Faith Explorer––Discover. Experience. Participate. Transform.
Now that I have transitioned over the leadership baton of Grace Chapel where I have served for over 18-years as the founding/senior pastor, I’m engaged on a six-month, sabbatical-like faith journey to explore, discover, and experience the beauty, diversity and fullness of “Christ-centered community” throughout the Pacific West. I’m writing a new book entitled, Community Alive: The Timeless Tribal Characteristics of 21st Century Christ-centered Communities and Teams. I’m visiting over 25 different “Christian tribes” (denominations /associations) to gather first-hand qualitative observations, experiences, and Spirit-encounters that will serve as the impetus of this new book.
Look for the Evidence of God’s Presence
Today was my first exploration into a new tribe so to speak. My goal was to look for what was “good” and not give my “critique” of what I didn’t prefer about a particular style. I was looking for biblical substance. I was looking for what God was doing and looking for the evidence of His presence, not His absence. I love the verse in Proverbs 11:27 (NIV) that says, “Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.” I’m convinced that you often find in life what you are looking for. Let me share with you what I found today and the evidence of what I believe I saw God doing in a Christ-centered community.
St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral Serving the Poor
I attended St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral in Boise, Idaho. This English Gothic style cathedral was built with sandstone from the nearby Table Rock in 1902. The 100-year pioneer spirit of generosity still motivates the members within this Christ-centered community today as they rallied in their gathering the call to gospel-mission (collecting hats, gloves, and scarves to provide warmth for the many under-resourced people who wander in off the downtown street to their church asking for help). They also serve meals and provide sack lunches throughout the week for the hungry, and they operate a thrift shop to help those in need. This church was also instrumental many decades ago in helping launch St. Luke’s Hospital.
Multisensory Worship Experience
The way I would describe the gathering at St. Michael’s was like a banquet table filled with theological and spiritual delicacies. I was blown away with the beauty of rich tradition, warm-hearted neighborliness, and the image-rich artistry the surrounded the walls and high-vaulted ceilings. Light ricocheted through and off the many stain-glassed windows, which was not only beautiful, but it helped connect my at-times, wandering thoughts, and weaved them into silent words of worship and adoration back to God.
Throughout this multisensory worship service there were times we stood, knelt, sat, spoke, reflected, sang, laughed, listened, prayed, and even laid hands on each other as we prayed for a young teenager in the middle of the pews. I was inspired to witness a congregation that was invited to fully participate in the entirety of the service through singing worship hymns with one voice, joining in on congregation readings from The Book of Common Prayer, offering prayers for the sick among them, prayers of repentance, prayers for the leaders of government offices, and prayers for our broken world.
What Do You Do When God Allows Intrusions into Your Life?
I was humbled to see that in this tribe the pastor (Dean Rich Demarest) does not stand and speak in the center of the church. Rather, he stands off to the side so as not to become the focal point for the congregation (the communion table is the centerpiece). His sermon was “Holy Intrusions: what do we do when God shows up in your life unannounced?” Dean Demarest challenged us to reflect upon being present in the moment or the “eternal now” and to be courageous and respond to the Spirit’s voice when he whispers into our lives and interrupts our schedules like the angel Gabriel did to Mary two millenniums ago. We all, like Mary, are “God bearers” in our own culture and context. We are all “carriers of Jesus” to a needy and broken world. The Father sent the Son. The Son sent the Spirit. And the Father, Son, and Spirit send us out into the world. He concluded his message by asking us, “How will you give yourself away this day?” It was a wonderful message and I felt the Spirit of God encouraging and challenging me in the midst of this community.
New Eyes For The Eternal Now
This week I’m going to be more aware of those moments when intrusions come my way and enter announced into my predetermined schedule. I want to be focused in the “eternal now” in a way that honors God and helps bring Jesus front and center to others. A special thank you to this wonderful Christ-centered community at St. Michael’s. I enjoyed being among you and participating with you today. I left full from the lavish communal banquet you provided. I’m ready to give my life away in worship and service once again. How about you? Ready to engage a new into the “eternal now?”
Sojourner. Seeker. Christ-follower. Faith Explorer.
