Yanqing and Jiannan. It was awesome being able to hear the prayer concerns, pray for them, and then have them pray for me. We had another Chinese friend there too who isn't a Christian, but ended up praying with her small group as well. After a time of prayer, I got to share some of the things God had been putting on my heart.
I shared from 2 Corinthians 4:7-9. These verses have been super powerful in my life and are what I talked about in my last blog. We had a group discussion on what God was speaking to us through the verses, and it was so awesome hear peoples insight. I shared with them how the "Jars of clay" were like trash cans, but in spite of that, God uses us to demonstrate his glory. I got to really encourage people that no matter where there were at in their life right now, God loves them and wants to use them to demonstrate his power. I then went into talking about the legacy of what God has called us to as a simple church planting movement. I talked about the move student missions tracing it all the way back from the Haystack Revival, to the Student Volunteer Movement, to what we are experiencing today. I hope to talk more about this history later because it is super powerful.
So after Kelly and I shared some of our heart, I encouraged our group with what the next step God was calling us to. God has put on our heart to begin to pray for one another and for those who don't know him, and then to begin to invest our time in the communities God has called us to. We intentionally prayed that God would identify and begin to bring us three people who don't know Christ yet that we can begin to invest time in. We spent a few moments asking God to put those people in our hearts and pray for them.
After this time, some of the guys cooked up some spaghetti for us, and we at together. During this time, I had some awesome conversations with people. I got to pray and prophesy over my friend Zach and really encourage him to pursue his calling and gifting in music. I got to talk to a newcomer named Alex over what God was putting on heart, and I got to pray for clarity i figuring out what God was calling her to study. Also, a friend from California who we had met in Epic Conference two years ago was in town and I got to talk and pray with her also.
One of the craziest things that blows me away is meeting this new guy named Alvin. It turns out that Alvin is a senior here at ASU. He is a Japanese major, and he studied 11 months in Japan. Of all the places in the world and of all the places in Japan, it turns out that Alvin was actually in the same place in Japan that I went to last summer - Nagoya, Japan. We actually found out that we know the same people working for Campus Crusade for Christ, and on facebook we have mutual Japanese friends from the school we worked with there. I am absolutely blown away by this. How in the world does that even happen? Last year, God put a international Japanese student from Nagoya in our group, and we got to build a relationship with. Then today, God brings Alvin to our group, and he actually lives in the global village section of the dorm that I lived in and prayer walked over all last year. Is that crazy or what? God or odd??? All I can say is that is crazy. It's not everyday that you meet people from Nagoya, Japan. It's not like it is the biggest or populated place. And yet there have been many people from there that I have met at ASU. Something is happening. I have no idea what is happening. But whatever God did in my heart in Japan is coming back, and its freaking crazy!
Then as I was washing dishes today, I had an awesome conversation with Lydia. She was telling me about the awesome things God is doing in her life. She has a heart for the Uzbek community here at ASU. She did some work there with her family when she was younger. So God has totally put it on her heart to work within their community here and find the places where Jesus is at work. She told me about a message she was listening to the other day. A influential Christian leader went to Iraq and talked to the some important officials there. The Christian leader asked the Iraqi leaders an interesting question. He asked them if they had seen Jesus. The Iraqi leaders responded by asking why he asked the question. The Christian leader went on to respond that in the Bible Jesus showed up in the places that people least expected it. And of all the places in the world, Christians would probably least expect to see Jesus in Iraq. So the leaders asked him, what would it look like if Jesus was here. The Christian leader responded by asking them what they thought it would like. They went on to discuss it, and they thought that Jesus would care for the poor and outcast. So the Christian leader said ya you re right. Let's go do that. In response, some of top ranking officials told the Christian leader that if wanted to go do that work in their towns, they would offer him full protection to go to do those things.
The point is that God is work in the lives of people. Are role is not bring Jesus to people, but to find where he is already at work and be a part of it. One of the coolest things that I got to experience today was talking to my friend Brian and later Chris. As I talked to them, I shared with them a picture that I though would represent the move of God at ASU and in our communities at large. I saw a picture of ASU. In the middle of it was the prayer house. From the prayer house was a light that was moving outward in all directions. But I also saw from the fringes, a light surrounding map and moving from the outside in.
In this season, God has called me to go plant churches on the fringes of society. God has called me and many of those in our community to go love the seemingly unlovable. We want to go to the poor, the sick, the social outcasts. We believe that God is going to raise up an entire generation of misfits who will bring the Gospel to others like them and also back to the institutional church. Some may be offended by the notion of the social outcasts being powerful carriers of the Gospel. But that is who Jesus chose, and who he used. It's crazy to think of the amazing thing that God is doing.
Talking to Lydia today really reminded me of the heart behind what we are doing. At the core of why God has put this passion on our hearts is for the very reason of having the heart of Jesus himself. Jesus loved people, and he demonstrated this by spending time with them. There is something so powerful that people on the fringes of society will be able to understand and grasp about Jesus that I may never understand because of the ways I have lived in privilege. But as Jesus stated to those who have been forgiven much will love much. And at the heart of everything, God has called me to do, I must remember that loving with the heart of Jesus is the reason why w do this. I have realized that I often times have failed to truly love and have a heart of compassion for people or those I am with. I have a hard time connecting with people at a heart to basis at times because I have often gotten so caught up in the vision. I can encourage people with the big picture and seeing the move that God is doing, but I sometimes fail to really see people where they are at and connecting with them with my own heart.
I realized that talking to Sara today. I often fail to really listen to her and understand her. Instead of speaking to her emotions. I speak to her mind in a logical sense. It is interesting to see even that regards how men and women differ. But there is something so powerful that women possess in being to possess that kind of heart-felt emotion for others that I as a man tend to struggle with. It reminds of me this idea that Lydia alluded to when she mentioned that women are usually the first to come Christ in many cultures because they are usually the most oppressed, and they are the first to realize that they really need Jesus. I think that there open hearts and emotional bent really helps them to understand the love of Jesus in a unique way as well.
All this to say, that the body of Christ is so diverse, and we need one another. Sometimes I get so caught up in this mentality of trying to control others and have a say in everything that others do. But in this sense of control, I am limiting others from being who God made them to be, and I am also limiting myself because I am worrying about others rather than being an encouragement and then doing my part in responding to what God has called me to do. I realize how God has put other people in my life and is raising up others around to carry some of the desires and dreams that are on my heart. I wrestle with pride at times in not understanding to being a part of what others are doing. But I realize that when others are stepping into these roles and responding to God, it is actually an answered prayer, and it is releasing me to be able to step even further into what God has for me without having to be tied down to other obligations that were distracting from what God is really calling me to do.
So ya, today has been powerful and encouraging for me. Being in community once again was so refreshing and amazing. It is a small glimpse of what it will look like when the body of Christ comes together as a whole and begins to live out there destiny. What a powerful force that will be when body in unison works together to bless one another and bless those around them.
Let it happen, Jesus! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! We desire to take hold of all the promises that you have for us! Thank you for community. Thank you for the body of Christ. Thank you that you are already victorious and have overcome darkness. There is no pressure on us. Keep me from temptation and from pride. May I never forget the grace that you have and love that covers me. I desire to be fully surrendered to you, O Lord. Here I am, send me!
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