The connections between the empire Jesus spoke out against and the empire we live under is uncanny.

Amongst the similarities is the requirement to comply with the empire in order to survive, even if it goes against what is good and right. In addition, the cluttered spiritual landscape where gods, philosophies and religions seem to all meld together rendering Christianity just another member of the pack, whose claims appear to be less than unique.

With this assessment, fresh insight is gained from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5:

"1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

So perhaps, in the midst of the mess we find ourselves in, our job isn't to proselytize, but with announcement and demonstration of the Spirit's power to establish kingdom outposts that become the catalysts for redemption.

God's kingdom is about now. It's about subverting the empire and dismantling it one piece at a time. Paul gives this superb example in Galatians 3:26-29:

"26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Empire depends on hierarchal systems that rank people and ensure that those on top stay on top, while those on the bottom stay on the bottom. Paul pull's the plug on this evil here by saying that in God's kingdom, everyone is equal. So if everyone is indeed equal, where does that leave the empire? Dismantled.

Thus, to live in and advance the kingdom, everything about us is overhauled: worldview; politics; social habits; relationships - it's all connected! And as we face into our empire, we carry the responsibility to call out evil for what it is, and live, move and operate by a different set of ideals...kingdom ideals.

"Trying to understand Jesus' speech and action without knowing how Roman imperialism determined the condition of life in Galilee and Jerusalem would be like trying to understand martin Luther King without knowing how slavery, reconstruction, and segregation determined the lives of African Americans in the US..." (Richard Horsely)

"...[kingdom] is not about someplace else called heaven, nor about somebody at the distance called God. Rather, it is about this place here , in al its this-ness and placiness, and about the intimate and immediate Holy One who, at no distance from us at all, moves mysteriously to make creation true both to itself and to him. That, I take it, is the force of phrases like ‘the city of God' and the ‘kingdom of God'. They say to me that the Bible is concerned with the perfecting of what God made, not with the trashing and the replacement of them by something alien. To be sure, city and kingdom are different images, with differing lights to shed on the mystery, but because they are both such marvelously earthly revelations of what God wants this world to become..." (Robert Capon)

"God's kingdom or rule is the range of his effective will, where what he wants done is done. The person of God himself and the action of his will are the organizing principles of his kingdom, but everything that obeys those principles whether by nature or by choice, is within his kingdom."
(Dallas Willard)

"The biblical doctrine of God's wrath is rooted in the doctrine of God as the good, wise and loving creator, who hates - yes, hates, and hates implacably - anything that spoils, defaces, distorts or damages his beautiful creation, and in particular anything that does that to his image-bearing creatures. If God does not hate racial prejudice, he is neither good nor loving. If God is not wrathful at child abuse, he is neither good nor loving. If God is not utterly determined to root out from his creation, in an act of proper wrath and judgment, the arrogance that allows people to exploit, bomb, bully and enslave one another, he is neither loving, nor good, nor wise."
(N.T. Wright)

"If we take our doctrines into our hearts where they belong, they can cause upheavals of emotion and sleepless nights." (John Piper)

"Jesus wants to save us from making the good news about another world and not this one. Jesus wants to save us from preaching a Gospel that is only about individuals and not about the systems that enslave them. Jesus wants to save us from shrinking the Gospel down to a transaction about the removal of sin and not about every single particle of creation being reconciled to its maker. Jesus wants to save us from religiously sanctioned despair, the kind that doesn't believe the world can be made better, the kind that either blatantly or subtly teaches people to just be quiet and behave and wait for something big to happen 'someday'."
(Rob Bell)

 

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For the months of July and August, we'll be moving our Sunday gathering times to 10:10am. If we like it, we may keep to it in the Fall...we'll see.

Sometimes Jesus' call to the church seems like one big set-up: "...the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few...you're like lambs amongst wolves...don't bring anything along the way that you think might help you, and don't even say ‘hi' to anyone..." (Luke 10:1-4)

That's not much of a sales pitch.

But perhaps the movement of the church is more about positioning us to depend on God rather than depending on ourselves. Maybe her rhythm lends more to journeying with people than conquering or inoculating them. And what if, both spontaneously and strategically, we were able to truly be aware of our surroundings so much so that responding to the needs around us would become our natural reflex?

Welcome to the Big Dance. To be the church, there is no pressure to convince people, but rather to invite them onto the floor. But there's one caveat we need to be aware of: This dance will cost us everything. It's a risk on so many levels (money, resources, time, life) with the only guarantee being that Jesus said to do it, and that he'd send the Spirit to help and empower.

So...you in?

"When we reflect on the history of the Church, are we not bound to confess that she has failed to follow the example of her Founder? All too often she has worn the robes of the ruler, not the apron of the servant."
(Michael Green)

"The church was created to be the people of God to join him in his redemptive mission in the world. The church was never intended to exist for itself. It was and is the chosen instrument of God to expand his kingdom. The church is the bride of Christ. Its union with him is designed for reproduction, the growth of the kingdom. Jesus did not teach his disciples to pray, "Thy church come." The kingdom is the destination."
(Reggie McNeal)

"The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far a man logically analyzes his reasons for believing, but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief."
(T.S. Elliot)

"Whether the community is gathered or scattered, the mandate to be Christ's witnesses defines every dimension of the community's life. This is what is meant by incarnational witness: demonstrating concretely the reality of God's love in the ways the community functions. The relationships among the members of the community are intended to incarnate the powerful and transforming love of the gospel. The compassion with which the community cares for its own as well as for its neighbours incarnates the gospel. The dependence of God's forgiveness is incarnated in the way that the community forgives, practices tolerance, bears one another's burdens."
(Darrel Guder)

"The will of God now becomes, not the orders of a superior directing what a subordinate must do, but the longing of a lover for what the beloved is. It is a desire, not for a performance, but for a person; a wish, not that the beloved will be obedient, but that she will be herself - the self that is already loved to distraction. The will of God, seen this way is not in order to something, but because of someone."
(Robert Capon)

"Church in post-Christendom therefore is nothing less than a chosen way of life. It is choosing a way of being together. This way of being together encompasses how we worship, how we share and eat food, how we pool together resources to help the poor, how we get together and hear Scriptures read and teach our children how to listen for God in that. Forgiveness, patience, care, speaking truth in love, is part of this way of being together. In this way of living, career and making money is more about taking care of one another and giving glory to God than personal aspiration. And God inhabits this way of being so that miracles, blessings, sustaining times in life and death become a part of everyday life. Mission becomes our rhythm. (David Fitch)

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The responsibility of the church is both local and global. As told through Charity, Shane, Rachel and Nathan here's a quick pictorial overview of African Redemption stories as told through Charity, Shane, Rachel and Nathan. Here is the link to their blog while they were gone complete with stories and pictures, warning there is a lot there, don't try to read it all in one sitting.

We live in the crossfire of competing voices, some telling us how to live, what we need to be us and still others questioning whether we have any true value. Some of these voices are external, it's culture that screams at us from the moment we step out the front door each morning. Other times, the voices we hear are internal, and we often find ourselves powerless in shutting them off.

But what if there was another voice? A voice that deliberately calls out softer than all the rest? A voice that calls us to be who we've been created to be? A voice that calls us to healing, redemption and purpose? This voice, is the voice of the church. As Christ speaks thru her, we hear the call to get up and follow. And in turn, as we come together as the church, with our voices in unison, part of our mandate is to speak into the darkest corners of our culture, calling all - even the least likely as Jesus called Levi in Mark 2 - to get up and follow.

For the love of Sarnia, for the sake of the Levi's and for the protection of our own souls, may we follow Jesus wherever and to whomever he leads, calling all to get up and follow.

"'It isn't the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick.' What sort to things might the church be doing if we needed to explain them with an aphorism like that? If we aren't doing anything that needs that sort of explanation, then we need to ask ourselves whether we are in fact presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to today's world. We must be ready to challenge society in Jesus' name. Jesus himself, after all, challenged his own society by overturning its expectations, and celebrating the kingdom of God with, as it seemed, all the wrong people." (NT Wright)

"Dreams, by definition, are supposed to be unique and imaginative. Yet the bulk of the population is dreaming the same dream. It's a dream of wealth, power, fame, plenty of sex and exciting recreational opportunities. What does it mean when a whole culture dreams the same dreams?" (Kalle Lasn)

"I go to Bloomingdales, to the fourth floor, and I buy 2000 of the black bras, 2000 of the beige, 2000 of the white. And I ship them around between the homes and the boat and that's the end of it for maybe half a year when I have to do it all over again." (Ivana Trump)

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What moves us? What images cause us to look outside and maneuver beyond our own self interest? And as the church, what images do we embody and transmit to the world around us? Last Sunday, we chatted about 3 images in particular that we are ‘delivering intact to both our current and to succeeding generations' with which to pursue the Mystery. They were/are: The Authentic Pursuit (deliberately keeping Christ the center of our individual lives and as a community); The Big Fat Risk (betting it all on the next move for God's glory and the benefit of others); The Irresistible Revolution (the overpowering redemptive force that begins in us and spills over to all those we come into contact with).

theStory is in the image business: Affirming, creating, connecting images to tell the story of Jesus anew.

Are you in?

"The purpose of orthodoxy is not to tell you the whole truth but to deliver intact to every succeeding generation a set of images with which to pursue the truth. Theology, therefore, is a hunt for the Mystery..." (Robert Capon)

"Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing." (Hudson Taylor)

"Churches should strive to create an alternative community, deeply placed in risk, summoned in baptism to a world in which God is a pivotal player." (Walter Brueggemann)

"Wherever you are, whoever you are with, you are called - we are called - to hold on to Christ firmly with one hand and to hold on to those around with the other, in prayer, discussion, generosity, gratitude, teaching or learning, caring or being cared for." (NT Wright)

"God raised Jesus from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence." (Ephesians 1:20-23)

"After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:20-22)

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Lead Team
Phase 2: 2008-2010

As a local expression of the body of Christ, theStory exists to love God, others and to tell His story. Since its inception in 2006 it has functioned under the leadership of a Lead Team of three, but as the community has grown and evolved, a new platform of leadership is now required. Thus, in order to effectively fulfill the mandate of this new phase, a hand picked Lead Team will be selected to guide and govern the community as both elders and deacons.

Roles

Elders
The function of an elder is to keep the church on course, both Biblically and in accordance with its vision and values. Key responsibilities will include:

*Discernment in all matters pertaining to the mission of theStory
*Establishing consensus in terms of church belief/Biblical interpretation
*Addressing people needs and protecting the ecology of the community through prayer, pastoral care and spiritual direction

Deacons
The function of a deacon is to manage the overall operations of the church. Key responsibilities will include oversight and accountability in the following areas:

*Financial: setting and holding to the yearly budget
*Staff: to support, empower and keep accountable
*Building: attending to upkeep and improvements

Phase 2: Stabilize//Cultivate//Forecast

Stabilize
*Focusing on the internal aspects of the church community, the Lead Team will create and implement structures that will aid in creating a healthy, sustainable model

Cultivate
*Focusing on those outside of Biblical community, the Lead Team will help establish the underpinnings of a permeable membrane that will serve both our downtown community and those with whom we are in relationship

Forecast
*Focusing on the future, the Lead Team will aid in charting the course and setting up the necessary framework for Phase 3: 2010-2012

Requirements & Standards

*Exemplary commitment to live out the mission, vision and values of theStory, to invest generously into the community, and to encourage others to do the same
*Comprised of both male and female members, the Lead Team must be committed to the criteria of church leadership as described in, but not limited to, 1 Timothy 3:1-10, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4.
*Accountable to the Lead Team, Lead Pastor and the Free Methodist Church of Canada
*1 year commitment; option of a second consecutive year

 

 

 

 

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Social Justice Pastor

As a local expression of the body of Christ, theStory exists to love God, others and to tell His story. With the understanding that the local church must become an integral part of the fabric of its neighbourhood and intentionally be part of God's redemptive work, the position of the SJP has been created to help cultivate and develop this focus for theStory in downtown Sarnia.

The primary roles of the SJP will include:

Lead

*Creative Impetus: cast vision, champion the cause
*Community Pulse: connect with local agencies, schools and city to further understand/identify downtown Sarnia's challenges and needs
*Volunteers: develop and empower volunteer base
*Co-ordinate efforts with the Staff and Lead Team
*Lead Team: active participant

Measurable Goals:
*keeping church community informed aware, bringing to forefront what is happening in our city, and how we can be part of what God's up to
*laying the ground work for volunteers, making connections with local relief organizations
*create needs assessment (due December 2008)

Embrace
*Create Connections: downtown kids, families and urban poor
*Become the Face: point person for meeting needs both within the church community and beyond; become a recognized point person in the downtown area
*Kids: work in conjunction with the KED to help develop the internal kids/family department of theStory

Measurable Goals:
*Connect with Hanna Memorial School, Lochiel Kiwanis Center, Ontario Early Years Center, City Hall
*meet one person for coffee once a week
*support KED
*create bridging opportunities for those outside our church community to our church community

Dream
*Imagine, design and implement one major initiative for theStory to serve Sarnia's downtown area

Measurable Goals:
*Research completed by December 2008
*Implementation by February/March 2009

Qualifications

*Passion: God, kids, urban poor, the local church
*Experience: leading a team, planning, social aid background
*Giftings: creativity, strong leadership abilities, pioneering spirit, excellent people skills

Details
Term: 12 months, beginning in September 2008
Remuneration: $5200/yr; bi-weekly pay period
Hours: 6hrs./wk
Mid-year Review: December 2008
Reports Directly To: Lead Pastor

 

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This is the new website for theStory.  Mostly its new because Joe loves to change things every year and burden me with more work that he thinks means something.  Hopefully this new version of the website will be more compatible with where theStory is heading in the upcoming year.  The library should be accessible online, ATIC, the forums will be accesible for the lead team and lots of other things.  So I hope you enjoy it.

As a local expression of the body of Christ, theStory exists to love God, others and to tell His story. While we believe that the home is where the framework of a child's faith is primarily shaped and formed we also recognize that not every home possesses such a framework. With this in mind, the role of the Kids Experience Designer has been created to help kids become meaningful participants in the life of the local church and to create opportunities to help tell God's story to kids & families beyond our church community.

The primary roles of the Kids Experience Designer will include:

Create

*Creative Impetus: cast vision, champion the cause, develop department identity
*Sunday Experience: create and design family centered, age appropriate, weekly experiences telling God's story through the lens of Scripture (God's self revelation); Reason (what makes sense); Tradition (church experiences, liturgy and ritual); Experience (how we sense God in everyday life)
*Between Sundays Experience: with a pulse on the needs of downtown kids and families, create & design connection opportunities with the church community
*The Space: create a space that inspires fun, learning and friendship (Note: consideration must be taken that there is potential that the space will become a multi use facility)
*Co-ordinate efforts with the Staff and Lead Team

Measurable Goals: (to be created in conjunction with staff person)

Lead

*Develop an organizational framework around:
-Volunteers: recruit, inspire, equip
-Curriculum: blending original and collected materials that are congruent with the
overall direction and yearly teaching themes of theStory
-Relationships: regular connections with volunteers both one on one and in group settings
*Teach: part of the regular rotation
*Backdrop: all efforts filtered through values: Regeneration, Hospitality, Justice, Stewardship
*Connections: healthy relationships with teachers, kids, parents & downtown community
*Lead Team: active participant

Measurable Goals: (to be created in conjunction with staff person)

 

Administrate

*Organize: overall department, volunteers, schedules, supplies, space, paperwork
*Yearly Budget: Set and operate within

Measurable Goals: (to be created in conjunction with staff person)

 

Qualifications

*Passion: kids, God, the local church
*Experience: leading a team, planning and teaching
*Giftings: creativity, strong leadership abilities, pioneering spirit, excellent people skills

 

Details

Term: 12 months, beginning in August 2008
Remuneration: $5000/yr; bi-weekly pay period
Hours: 6hrs./wk
Mid-year Review: December 2008
Reports Directly To: Lead Pastor

 

Note:
*Depending on the response and qualifications of the individuals who apply, this position could turn into a two person job, dividing both the responsibilities and remuneration
*This employment opportunity will remain open until position is filled
*Send resume to joe@thestory.ca

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