November Update
What I’m learning
“I think it’s more important that we become certain types of people than that we figure out how to construct perfect programs.”
That is how I responded when Sadie asked about my takeaway from the 2022 Mosaix multi-ethnic church conference. Last week the Refuge staff (and one board member!) drove 10 hours from Albuquerque to Dallas so we could zip through hours of Ted Talk style teachings before driving back to get ready for Sunday.
Mosaix is doing important work: cultivating conversation around culture, race, and ethnicity in the church in an effort to move the needle on “11AM on Sunday [being] the most segregated hour in American life.”
My natural reaction to this type of conference is to ask: What do we need to change? How can we do more? How do we create services, events, groups, programs, etc. that make things better?
In this case, however, my response has been different. During this season God is bringing other voices into conversation through what I’ve been reading. In my imagination, Dallas Willard and Steve Macchia and James Wilhoit are at the table with Mark DeYmaz and John Perkins.
And so sitting at coffee with Sadie, I reflect: Perhaps our discipleship and formation toward becoming people of love in the image of Jesus can take us farther in “kingdom progress” than focusing energy on the how-to’s of programs and events and models.
When it comes to our church programs, we should never stop learning, iterating, researching and developing. But that work cannot replace or be emphasized over our own character and heart formation.
If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love…
-1 Corinthians 13:2
Prayer Request
In January I have the opportunity to travel to Hamilton to “kick off” seminary with a live, week-long class! In an effort to keep costs low, I am trying to find a student, staff member, or family in the area that I can stay with during the week of January 14 - 21.
Please pray for the right connections to be made and for God to provide a host home for this week.
Financial Update
God has generously provided through you, the Seminary Support Circle, and Gordon Conwell’s Partnership Program scholarship to cover seminary tuition.
I am currently raising funds for projected one-time expenses for the January intensive term and the Spring semester. The campaign goal is $2,040 and covers fees, books, and travel costs for the January intensive class.
Gordon Conwell’s Hamilton Campus in the winter time, not my photo.
Book Club
Details for Round 1 of the Book Club are coming together! In preparation for the January-intensive class, Spiritual Formation for Ministry, I have been reading some excellent material.
I’ve narrowed the selection down to two titles:
Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation to the Well-Ordered Way by Stephen A. Macchia
Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God by Dallas Willard
We will kick off reading December 1st and meet online on January 8, 3-4:30pm MT. If you are available and interested, click the button below to cast your vote!
If you are unable to make the January 8th discussion, you can still participate. I’ll be working to figure out some way for people to participate live and on demand.
