Month: January 2005

I love being in a room full of people who are talking about the “stuff” that stirs my heart: What is “the church?” Can I live the Kingdom life without the institution?  What does this look like? Is God bringing back the power and simplicity of New Testament-style Christianity?  How can I be a part?…

A group called "Healing Communities" is sponsoring an "open, interactive gathering" for those who want to be part of the "Relational Church."  This is taking place in Colorado over the Memorial Weekend in May 27-30. I don’t know this gang, but they sound wonderful and this sounds like an excellent opportunity for networking and sharing.…

Alan Creech has a good post on what does it mean to gather with or be in community with others.  In other words, if we start with the premise that we are the church can this lead to an isolated approach to our Christian life: just be the church, fellowship here and there with whoever,…

The Christian world, the entire Christian world, is permeated with a religious spirit.  It’s in me, in others, in traditional churches, in house churches.  It is such a pervasive dysfunction that it’s no wonder Jesus addressed it so forcefully. The religious spirit is not just "them," it’s also "us."  We think, oh so subtly, that…

From Brennan Manning’s Posers, Fakers, Wannabes: "I would contend, physical structures of the church aside, the people leading the true growth of the body of Christ are not professionals but those who have been laid waste by a consuming and holy desire for Christ – passionate men and women for whom recognition and privilege and…

I received this email from a blog reader in Singapore: I’m from the East, Singapore and finding your contributions most worthy for our Lord Christ Jesus. In Singapore, we’ve yet to experience House Church modeling such as yours, only Cell Groups where the "parent church" lords over them. I know only of the House Church…

We have the website up and running for the West Coast Regional House Church Movement Conference: www.HouseChurchLife.com Speakers include Tony and Felicity Dale of House2House Ministries, and Neil Cole of Church Multiplication Associates.  Robert Fitts, of OFI, will also be with us. This conference is ideal for• Introducing people to organic/simple church concepts.• Equipping those…

Gareth Williams mentioned this site that has audio messages by Dallas Willard on the Kingdom life.  I’ve just started them myself, but anything by Dallas is worth hearing in my book.

Jordan Cooper quotes from Henri Nouwen (one of my favorite authors) on creating intimacy and community (one of my favorite topics: But whether through distance or closeness, fear prevents us from forming an intimate community in which we can grow together, everyone in his or her own way. When fear separates or joins us, we…

I’m snowed in.  Visiting my son and his family near Reno, Nevada and we are experiencing the heaviest storm they have had in years.  The area has been declared a state of emergency.  It just keeps snowing and snowing.  I tried to catch my flight out on Friday but it was cancelled… as were the…