outdoor church... street church... the Spirit gives life

May 19,2009

Did the usual morning stuff, then off to coffee time. ___ was talking about his "rules"- no swearing, no drinking or drugs, no fighting... but he said if someone is really in a bad space, like someone they love died or whatever, it doesn't matter how drunk or whatever, some and I'll cry with you - like Jesus!

They were also talking about the local town "culture" and how the police enforce it.... People get charged for walking across the street on a red light when there are no cars in sight, down and out people (sometimes drunk, but sometimes just hanging out) picked up and taken to the lock-up for a few hours (mostly because they don't make the street look pretty...) ... but they so often don't go near fights, drug-dealing, wild parties in school grounds in the evening, etc, so long as it's not done out where respectable people might see it (if a bunch of school kids have a planned fight - advertised by text-messaging etc - as long as it's in a school grounds in a lower-middle-class neighborhood, the police often don't come by even if they are called; but if its in a higher class neighborhood or an area where tourists gather etc, different story!). It's like the attitude is that as long as things look pretty and safe on the surface (for well-off people, or for tourists bringing in the bucks), who cares what's happening in alleys, back streets, low class neighborhoods, etc. And sadly, that ends up pretty bad for an awful lot of decent, ordinary people, who can't afford to live in the pretty, safe places... And I was thinking, yes, that affects an awful lot of people!

And he was also talking about people who come out to "volunteer" with him and are all gung-ho and offer to help... but after 2 or 3 weeks they stop turning up... and so he doesn't feel free to give out responsibilities (even when they ask) until he can see they really do plan to stick around...

And he was talking about all the "background" stuff he has to do that he's hoping people will come to help out with... like shopping, and setting up Sunday mornings, and buying food... and I'm thinking, I want to help, I want to do stuff... but I just don't know what You want from me... Anyway, Father, You know what You want me - us! hubby and me both - to do... and also, I want to do what You want, not just to rush in and "do" ... maybe You still have me at the listen-and-learn stage... not just charging in.

I have been thinking about that "outdoor church" website I was looking at... the outdoor gathering of the church seems to be at someone's pretty nice cabin out in the country-side, or at least, around someone's picnic table in their back yard - and every fourth gathering is an "outdoor adventure" like canoeing and stuff - which certainly does attract young people and people who like that kind of action - and it is radical, perhaps, in comparison to "traditional" church... but I'm wondering, where is the outreach? I'm just kind of wondering if it attracts many people outside the already churched crowd who are maybe a bit bored with the regular in-church stuff? (Though of course that's important too...)

Haven't read Your Word today, Father - could be that's why I'm "off" eh.... will do that now. Please,speak to my spirit, Holy Spirit, Father, Jesus. Thank You! amen!

Check these out: ISaiah 35:10 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing into Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away... v8 A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, and fools will not wander on it... v 7 The scorched land (or - the mirage!) will become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water. [ Isn't that an amazing thing to look forward to? I'm meeting so many people whose lives are like scorched, thirsty land... and oh, I'm wanting to love them and bring springs of living water... and everlasting joy... into their lives!]

And: 2 Corinthians 3: 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men. 3... a letter of Christ, cared for (served) by us, written... with the Spirit of the living God... on tablets of hearts of flesh. 4. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5.... our adequacy is from God. 6... as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life... 9. For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, how much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory... 12. Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech... 16. but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. [ This is exactly what I meant, in response to that book "reviewer"! Of course Your Word says it perfectly, Father! Thank You! ]