So, I figure that this online blogy-thingy would be as good a place as any to record some notes/thoughts/lists?/ideas from and during my journey through Neal F. McBride’s How to Lead Small Groups. I am venturing down the trail of leadership, and while I am realizing some God-given gifts and talent, I am also recognizing the frightening reality and responsibility of leading people. It is hard!

So, here we are, in the development of House Church Pastor leadership documents…i.e. a “Job Description” or “Leadership Contract”… I am unsure of how much material is too much at this stage, but I DO KNOW that more is better than none?… So please pray that God would be clear in how He’d like these ideas, methods, and ‘terms of service’ outlined.

So the first chapter of my book is about defending/knowing in case of the need to defend small group necessity based on Scriptural Support. So…

-Old Testament Roots:

a. Gen. 1:1 God (Elohim) exists as plural, a.k.a. TRIUNE, which is arguably enough proof that a small group is a representation of Himself…

b.Concept of groups further broken down/exampled by God’s chosen people, the Israelites…nation, tribe, family/clan, and household, father/man (Deut. 7:6, 7-8, Ex. 40:38, Gen. 49, Josh. 13-22, Num. 26:21-49, Gen. 50:8, Deut. 6:22)

-New Testament Roots:

a.Jesus Christ as perfect small group leader…(Eph 5:1-2 Imitators of God, i.e. Christ) Becoming Christlike is not simple, easy, or even easily explained…Not necessarily replicating/duplicating every act of Jesus, i.e. healing a blind man’s sight by spitting on his eyes [Mark 8:23], but replicating BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS is the idea…

b.Jesus’ establishment of His small group (disciples)…(Matt. 4:18-22, 10:2-4, Luke 6:13-16) He ELECTED to est. this group, He certainly did not need the companionship or assistance of the disciples…

c.Jesus actively participated in BOTH small and large group ministries (Mark 12:37=large, Matt. 26:6=small)…often withdrew from large group ministry to the familiarity and support of His select small group (Mark 3:7)

d.Jesus’ amount/nature of time spent with small group-travelling, sharing meals, experiencing mutual hardship, literally living together…closer to crucifixion, we see less time spent with multitudes and more and more time with small group…

e.Jesus’ time and attention to RELATIONSHIP, NOT ORGANIZATION…did not proclaim earthly organization, but a heavenly realm (Luke 17:20-21)…as a practical demonstration of the gospel, HE chose to spend time with people, caring, healing, listening, forgiving, encouraging, teaching, and preaching.

f.Why? Jesus used this context to TEACH and MODEL: spiritual knowledge, attitudes and behavior. Not a formal or academic experience. All members simply PARTICIPATED in whatever Christ was doing, where He was going, etc. Through this intimacy, the members were “granted  to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God…” (Luke 8:10). “LIVING-LEARNING LABORATORY”

g.Leadership Training. Common men, uneducated, but willing to follow Him (Acts 4:13, John 17).

h.Met in Homes…(Romans 16:3-5, Philemon 1:2)

i. ACTS 2:42-47 A PICTURE OF THE FUNCTIONING CHURCH OF GOD

j.Involvement in large group meetings as well (Acts, 3:11-26, 6:9-10, 8:4-8, 17:1-4)

 

 

I love the conclusive paragraph McBride writes, as he tries to explain the paradigm shift of the first-century church to what we understand to be “church” today! “Large public meetings became more difficult as time passed. The church began to encounter increasing persecution. Followers of Jesus Christ found they were unwelcome in the temple, synagogues, and public forums. Small home meetings, therefore, took on an even greater significance. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to conclude that house churches were exclusivley a result of persecution. Before or during and with or without persecution, active participation in a house church was not considered an option-it was the norm!“

He later describes how Constantine made Christianity legal and churches sprung up and badda bing, badda boom, we are trapped in the ideology that CHURCH is the church building, not the people who go…!!!???

 

THATS THE POINT. IT’S THE PEOPLE. DUH. THE PEOPLE ARE THE CHURCH.

So Kristi gave her life to Jesus monday night!

Groundbreaking for Epic Life Church, if you ask me (not that you did…)! So the attacks were close behind. I’ll not share them all, but one in particular is the story of The Foundation House at Bothell. This is the upscale retirement community where God has allowed me to work for almost the past year now (a week from tomorrow=one year) and up until very recently, all has been well….well, kind of.

Some people would have called me crazy to stay there as long as I did, and through what I stayed through. Today, I work for the fourth executive chef, yup, the FOURTH chef that has been hired since I started there last August. They have come and gone for different reasons, but the fact that remained was that the residents needed to be fed. Even the “sous chefs” that have come and gone have been interesting to watch, learn from, and deal with. My suffering, perseverance learned, integrity built, destroyed and rebuilt, and everything else that has been happening to me spiritually and professionally has, up until now, been something that has been celebrated and encouraged. I felt irreplaceable. I felt like God was using me, showing people truth and light, and His name was being glorified.

Some recent things, however, have changed. I have begun to be challenged on my boldness of faith, my beliefs and the expression thereof as well. It is no longer safe to express light. I am experiencing, for all that I understand of it, persecution for my faith. It’s cool…I mean, there’s nothing I can do now. I have sinned. I have fallen short of the glory of God. We all do. I don’t care if you plant churches, preach sermons, protect your spouse spiritually, or read the word daily. You fall. I fall. Some of the events that have transpired have made it become like a warzone at work: constantly battling myself and my flesh from taking part in jokes and stories I KNOW are not glorifying to God, striving for personal integrity and trying to model it for ’subordinates’ (if I can even call anyone that-it has been made clear to me in one of my write-ups that I have no managerial responsibility over my fellow employees), or even answering something simple with the truth like why it’s okay for a Jew to eat bacon with breakfast.

Nevertheless, I love cooking for the residents. I love being a source of truth in an environment lacking Jesus. The thing that has been hard to come to grips with is that the people around me, while maybe experiencing conviction for the first time in years-maybe even in their whole lives- don’t like the way truth feels. They don’t like the things I say. They just plain don’t like me…or Him. I’ve been told that persecution follows misional living, but I’ve never experienced it until now.

I was explaining to Mike today on the way home from work (a coworker, 57, whom I give a ride home to often) that it SHOULD be peculiar that my job is on the line. He says it doesn’t make sense: I am always on time, always work hard, manage people well, produce good-looking and good-tasting food, and respect the men and women on the wait staff with how I speak about them/to them, and am generally just good at what I do. But for some reason, everything I say that even insinuates a Christian theme or moral/ethical affiliation is rejected, discouraged, even outlawed by the Employee Handbook.

I said to him today, “Mike, it makes perfect sense that I am not welcome to work here. The world doesn’t like truth. It comes with the territory.” Know that this revelation is not me trying to be all high-and-mighty holier-than-thou or anything like that. I don’t want to lose my job. I am scared to death that I am not going to be able to make the same amount of money anywhere else, have the same schedule, or be able to do the things I love like make soup and creatively use leftovers for a low-cost lunch special. I AM SCARED-scared that He won’t provide I suppose. Know this: the purpose of this story is that conviction is not welcome, that it’s hard loving Jesus out loud, and that learning to welcome suffering and persecution is not something that happens overnight. It takes time. And, it comes with the territory.

so i am unsure how many times i am allowed to start and stop blogging. however, it is important that i catalog my thoughts, somewhere. i wish journaling worked. i wish blogging worked. neither seems to, but i cannot NOT remember the things that happen to me. they are too good. He is too good.

nevertheless, i met with keith today. house church stuff is on the move! the development of us leaders (the house church pastors) has been a roller-coaster ride! how can a man, whether you have led bible studies in the past before or not, whether you are 25 and married, 30 and single, or 45 with kids….how can you sheperd people? how!? and yet, we are called to do just that. teach, pray for, pursue, and lead spiritually through the murky depths and chasms of the world in which we live. it is intense! it is exciting! it is impossible.

i guess that’s kinda what i am saying. without full and complete submission to Christ, to His will, and to His supreme power and wisdom, it is not feasable. many stories are forthcoming, and many revelations need to be shared. PLEASE, anyone reading this, please pray that God would convict me and allow this blog to be a venue of recording experiences and sharing tactics. i need a record. i need a record. i need TO record.

 

house church is hard. koininea is not easy. devotion is active. the reward is inexplanable…

“everyone was FILLED with awe…”acts 2:40-something

 

try it. you’ll like it.

Where to begin:

It is sunday, april 26. I have not blogged since november. I have been inside an intense season of revelation, blessing, and spiritual maturation. my fingers, my mind….they cannot find the words to express the love i am experiencing for My Father in Heaven right now.

One story at a time, and hopefully anyone out there wondering, prodding, poking, searching, or criticizing will have an opportunity to see God’s masterpiece of grace through the lives of His people here in Seattle.

I have been an employee of Foundation House at Bothell, an upscale independent retirement community for about 9 months now. I have seen 4, count ‘em, 4 Executive Chefs come and go, and have been asked by the Lord to stay, at least one year and see his favor increase, among peers, friends and other men. It has not been easy, knowing my rate of pay has been the same as my subordinates (much like the Corporal in the US Army-more responsibility, same pay as a Specialist rank E4) and being the one called upon to continue driving the meal preparation and service forward in lieu of a permanent Chef…ordering, managing, inventory, training, 6 days a week, all the weight of the FHB meal schedule in my lap. I am not saying God did not provide help, leadership, and encouragement, however; Chris has been a huge blessing to me, and at least for a short 2 months or so, it seemed like I would have a friend/brother to share with in Christ’s blessings and will in that kitchen. He’s gone on now, and I am thankful for his new job-

My point, though, is that GOD IS FAITHFUL. Kari and I lived with Pastor Keith and his family until VERY recently, and in the last month, He has blessed us RICHLY for our patience and humilty. We have our own apartment, well under the average percentage cost for dual income couples in this city, i got a FREE tonsillectomy done at the seattle V.A., and we both have been given raises in the last week! Praise God for his provision!

Please pray for us as we approach the beginning of our very own House Church, as well as for motivation for me to continue sharing what God is doing here through this venu.

 

Thank you…next story will be about acting! for worship!

jeff

As I usually do, let me start this blog with an apology. It is almost excrutiating for me, as legalistic and disciplined as people see me being, to actually committ and follow through with this weekly blogging. I owe it to so many people who have supported me to give the effort it takes to keep them informed. I am truly sorry, and am starting over with my attempt.

So, where to begin….again. Kari and I are still living with Keith and Kristine, Dave and Aaron, and the boys. We are soo thankful for the Lord’s provision of this house, and have learned and grown substantially as a result of being here. Our current prayer is that the Lord would allow us to continue to persevere in our financial battle, and become debt free as soon as possible. If it is His will, we would also like to begin saving AGRESSIVELY for a down payment, as the housing market looks like it will stay in our favor for some length of time. While we love our current living situation, we are very excited to host our own House Church, and have a space of our own to entertain, train, and make new friends while continuing to love on the ‘old’ ones.

A week ago tomorrow I had an accident at work, slicing almost completely off the tip of my left thumb…When chef said to put my heart and soul into my work, I must have misinterpreted him as saying my flesh too….oh well! I am fine, 7 stitches later, and am thankful for the extra day off last saturday that allowed me to finish ‘polishing’ my first “sermon” ever, which I was priveleged enough to get to present to the growing core development team of Epic Life Church this last sunday night, november 2. The Lord spoke, and it was AWESOME! I even got to use a Rome:TotalWar metaphor that even the ladies could understand and make use of (hopefully).

I am optimistically praying about and dreaming about the talks/plans/opporunity of the Create Cafe, which Keith and I have met and discussed a few times. This ministry would facilitate some awesome fellowship, employment, income, and a myriad of other events. Owned by the church, there would also hopefully be a lot of freedom to experiment and spend freely any profits on the advancement of the Kingdom, becuase there wouldn’t be greedy shareholders, partners, or even a struggling entrepeneur pinching every penny. Anyway, its a great idea, and I am stoked to be learning many many trade secrets that I may one day be called to put into practice for Jesus!

So, cut my finger-ok. Living with the carps-awesome. My wife-the best! Job-hanging in there. Church-fun, growing, challenging, exciting. That’s pretty much it for now. Thanks for reading!

 

jeff

Today, Keith and I had “a meeting”… I know what you’re thinking-wait….no I don’t.

Well, I seem to be having eloquence-blocked trains of thought right now, and cannot for the life of me think of anything smart to say. So, I will just tell you the story of our talk.

We met at 9 this morning, and might I add, what a beautiful morning it was! Sunny, 62 (to be precise), and not a care in the world on my weekly monday (day off). We talked marriage, we talked ministry, and we talked volleyball! It was the time I have been praying for as I know he has been super busy getting settled and being a father, husband, and senior pastor of a budding church….sounds easy, right? I don’t think so.

Anyway, we discussed my potential roles and what we are struggling with and where our vision is taking ourselves, or families, and ultimately the Body here in Seattle…If you [brothers] have not done this with your pastor lately, DO IT! They are God’s instruments-shepards. You are the flock! Be sheparded! It feels good. Talk with him (or her), share, be real, be UNAFRAID. ‘Submit to one another out of reverence for the Lord Jesus’ instructs GOD, via Paul. The thing that stuck, and that will continue to stick, was Keith’s suggestion to learn to be “humbly confident.” We see Christ doing it all the time-leading by serving, teaching in parables (“…let he who is without sin cast the first stone…”), and giving ALL glory to the FATHER.

It is the task, the goal, the battle….the EPIC that young men must face. Learn to defeat your pride/desire for glory through experience of GOD’s realized potential through you. No confidence in self; pure, unadultered, infallable confidence in the One who has all power. No shame, no fear, no doubt; pure, full, unbreakable, immovable assurance in what, how, and why HE is doing. Period.

That is my quest. It’s what I want to know. What I want to see. To hear. To speak. To teach…Humble Confidence.

I would like to publicly praise the Lord for the encouragement He has been offering me via a potential Nebuchadnezzar in my life.

My boss has not yet openly disclosed where his “internal motivation” derives from, however I have noticed a small rug thingy recently hung on his doorway quoting the ‘holiest…dalai llama’ and I am still prayerfully considering when and how to ask questions about his faith and initiate a discussion. Mind you, I am his employee, visa vis his servant, and therefor offer him my full respect, attention, and worksmanship. I do know, however, that ‘good people’ are and will be perishing eternally and desire that he and everyone I know come into and remain in a love relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ, His son, the Way.

That being said, I remember how the Lord has used, and will continue to use people who don’t, or just don’t yet believe He is. I am encouraged, most of the time EVERY DAY, and sometimes more than once a day, by the Lord my God through this man. It is truly amazing, to be blessed and affirmed verbally, professionally, and socially by a man I greatly respect and aspire to be like (in the kitchen anyway). God uses him to tell me how hard I am on myself [duh], how that can be used for the positive, and how I am enough (i.e. good enough, smart enough, punctual enough, respectful enough, and talented enough) to do the job at hand.

PRAISE THE LORD! I have read and trust in the “Five Love Languages” study, and know firsthand from my marriage that communicating love in an effective way has sooooo much more success for the person being loved. I love going to work! I love that the Lord of Hosts finds a way, and makes it clear that it IS Him, to love me each day in the dialect He created me to be loved in.

Seek and you shall find, ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened. I am not sure where or why that verse popped into my mind, but take it as it is-it may be what you need to do, or hear.

Hey everyone, thank you for being patient with Kari and I as we lived our internet free lives for that season. We are greatly appreciative to all of you who are praying for us, checking up on us, and generally concerned with our well-being as well as that of the kingdom.

In our recent travels, many developments to our character, our marriage, and both our individual and cumulative walks with Christ have occured. As time and memory permits, we will now be sharing what the Spirit leads to bring any readers of this here blog up to speed. For me, it will be the most effective (at least I think) to start now, and work backwards. So, over the course of the past few weeks, we have been living with Keith and Kristine in their beautiful new home in Shoreline, WA along with their boys and Dave and Aaron. It has been beautiful-and difficult at the same time. We have all been learning and growing and searching for jobs, and our patience and perseverance have been being tested and grown along the way.

Anyway, that’s all another story. My repentant reward is the amazing job the Lord has blessed me with, and in my opinion, it is directly due to two things: our perseverance and obedience at Ashley Furniture, and the repentance I found myself admitting to just a week ago at Mars Hill Church in Ballard (we’ve decided to check out other churches every other week to see and enjoy and learn worship styles, small group breakdowns, etc.). The message was about Jonah, and his decision inside the belly of the whale which brought him forgiveness from the Lord and ultimately freedom from that fish. I myself was suffering from reverse pride for the three weeks we had been out here, and I knew I was becoming an idol to myself.

Kind of confusing. But, to me, reverse pride is greater than or equal to false humility. It is me pouting ‘cuz I lose at Settlers, at Spoons, and can’t find a job. It’s me focusing on me. It’s me not being thankful for what the Lord has done, is doing today, and promises to do tomorrow and forever. It’s me worshipping….well….me.

I would like to report that the Spirit of the Lord is alive and well inside my heart, and called me to repentance then and there. Without fail, He who is full of grace, accepted my plea, forgave me on the spot, and my phone rang as I was prostrated before the Lord, eyes full of tears. The message I received later (AFTER the service concluded, of course) was an offer for a great job at an upscale retirement community in Queen Anne, only to be later trumped by ANOTHER offer the SAME day in Bothell.

God truly loves each and every one of His children, and wishes to discipline and bless us equally. I am now basically apprenticing under a Chef of 25 years, who is an amazing manager and culinarian. I am learning new things about food daily, and the Lord is affirming my character through this man, who I am unsure whether even knows the Lord or not! IT IS AMAZING! I love going there! I love learning! I LOVE JESUS! He is my Savior, my Provider, and truly my REDEEMER.

Thank you Lord. Friends, all you have to do is what He tells you. Ask Him for forgiveness, and He is righteous and just, and will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. I believe Him. Test Him on this, and He will prove His faithfulness.

Be looking for weekly BLOGS as I have made a committment to share with you every monday, and am being held to it. Grace and peace.

So. It’s time to grow. It’s time to find discipline and learn something. Why do we hum and haw when the WORD OF THE LORD is so rich? I am sick of ‘not wanting’ to. I am going to want to. There is power in prayer. I pray for the desire, and the Lord will meet me here, right?

 Right. It was laid on my heart that it may be time to read something other than the New Testament promises and applicable letters of Paul. It is time to start seeing/looking for some perspective. My wife tells me all (or most) new Christians have their “New Testament phase.” Well, I am tired of trying to be smart and learn missionary journeys, church models, and techniques for successful spiritual warfare. Don’t misunderstand me: those things, each of them, are pure gold, and delight the Lord I am sure. My season is changing. I feel a sense of ‘long-haul’ syndrome coming on. I need promises. Old ones. I need whispers. Old ones. I need God-breathed, recorded, tested, proven TRUTH.

  So, where do you go for OLD? How ’bout the OLD Testament? Here’s a fun fact: Jeff memorized all books of the Bible for Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Confirmation Classes (genesis, exodus, leviticus, numbers, deuteronomy, etc. etc.) but has never even read or CONSIDERED reading some of them! Which ones you say? Joel. Obadiah. Jeremiah. Isaiah. Too long. Too insignificant. That’s what the lie/fear has been anyway. My confessions are pure, and it is time to dispell and disarm the enemy. I am reading Jeremiah. That’s it. It’s settled.

 [Mind you, this decision was made days ago, and has taken a few days to get over that last little hump of getting started. Now, with the help of my wonderful, encouraging, determined wife-we begin.]

 I study the blueprint/megatheme/overview notes before embarking on any journey in my NIV, partially to procrastinate just a little bit more, partially to prepare myself for what is ahead. I think, with the length and gerth of the book of Jeremiah, I may find myself referring back to this page often. One of the keynote sentences that spoke to my heart and convinced me that this is where the Lord would have me begin is as follows: “Don’t settle for half measures in removing sin.” I have been blessed to study I and II Samuel (moreso the latter) and some of I Kings, and know the imminent fall of Judah that is rapidly approaching. I knew of King Josiah, but not of his attempts to turn his people to repentence. Apparently I hadn’t heard of that becuase the attempts were half-hearted and unsuccessful. To state my point: I am Josiah. I stand ready to claim victory in the battles with more than one addiction, and do not mean to half-heartedly claim this victory. I want it all. I acknowledge that I can only do this through Christ.

Jeremiah 1:6b “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” [words of Jeremiah]

    This is interesting that the Lord starts out this way particularly because I have played the ‘baby Christian’ card I think to the fullest of its applicability. It is time to stand up and speak the words and truths the Lord is going to give to me. It is time to overcome my doubt in myself and stand firm in my faith in HIM. My next point: I am Jeremiah. I feel like the Lord desires to use me to speak to people in Seattle just the same as he desired Jeremiah, but similarly, my fear and inexperience, and lack of a certified collegiate diploma, lack of confidence, and now lack of devotion/discipline is beginning to stand in my own way. I am going to study Jeremiah for his persistence in the face of persecution, his faithfulness despite lack of acknowledgement by the people he was prophecying to, and the assurance he had in knowing the love of the Lord was his.

To be continued…

So, on a more serious note, I wonder what my wandering has been producing for the Kingdom of Christ…if anything. Ok, first I’ll divulge a bit about the title.

As of late, my wife and I have been seemingly trapped in our tedious yet bearable cycle of Ashley, Seattle meeting, Ashley, Crown, Ashley, friends, Ashley, sleep, Ashley, fight, Ashley, forgive, Ashley, pay bills, Ashley….Sounds mad fun, right? Well, it feels to me like we are wandering through a black abyss of trials and suffering and lessons. I mean, the lessons are necessary, the subject matter is all based on firsthand experiences we have the privelege of undertaking, and the teacher is He who teaches.

 I rejoice that we are learning financial discipline from our involvement in Crown Financial. It is freeing to know that we have an attainable, Godly goal of debt freedom, and it is refreshing to battle the evil one in a new and exciting way (i.e. what to spend, what to save, etc.). However, the Scripture memorization, while a required and beneficial slice of the proverbially delicious Crown pie, is NO Substitute for true, one-on-one intimacy with Jesus Christ.

This is where we are. Wandering. Battling. Refusing to waver in our thankfulness, our persistence to spread the Gospel of Christ in the darkest place EVER, and our growing love for one another. Sadly, we are stubborn and inexperienced enough at this marriage thing that we have no Bible time, and no knowledge of how to lovingly encourage each other to just get UNlazy and get reading.

Please pray for Kari and I. This is our plea: That the living word of the Lord would become more desirable than the finest cuisine, more enjoyable than the most exciting medieval trilogy ever, and more enrapturing/captivating than even we are to each other.