How Little we Know

How little we know the Holy Spirit. We know much about Him, but how little we know of walking daily in His power and presence. We understand His deity, we can catalog His works and we can site the many promises of His coming, yet for all of our study and striving, the reality of fellowship with the Holy Spirit remains for many illusive. For many God is in His heaven and we just plod along as best we can on earth. Yet the promise of the Master remains. "I will never leave you or forsake you". "I will give you another Comforter and He will remain with you forever".
My intention in this study is not to simply gather more facts about the Holy Spirit, but to deepen my communion with Him. Jesus has promised to provide this comforter and Paul spoke of the "fellowship of the Spirit". What adventure awaits those who explore the depths of fellowship with the Spirit. What would He say to us? What mysteries would He reveal? What sin expose? With humble trust in the graciousness of Christ, let us seek to walk in daily, intimate communion with the Spirit of the Living God. Lead on dear Jesus. Lead on.

Inspired by "The Spirit of Christ" by Andrew Murray

We gather as the church to follow the leading of the Spirit.

If Christ is the head of the church then should he not be present at each meeting? In many churches the service is more like a funeral memorial than a visit with Christ. Many believers today have an image of Jesus as being somehow disconnected from His church, as though he was too far away to meet with us. Did not Jesus say that where two or three are gathered in his name he would be there? I hear that verse quoted a lot but I wonder how many take it to heart. By the working of the Spirit we have the real presence of Jesus with us.
Oh Lord, that we may follow as sheep, the great shepherd of our souls.

House Church Central - Grandaddy of all HC sites.

If your looking for a House Church this site has an old and venerable directory. Definitely worth checking out. House Church Central

About Gatherings

We gather as the church as often as we feel the need. This may seem a bit presumptuous to some but consider what the Master said in regard to keeping the Sabbath day, "The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath." This must have blown the religious people of his day away! It would seem that Jesus wanted his people to not become subservient to a day. If the Jewish people under the law were not servants to the Sabbath, then why should we, children of grace, be servant to a standing meeting?

Rick Thompson visit

We are planning on having Rick Thompson visit with us this Sunday. He is one of those traveling folks who go around encouraging house churches. We met him at a conference in MA and asked him to come by for a visit.
You can check out his blog at: http://inthefootstepsoftychicus.blogspot.com/
He has worked with his own hands and has a good reputation among other churches.

Planting churches or making disciples?

An interesting article on the concept of discipleship. I found it to be challenging. I'm still looking for the verse that tells us to plant churches.

Discipling Viral Disciplers

I Used to Think

You Are

Before the sun's rays ever kissed the earth,
You were.

After the stars have lost their light,
You shall be.

No matter the darkness that surrounds us now,
You are.

Before life first sparked in me,
You were.

After the light has left my eyes,
You shall be.

No matter the darkness that surrounds me now,
You are.

Home Church Help

Added a new link.
Home Church Help / New Testament Church Life
I really liked the bullet points on the front page. It sums up my own experience quite nicely.

1. Home church is Biblical.

2. The essence of Christianity is easily accomplished in simple and uncomplicated settings.

3. Group participation with all people functioning should be the primary dynamic of any church meeting (1 Cor. Chapter 14), This is the backbone of the home church setting.

4. Connecting with others and developing meaningful relationships is easily accomplished in a home church atmosphere.

5. "Being the church" and sharing life together in community with others, instead of just attending a meeting, is the desire and purpose of most people who home church.

And now a little free form something.....

The Tug

Sit at my desk,
stare at the screen.
Punch the keys,
write the code,
think in ASCII.
Answer the phone,
lose track of time.

Then the Tug,
the pulling,
the knowing.
It sweeps over my soul,
bathing me in it's warm sweetness.
For a moment,
I'm not here.
Kneel at his throne,
gaze at my Lord.
Pray my heart,
give up my thoughts,
think Kingdom.
Answer the call,
lose myself in Him,
follow the tug.

Religion vs Relationship

Here are some thoughts culled from recent meetings together around the subject of religion and relationships.

• Religion is me trying to build something to reach God. Relationship is God pulling me into fellowship with himself.
• Religion uses hype, PR and strategic marketing to grow in numbers. Relationship uses humility, truth and divine wisdom to grow in love.
  
• Religion is obsessed with what people see on the outside. Relationship is passionate about what goes on in the heart.
• Religion demands obedience. Relationship draws me with love.
• Religion seeks to own and control people. Relationship seeks to love and set people free.
• Religion uses guilt to manipulate others. Relationship extends grace to build-up others.
• Religion loves to track numbers. Relationship values quality over quantity.
• Religion is very concerned about being right. Relationship is very concerned about you.
• Religion lectures. Relationship listens.
• Religion attempts to speak for God. Relationship let's God speak for himself.
• Religion teaches us to pray to God. Relationship teaches us to talk with God.
• Religion is centered on man's work for God. Relationship is centered on God's work in us.
  
• Religion is boring, overbearing, formal and stuffy. Relationship is intense, humbling, casual and messy.
  

Thanks to all the saints I meet with for these thoughts and insights.
What would you put in your list of Religion vs Relationship?

A Tale of Two Settings

The church meets here.

Here I sit down and listen.
I'm a face in the crowd.
I pay my tithe here.
I get a cracker and juice once a month.
My children are taught by trained staff.
There are programs for everything.
The service will last about an hour.
The stained glass is lovely.
The pastor will shake my hand.


The church meets here.

Here I interact with others.
Everyone knows my name.
I give when there is a need.
The food is awesome!
My children learn by watching me.
Program? What's that?
We will be done when we are done.
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree
My brother will stir my heart.