What Matters More?

Those of you who frequent this blog know that I am a fan of singer/songwriter Derek Webb. On his latest album there is a song called “What Matters More”, and it is INCREDIBLE. Take a few minutes to watch the video while reading the lyrics. Some of you may feel that Derek has a wonderful way of putting words to feelings you have had…

What Matters More – by Derek Webb

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
‘Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

‘Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn’t be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn’t silently consent when the liars speak
Denyin’ all the dyin’ of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what’s in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it’s about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin’ the wind while the pendulum swings

‘Cause we can talk and debate until we’re blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he’s comin’ to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don’t give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin’ today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

“Injustice Lens”

This is a poem written by a student church planter at UCLA. It’s about Injustice, Christmas, consumerism, etc. I know this is probably a discussion you have already had this Christmas season, and have most likely come to your own conclusions. (appropriate for your own situations, etc.) My reason for posting this is not to convince you that giving/receiving presents is bad or wrong. All I am doing is passing along a well-written perspective that we, as believers in America, must keep in mind throughout the entire year.

“Injustice Lens” – by Myles Hamby

Righteous anger is running through my vein,
Gonna tell you a story ’bout the pain,
That other people go through in their life,
World stands ignorant, neglecting their strife.

Ugandan Rebels took kids from their bed,
Now forced to fight or they’re shot in the head,
Forced to kill their mom and also their dad,
While we’re here searching for the latest fad.

Cambodian girl was raped, ’til she blead,
Brothel owner could care less, if she’s dead,
Pimp video-taped, to sell it online,
World downloads it, pretends ev’rything’s fine.

Chinese child slave, bought ’cause he was cheap,
Working long hours, little or no sleep,
Sews a shirt wrong, beaten for the mistake,
You wear the fixed shirt, while his poor hands ache.

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

Never thought this through, though facts I did know,
Heard ’bout poverty, but went with the flow,
Only filled my mind, when shown on the news,
Didn’t affect me, that was my excuse.

But in recent years, I went through a shift,
Some say it’s a curse, but I say a gift,
Thought ’bout it more, stories stuck in my head,
Think ’bout injustice, while lying in bed.

I look at young boys, playing with their cars,
Instantly start to think, about the scars,
On body and heart, of a child soldier,
Once innocent minded, as these boys are.

When people waste money, on what they don’t need,
I think about the mouths, that they could feed,
The rich get more rich, the poor get more poor,
Yet we stand in line, wastin’ at the store.

In department stores, most just see a dress,
But I see a girl, whose life’s in distress,
Look at the tag, not made in the U.S.,
‘Cause kids are exploited, for the sake of progress.

Humans trafficked, for the sake of profit,
This is the planet’s, third largest market,
Twenty seven million slaves today,
More than the slave trade, back in the day.

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

When you see injustice, throughout your day,
You’re lookin’ through a lens, seein’ a new way,
This injustice lens, is removable,
Some wear it more, if their minds are able.

I wore this lens so much, absorbed into my eye,
Became a part of me ’til the day that I die,
This lens and my eye are now one in the same,
So ingrained in my life, it’s part of my name.

Look into my eyes, through this lens you’ll see,
Not just a world clothed in poverty,
But you’ll see my eyes, attached to my heart,
‘Cause to show them love, from the heart I must start.

To be moved to action, from within it must come,
For too many people, their heart’s become numb,
Awaken your heart, allow love to stir you,
To help the world, and expose what is true.

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

This is how my heart’s wired, I’m fine with that,
‘Cause this is the truth, don’t want to turn back,
But knowledge without action has no gain,
Listen to me now, don’t let me rhyme in vain.

My first request: put yourself in their shoes,
Imagine being raped, used and abused,
Or a slave workin’ for a dime a day
Or a child soldier, killed dad today.

Second request: give love, money and time,
‘Cause more are dying as I write this rhyme,
We can’t sit silent, no more nonchalance,
I’m making the call, what is your response?

Learn to live in this reality.
Against injustice make a loud decree.
Give love and money so abundantly.
And finally set all these people free.

And finally set all these people free.
God, please set all these people free.

-Myles Hamby-

(thanks buddy)

Las Vegas iPhoto Library…

After looking back through my iPhoto library I couldn’t help but throw together a little slide show of pics from our two year journey in Las Vegas. To those of you who came to our going away party this past Friday, thanks!

more about “Going Away Party… on Vimeo“, posted with vodpod

What Are We Aiming For…?

“We must stop being so worried about the “sustainability” of churches, and focus on the quality of the disciple due to their time in that community…”

A few days ago I mentioned I was going to continue with what I felt was one of the most important lessons we learned during our time in Las Vegas. To get caught up, Click Here to read the previous post…the following is among many of the things we have learned in the past two years, but something I have been thinking a lot about lately. It will shape & mold how we do things from here on out, and have a tremendous impact on how we will pursue “things” once we arrive in Austin…

Overall, I have determined that Christ is TRULY concerned with the individual Disciples who make up His body (the Church). He is concerned with the growth of those “parts”, knowing that if they are healthy then the body as a whole will be healthy. Many of us fall into the trap of caring/worrying/pursuing more about the “sustainability” of the new “church” or “community” that the health of the individual disciple can be overlooked. The fact is if the disciple is not healthy the church is not healthy. The truth is while most simple/organic churches will not (in many cases SHOULD NOT) be in existence for more than a couple of years, the quality of the disciple will live on forever no matter where they are geographically. (This has been our experience thus far)

As many of you know, at Intentional Gatherings we do like to see new faith communities birthed as a result of discipleship. However, we must constantly fight, and remind ourselves that these new faith communities are a means to an end; they are not an end in themselves. The hope is that they would produce and foster healthy, mature, and reproducible disciples. As disciples are reproduced the Body of Christ (Church) grows and is made more pure for His return. This is a beautiful thing.

I know what some of you are SCREAMING right now: “Aaron, are you saying you aren’t concerned with the actual church that is made up of those individual disciples, and are you saying Christ is not concerned with each individual church!?” I am saying that I feel Christ is extremely concerned with each individual disciple, and their obedience to whatever particular community of faith they are a part of for that time in their lives. We must remember that while there are individuals inside of different communities of faith there are also communities of faith that make up THE CHURCH. We must start with the health of the disciple. From there we will ALWAYS get a healthy community of faith (Healthy does not always mean it will “live” forever=), and thus a healthy body as a whole. If we skip the disciple and try to have a “proper” or “sustainable” faith community then we “chop the legs” out from under the Body as a Whole.

I’d rather have a church of 10-15 made up of extremely healthy kingdom-minded Jesus followers that lasts for 2-3 years than one of ANY number that lasts for decades. You see, I know that wherever those 10-15 go throughout the  rest of their lives they will continue to be that disciple, or potentially start a new church of their own.

“We must stop being so worried about the “sustainability” of churches, and focus on the quality of the disciple due to their time in that community.”

May we all begin, and continue to focus on the disciple more than we do the “entity” (whether big, small, mega, or house) in which we call, “church”. As we pursue individuals gaining a deeper understanding of the Gospel, and fall more in love with their Savior, Jesus, may HE do the rest…”build HIS Church”.

“Goodbye Las Vegas, Hello Austin”

Most of you already know that we will be moving to Austin, Tx. in the next few weeks to extend the work of Intentional Gatherings in a new city. Leaving Las Vegas will be such a bittersweet experience for us – just as it was when we left Ft. Worth two years ago. We left our physical & spiritual families behind shortly after getting married to move across the country. It was quite the adventure. While God has wired, and called us to go to new cities every couple of years to start new communities of faith & see new disciples made it is still difficult to leave behind the close relationships that are built in each city. We are sad to part ways with so many close friends, but extremely excited to step out in obedience by “starting over” in a new city…

Many people look at us cross-eyed when we explain how God has called us to move to new places to start new works every few years. It is not the norm for Christians in America to pack up and leave behind friends and family regularly & voluntarily. We appreciate all of you who have loved and supported us throughout the difficult transitions. We could not do this without you. It is taxing to build Spiritual family for two years, and then leave that family to go start a new one. We just have to trust that Christ is building His Church & doing His thing, simply desiring our obedience. It is encouraging to know that we will have Spiritual Family spread out all over the country down the road…

To our spiritual family within the “university crest church” community: we love you guys so much. God has taught us a lot through doing life with you guys over the past two years. I pray that each of you have been sharpened & discipled to a deeper love and understanding of the kingdom, and your role in it. May each of you go on to make more disciples in Jesus’ name wherever life takes you. Do know that just because we are moving does not mean we are exiting each others lives.

To our spiritual family within the “hudgin’s, robbin’s, & snow’s church” community: I have never experienced anything quite like what we have walked through over the past 6 months with you guys…it was like “organic/simple church” on speed. We all sensed God pushing us to pursue Him & one another. We knew we only had 6 months to do it. There was no time to waste. God did some miraculous things in the past half a year as we walked in obedience together. He worked sin out of our lives, healed brokenness in our marriages, taught us patience & grace, and most importantly that pursuing Biblical community with other believers is and is supposed to be “simple” – not easy – but simple. While I wish we had pursued this much earlier on in our two years of knowing you guys I feel the timing of everything has been perfect, and God ordained; He knew what He was doing. My prayer for each of you is that you will pursue the types of relationships we have experienced with one another over the past 6 months for the rest of your lives, wherever you go. I know we will.

(From left: The Hudgin’s, The Snow’s, The Robbin’s)

I will continue in a couple of days with what I feel is one of the most important lessons we’ve learned as an organization during our time in Las Vegas…

Simple Obedience.

God has been teaching us SO much over the past couple years. One of the main things has been what He truly desires of us as followers of Him…simple obedience. Our hope is that the realization of His “free” grace would fuel that obedience, and not performance/obedience in order to earn grace. In the midst of that we have discovered our tendency to do the “flashy” things that draw attention, & make the headlines in an attempt to “satisfy man’s expectations”…

I was VERY encouraged this morning when I read a blog that our friend Chelsea posted. We’ve known Chelsea, & her husband Dustin for two years now. About 5 months ago, along with the Hudgin’s, we decided to take our relationships to a new level. We embarked on a journey to “be the church” together in a very raw, deep, and relational way. We started a new church together. It was simple obedience. It wasn’t flashy, forced, or energy draining. It was life giving. It’s what we know God desired of us. The key however, was that we had to remove the clutter we had put on our “plates” attempting to “please God”, “be a good Christian”, or seek to satisfy man’s expectations, and press into that simple obedience. I’ll stop now, and let you read Chelsea’s beautiful words describing all of our family’s journey together…

CLICK HERE TO READ CHELSEA’S BLOG.

(The first bit is about our dinner outing this past weekend as we celebrated our adventure together over the past 6 months, and enjoyed one another one last time before the move(s).

“Advent Conspiracy…”

Take 2 mins & 39 seconds to watch this video about Christians, Christmas, Worship, & Saving Lives…then, do what it says…encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same…please?

Erik Fish: “Sharing Your Story”

Student CPx: Concentrate in Las Vegas 2009

more about “Erik Fish – Sharing Your Testimony on…“, posted with vodpod

“On Becoming Homeless…”

A couple friends of mine, who’s names I will not mention until a later date, are writing a book together. One of them asked me to do a short write-up about our (Intentional Gatherings) time with the homeless on the streets of Ft. Worth for them to publish in the book. It was so reminiscent to think back two years ago and write out our story. Hope you enjoy…

On Becoming Homeless…

For a group of white, middle-class, suburban kids the journey we were about to embark on would prove to be quite shaping. We had been exploring what life as a follower of Christ should look like based upon what we found in scripture. It was not long after that we “broke it off” with our beloved pew, and said “goodbye” to the church as a building. While we stayed closely connected to the Body of Christ as a people we refused to allow that to hinder us from intentionally spending more time with non-Jesus followers than we did followers. From Starbucks and other “third spaces” to our neighborhoods, schools, and jobs we began exploring a life on mission outside the context of the bubble we had so unknowingly been seduced into previously.

As we devoured the scriptures communally it was not long before we noticed a theme throughout Jesus’ ministry of service to the poor and needy; not to mention His commands to us, as His Body, to take care of them. At this time in our lives ministry to the homeless was not the “hip-&-cool fad” it has become today. As we began seeking ways to live out these Gospel principles found in scripture we learned about what we would soon label the “modern-day leper colony”. About 20 minutes from our comfortable suburban homes, tucked quietly under the intersection of several major highways near the downtown area, we found what would soon become a place our souls longed to be. The majority of Ft. Worth’s homeless population called this area just off East Lancaster Boulevard “home”. For the most part they went unnoticed, and were ignored by society. Those who knew they existed steered clear of the area, or pointed down from the overpass as they attempted to teach their kids a lesson about “responsibility”.

We began taking regular trips to the streets in pursuit of being obedient to what we felt God was instructing us to do. We became students of those who had “worked” there for many years, as well as the homeless individuals we sought to “serve”. We learned very quickly how ignorant we were to the real needs of these people based upon the real reasons they were there in the first place. It did not take long to realize the abundance of tangible resources available to the homeless on East Lancaster. From churches to various non-profit, and government organizations the basic needs of the people on the street were met with excess. They did not need our Wendy’s dollar menu burgers, or our hand-me-down fashion from the closet.

A man named Michael Hatcher became our close friend and mentor. Michael had been “ministering” among these people for years, and taught us everything we know about working among the homeless in Ft. Worth. He and his family had moved into the “hood” several years before, and were dedicated to seeing lives transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus. Michael was known on the streets as “The Rev”. He was someone the people trusted, respected, and would give their lives for. Michael walked the streets during the week ministering to these people. He helped them get their ID’s, jobs, bus passes, but most importantly he gave them himself as a friend. We naturally followed in the footsteps of our mentor. We made a commitment early on: while countless others brought material goods to hand out to the people of the streets we vowed only to bring ourselves; a “hand-up” not a “hand-out” if you will. While others handed out food and clothes we sat on the curb to listen. Conversations led to prayer, topped with hugs, and a side of comfort knowing they had made a new friend. You must understand that many of these people had not engaged in conversation with another human being in years.

Things were going well, and we were seeing fruit from our labor. However, there was still something missing. While we had close relationships with our new friends on the street they knew we came from our comfy suburban homes, and would return there after our short time with them on the streets. We could not truly relate to them. Around that time several twenty-something’s from our newly formed “organic” church community felt a strange pull to move in, and “set up shop” among our new friends from the streets. We all began praying that God would provide a house for communal living among the poor…

By the grace of God our little crew of 15 broke college-aged kids began to make quite the impact on East Lancaster. We had organized the annual “Art-n-the Park” celebration, birthed the “Unity in the Community Network” of organizations who served among the homeless in Ft. Worth, and had the attention of many in the city. We still felt we had so much to learn. After all, we were in this for our new friends on the streets, and God’s ultimate glorification, not our own narcissism. Michael Hatcher decided that we needed to know what “life on the streets” was really like. He and his wife put together “Ghetto 101”, and about 10 of us agreed to a weekend we would never forget; a weekend our parents would not be happy to hear about…

We knew that we had to “be in their shoes” to really know how to best serve them. We had no idea what it meant to sleep on cold cement without a wallet full of plastic, or a cell phone to call mommy and daddy when things got rough. Our weekend began with turning in everything we had come with, a cold shower in the Day Resource Center, and a hopeless search through a box of clothes that would be our only possessions for the next two days. For those two days we were on our own in this place we had deemed the “leper colony”. Luckily, we had made many friends who “showed us the ropes” and “had our backs” if things got weird. We ate what they ate, walked where they walked, begged where they begged, slept where they slept, collected cans for money, and endured life disconnected from the rest of the world. The weekend was incredible. We learned a lot, gained the respect of our homeless friends (Who now saw that we were “for real”), and scared the mess out of our parents.

After eight months of praying God decided it was time. We found two duplex’s on the same property. Two of the four units were for rent, and they were cheap. By this point our organization, Intentional Gatherings, had gained its non-profit status, and donations were coming in from people who believed in the vision of the “I.G. House”. We moved two guys into one unit and four girls into the other. It was then that we truly began to learn the in’s and out’s of homelessness, and how to attack the problem at the root. We were in a neighborhood about a mile from the “leper colony”, which was full of the “working poor”. (Those who are not-yet-homeless, but hanging on by a thread) The primary focus shifted from the already homeless to the almost homeless; the work among the already homeless continued, and the relationships that had been made were fostered. The “I.G. House” crew grew close as they lived in tight-knit Gospel centered community, and sought to make a difference in the neighborhood in which they resided. As the crew grew they eventually took over three of the four units on the property. From weekend kickball tournaments to front porch after-school tutoring & Saturday morning breakfast in the yard this group of immigrants was serving Jesus in a way previously foreign to us all.

We had finally learned that in order to make a true impact among a people we had to “incarnate” ourselves among them. We had to put ourselves in their shoes, eat what they ate, sleep where they slept, and live life in their context. It was then that we truly gained a door into their lives. We refused to simply come from the outside bringing in the “answer” to life. We brought our lives to the inside of their lives, shared life, and discovered what the “answer” was with them. Thank you Jesus for “incarnating” yourself among us, sharing in our lives, and teaching us of yourself, the answer.

Intentional Gatherings Website

I thought I’d take a second to shamelessly plug our organization on the ol’ blog today. Many of you know what we do, so I won’t go into too much detail. Instead, I want to direct you to our website. There you will find TONS of great info. From what Intentional Gatherings is all about, to wonderful resources on how to make disciples & start your own faith community the site has become a blessing to many. We even have the ability to process tax-deductible donations online now! So, if you believe in what we do as an organization, and would like to make a tax-deductible donation head over and show us some love. =)

As you navigate around the site I encourage you to check out the various videos from our Student CPx’s, video teachings, outreach projects, Baptisms, and so much more. There is also a file sharing box where you can download various articles, workbooks, and other resources for simple church planting.

It’s been a wonderful journey over the past three years watching this organization grow and morph into what it is today. We can only hope and pray that it continues to change as we learn, and are sharpened by the Holy Spirit. I want to thank you all for  your love and support as we have ventured out into a story that only God Himself could have written…

It was around this time three years ago that the first group of us (Shout out to the Duckett’s) got together to start dreaming about what life as a follower of Christ could look like. It was then that I.G. was “accidentally born”. Here’s to another three years!