Change Is Good

I'm one of those rare individuals that actually enjoys change. I mean, I really do. After awhile things just start to get stale. That is actually not why I am changing this time.

I am in the process of moving to wordpress from blogspot mostly because of its versatility. I was also able to retrieve some older posts that people have been asking about. Hopefully this new site will be a change for the better.

thejesusguy.wordpress.com

3 Minutes

So here's where this is going. Will you invest...
3 minutes to join more than
300 people to pray for
1 request on days that have a
3 in them (3rd, 13th, 23rd, 30th, 31st).

Send an email to rob@processchurch.org to attach.

The Clarity In the Fog

Yesterday evening we had one of the thickest fogs that I can ever remember in quite some time. You could hardly see a car-length in front of you. As I was cautiously traveling from church to home I noticed several things about that experience that reminded me of the journey that God has us on as we begin Process Church.

1. you pay closer attention when you can't see all of where you're going
2. you slow down
3. you realize how important lights (esp. car lights) are to indicate the closeness of others
   
4. you see that a little light goes a long way

This path God has our family on has already produced every one of these same things (and more). Here's how...

1. God has reminded us that hearing His voice is made easier when we can't see all the details of where we're going.
2. God has continued to verify that doing His work best includes allowing plenty of time for planning.
3. God has encouraged our hearts with the closeness of His people & their lights of partnership through prayer, finances and some praying about moving to GA with us.
4. God has allowed us to see answers to our prayers... some that we have hardly even yet uttered.
   

Scripture As Source - Core Value #7

We all have philosophical & practical places to which we return; in part to assure ourselves that in fact we are still on course. And even if the declared origin is my own thinking, I return to my thoughts to check myself. It is equally true that most of us have a detectable set of values that we subscribe to personally - even if you're not religious.

It is in these ways that Process Church will strive to approach the Scriptures. Our goal will be to recognize the Bible as understandable & approachable and its principles transferable to modernity. In its pages are people... people who messed up... people who lived well... people. We will study these people and their lives in order to see ourselves, but most importantly to see the God who interacted with them and us.

Creative Change - Core Value #6

Most of us have an adverse reaction to change. After all, we work hard to create environments that are appealing to us. Why would we want to change them? Because we naturally resist change I want to build this philosophy of creative change into the value system of Process Church.

The reasons to have creative change as a main value are as endless as the discussion itself. God exhibits this kind of creativity all throughout history... starting in the beginning (pun intended).

There is also something incredibly invigorating about finding a creative way to use the abilities that God has placed in you. Too many churches have cookie cutter ministries that are created before there are people to fill them. Our philosophy will value people above specific ministries and will promote creativity as a means for helping our faith community to continually embrace new ways of doing ministry.

Spiritual Progress - Core Value #5

It was Socrates who said, "the life unexamined is not worth living." Could he possibly have known how right he was? People want purpose. Why am I here? Rick Warren's blockbuster book The Purpose Driven Life has been on the New York Times Best Seller List every week since 2002. As much as we value relaxation... we value progress more. We want to know that our lives have been significant.

We will seek to make Process Church a place that values those pursuits. This is not about developing key result areas or moving from good to great or seeking your best life now. This is about daily life that seeks authenticity. Core Value #7 will talk more about our blueprint. Simply put, without progress there is atrophy. We are not interested in where people begin, but rather if they are progressing.

Following Jesus - Core Value #4

Until this point Christian readers have been nervous wondering if and when there would be any mention of Jesus. And at this same hot spot perhaps some not-yet-Christians are similarly cautious but for the opposite reason. Let's face it - Jesus was/is in many ways a polarizing figure. So when we say we are going to be about following Jesus what are we talking about?

This is a pivotal issue in my mind. It is the main focus that led me to start Process Church. A little over a year ago I read a catalytic book entitled They Like Jesus but Not the Church. The book postulated that many pre-Christian people are not in fact turned off by the message of Jesus, but instead by those who claim to follow Him. I have found many of those same thoughts in my talks with people.

So who are we following? Which Jesus? Clearly there are differing definitions of who Jesus is. For our purposes we are talking about the Jesus of the Scriptures. We will seek to know Him. To study His life... what He said... where He went... what He did. It is the Jesus we find in the pages of Scripture that I believe is worth following.