“Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is: ʻListen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your “mind, and with all your strength.ʼ The second is: ʻLove your neighbor as yourself.ʼ There is no other commandment greater than these.” The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.” (Mark 12:28-34)
I am still pondering and reflecting on my post yesterday on Acts 29, the purpose if the church today, and the questions it contained. Why am I here? Why is our church here? What is our vision? As the book of Acts reminds us of the beginnings and visions of the early Church, I went back and read my notes and reflections I wrote on the early beginnings of planting this church to remind me of its beginnings and why it is here.
We had our first ODC gathering in my living room in March of 2013. Here are my journal entry reflections from December of 2012.
“We together must come to the realization that Christianity and discipleship is not about imitating religion and church structures, but imitating a person, namely Jesus Christ. We must also believe that if you start with trying to form a church, you do not always end up with community. But if you start with simply forming community, then a church will be formed. And lives will be transformed. Because of this, our hearts must not just be opened, but convicted and compelled to doing church "new” again. Which basically means in reality not forming a new expression of our faith, but returning to the "old school;" faith of churches and communities of faith we find in the New Testament and early church, communities that Love God, Love Neighbor, and Make Disciples.
A disciple I define as a committed apprentice of the Lord Jesus Christ who is growing in Love for God and others, sent out to make disciples, all through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our church must be a radical community of disciples, centered on the Lordship of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, that is organized and focused around relationally and missionally reaching out into our context of Madison, Huntsville and the surrounding areas.
Our Prayer: “Lord, send us the ones that no one else wants and give us the strength and grace to love them and even greater strength and grace to allow them to love us.”
Our Mission:We are relationally and compassionately reaching out to those society would label ”un-churched” by living out Jesus’ commandments to Love God, Love our Neighbor, and Make Disciples. (Mk 12:29-31;Mt28:18-20) We can only accomplish this by exhibiting Immediate Radical Costly Obedience.
Our vision: To plant churches that are missional communities from the start. Where Sunday mornings is not "church," but a “Koinonia,” a fellowship of the people of God, missionaries who are sent out into the context of their community, gather to celebrate what they have done as “the church” throughout their week. Churches that do not focus on, "How do we get to heaven?" but on, "How do we get heaven here? Churches who at their core is extraordinary prayer, the Word of God, Holy Spirit fire, a resurrected Christ, compassion for the lost, a desire to make disciples who make disciples, and have a heart breaking in love for its neighbors. Lord, may it be so! Lord, let it be so in me!”
My family, We have read the about the stories, mission, vision and prayers of the early church in Acts. What is your mission, vision, and prayers? What are the church you attend vision and mission statements? What is it’s pray and definition of disciples? Do you know them? How are you entering into, encouraging, supporting and fulfilling them in your day to day life? I pray you will do as I did, and go back and read and reflection why your church exists, and reflect and pray over your church and how your are to be a disciple, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
As I am in a season of reflection, I would love to hear your reflections on my posts by sharing them in the comment box below.
Help Me Help Others Out Of Their Graves!
Help Me Share The Gospel!
I could use your financial support for One Direction Community and my family to jump down into the pits and help lift up those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please commitment to partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You
