I grew up overseas, moving from place to place. I learned early on one of the worst skills you can learn growing up: how to leave easily.
I became an expert at not investing in places, in people, in life – which is weird because I’m probably one of the greatest listeners I know (I seem to brag about myself a lot on here), but in the end, it’s more of a defense mechanism. Investing usually involves giving of yourself, and though most Americans value time given, I value deep relational sharing … something I rarely give.
For, as world travelers, we kids learn one thing over all else. We don’t have time. We don’t have time to navigate the slow friendship circles of intimacy. That feeling of little time never goes away.
I’m finding my bride and I approaching our next stage of training. We left Vanuatu ready to embark on an adventure of finding a church family. We thought that it would involve much physical travel. Instead, we find ourselves here for two more years. I’m starting to believe that God’s plan for us is emotional, social, and spiritual traveling. That sounds much more frighteningly challenging
We only have two years to find a church family. That should be pretty easy, especially given that we live in a certain Oklahoma City right?
But, here’s our criteria.
1) We must love each other with no regard to our different beliefs in doctrine (John 17:22-23, John 13:34-35).
2) Everyone must agree that the Spirit of God is in our midst: not technically because more than two of us are gathered but because we can all feel His presence (Acts 2:17-18, 1 Cor 12:3, 1 Cor 12:7-14).
3) We must be actively reconciling others to life in Christ (Matt 10:7-8, John 20:31, 2 Cor 5:14-15).
4) God must do miracles in our midst … not semi-miracles (Life is a miracle; birth is a miracle; surviving cancer is a miracle; being given exactly the money you need at exactly the moment you need it is a miracle) but hard-core, mountain-moving, lame-walking miracles (John 14:12-14, Matt 17:20).
5) We must take part in God’s bringing one another’s kingdom dreams to life: kingdom dreams being those pipe dreams that God gives us but we’re afraid to talk about because they’re unrealistic or impractical (John 16:24, Acts 4:29-31, Eph 4:11-13, Phil 1:12-21).
6) We must prophesy God’s love, grace, words over one another in ways that come true (1 Cor 14:24-25, Acts 21:10-14).
7) We must support each other spiritually, physically, financially, sharing everything in common (Acts 2:44-45, Acts 4:32-34, 2 Thess 3:7-10).
8) All of these must be our norm, our church, our assembly, our life together.
Sound impossible?
Haha, it is! Church … God … Christ … the Holy Ghost … Christianity leaves the realm of possibility. That’s normal.
Even crazier? We’re not looking for some special commune or secret group of Christians no one knows about. We’re looking among you. We’re looking here in this city of Oklahoma. We’re looking for Christians here willing to go on this journey of finding church together.
Reading this … it feels impossible, unrealistic. People aren’t ready for this. There’s not enough time. No one could be this vulnerable. Church and life don’t work that way.
But, God had us stay for a reason. I want to find them.
missionaryzintraining 