So it has been a while since my last post and I have a lot I need to blog about, but tonight, err, this morning I'm going to keep it short and simple.
Over the past several months, there have been two things becoming more and more crystallized in my mind as the Holy Spirit leads me and Jesus prepares me for ministry. Heck, these two things that I'm learning are actually one thing, or two sides of the same coin.
Here is the first one: All of life must be living out the Gospel.
That is a big statement, I know. What does that mean? It means that Jesus came to establish a people that were to be about the business of the Father (just like Jesus was), aka, establish His Kingdom on earth. It means that in all we do in our lives, we must be embodying the gospel - not just to those who do not know Jesus - but to those who do know Jesus. Our lives must be gospel led, gospel business, kingdom lives.
Point two which ties directly into this, is that we must live these gospel lives in community. Why? Because God lives in community as the Trinity present in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Not only that, God has always been about creating a people. First through Adam, then Noah, then Abraham, then the Isrealites and now the Church (with the capital C, not the lower case c). He's always about blessing a people to be a blessing to the world. In our world today that is the Church.
But in this gospel life lived in community it is an enormus task with lots of variables from scenario to scenario - the common linkage is that we are supposed to live life in such a way that as individuals participating in community we live such lives that the world demands an explanation, and the only explanation is the Gospel.
Jesus has been teaching me a lot about that recently. The Holy Spirit is growing that passion in me continually. Today, tonight, God gave me an oppurtunity to put this into practice. Before I share my story, I must preface it by saying that I'm not perfect at this. By no means. I fail, and fail a lot. This is one of the times I feel I have gotten it right.
Today, a brother of mine gave me a phone call. We help each other do life together and are developing a stronger bond all the time. He called, while I was in RH Student Ministries @ South County. Sent him a text and found out it was important. Snuck out and gave him a call. Where he shared with me the news that his girl friends dad had died on Thursday.
I'll admit, not the phone call I expected. Don't know what I was expecting, just not that. So we talk and find out the details, I'm heart broken, say goodbye and go back to the students. For the rest of the day it was hanging over me, I was broken and sad for two people I love. All I wanted to do was be with them, and grieve with them, and pray over them.
Then, the 9pm @ RockHarbor Central Campus begins. We sit through it and I realize that the response time is the ideal time to pray for him and her. So, after the message when response time hits - I pull him aside and ask him to come with me to the prayer room. Again, a note, I'm by no means perfect. But it is here, where I get to pray with him, pray over him, and lift him up. It is here, where community happened. Where life was done together, where it was all laid bare and made sure that for the sake of the Gospel whatever was needed from me he had as I'm there to keep him upright.
After that I asked if I could pray over them both. So he brought her in. It was sad, she's a beautiful, energetic woman who loves Jesus and I could feel and see the heaviness in her soul. I hug her and spend time grieving. It is after this that I look at them both, and do life, and live community of the Gospel out with them and share my heart, how I'm here for her, for him, for them. And then, prayed for these two amazing people who love Jesus and each other, that model a Godly relationship to the world, through the Gospel in their community.
The Gospel embodied in community. It hurts. Its tough. Its worth it. We just model ourselves after our perfect example, Jesus, till he returns and takes away things such as death. Remember, after all, even "Jesus wept".
October 5, 2009
September 6, 2009
Journeys from Living Life through Missional Eyes
This idea of living missionally is one that I discovered and began the journey of living out the mission about 5 years ago when I started college. Now, it may sound like I have it together and really know what I'm doing - but if there is anything that I've learned the past five years of being a young missional leader it is that I'm always continually learning what exactly it means to live on mission. Jesus is slowly, thankfully redeeming me and showing me what it means even more to live it out. He does it in two ways: 1) me asking Him to open my eyes and heart to His mission and to constantly put me on it and 2) by just wanting to put me on mission and He pulls me to it like a magnet, where it is not my choice but He just knows what I need to learn, see, hear, observe or be a part of to understand how to live it out just a little more at a time.
With all that being said, being missional, living missionally, learning what it means to be missional - it never takes a day off. It is a discipline that I'm trying to intentionally develop - so that means that I'm constantly learning things, being reminded of things, seeing things, and being broken for my county, my city, my campus to know Jesus.
On Friday night it happened again and I've been meditating on something and soaking it in. While prayer driving Fullerton after work, I discovered there were a lot of run down style motels that people live in from week to week because they can't afford anything else. This broke me and I want to see this redeemed by Jesus - but what it also did was teach me a missional insight and a view into Orange County culture as we know it.
See, as someone born and raised in the OC - when I travel somewhere I typically will hit freeways for most of my travel. This is something that is unique (as far as I know) really to California and So Cal. And when we hit these freeways we get taken high above our cities, surrounded by cement barriers that block the city from us so we cannot see our city until we get off our freeway and hit our destination - enabling us to go from point a to point b without ever blinking an eye. As I was driving home from Fullerton after seeing a different part of Fullerton after prayer driving - I hit the 57 freeway like I always do. When Jesus decided to show up, break me and teach me something about being on mission.
See, when I drive on freeways I get into my own little bubble and can ignore the outside world - all I have to deal with is the cars around me. I don't see the city or the people. But when I drive surface streets, I get to see the city, I get to see the people, and see what the city looks like - see it's culture. So, what He showed me, tried to illustrate to me was the importance, for the sake of living out the mission, to drive on surface streets as much as possible.
By doing this, it will enable me, us to see the brokeness of our cities and the places that Jesus needs to come in and radically reform. Because, it is far too easy for me to just go from point a to point b. Now, I know that for an Orange County person that is tough because it might take us longer. I'm not saying this is something we must do all the time - as we do have to go from point a to point be sometimes.
But what if, what if we get some spare time and instead of hurrying home we drive surface streets home? What if we drive past those places, communities that we normally drive past and see the city as Jesus sees it? What if we take the time to drive our cities and ask Jesus to give us missional eyes for our cities? To ask Him while we are driving to open our eyes, show us how He sees the cities and how He wants us to be involved in changing our cities, in reaching our cities?
That is my what if? That is just one of my journeys through living life in missional eyes - what are yours?
With all that being said, being missional, living missionally, learning what it means to be missional - it never takes a day off. It is a discipline that I'm trying to intentionally develop - so that means that I'm constantly learning things, being reminded of things, seeing things, and being broken for my county, my city, my campus to know Jesus.
On Friday night it happened again and I've been meditating on something and soaking it in. While prayer driving Fullerton after work, I discovered there were a lot of run down style motels that people live in from week to week because they can't afford anything else. This broke me and I want to see this redeemed by Jesus - but what it also did was teach me a missional insight and a view into Orange County culture as we know it.
See, as someone born and raised in the OC - when I travel somewhere I typically will hit freeways for most of my travel. This is something that is unique (as far as I know) really to California and So Cal. And when we hit these freeways we get taken high above our cities, surrounded by cement barriers that block the city from us so we cannot see our city until we get off our freeway and hit our destination - enabling us to go from point a to point b without ever blinking an eye. As I was driving home from Fullerton after seeing a different part of Fullerton after prayer driving - I hit the 57 freeway like I always do. When Jesus decided to show up, break me and teach me something about being on mission.
See, when I drive on freeways I get into my own little bubble and can ignore the outside world - all I have to deal with is the cars around me. I don't see the city or the people. But when I drive surface streets, I get to see the city, I get to see the people, and see what the city looks like - see it's culture. So, what He showed me, tried to illustrate to me was the importance, for the sake of living out the mission, to drive on surface streets as much as possible.
By doing this, it will enable me, us to see the brokeness of our cities and the places that Jesus needs to come in and radically reform. Because, it is far too easy for me to just go from point a to point b. Now, I know that for an Orange County person that is tough because it might take us longer. I'm not saying this is something we must do all the time - as we do have to go from point a to point be sometimes.
But what if, what if we get some spare time and instead of hurrying home we drive surface streets home? What if we drive past those places, communities that we normally drive past and see the city as Jesus sees it? What if we take the time to drive our cities and ask Jesus to give us missional eyes for our cities? To ask Him while we are driving to open our eyes, show us how He sees the cities and how He wants us to be involved in changing our cities, in reaching our cities?
That is my what if? That is just one of my journeys through living life in missional eyes - what are yours?
September 1, 2009
The Fall Semester has Begun - 1 Week Ago
Hello world. My name is Jonathon and I have something to confess to you.
I am a college student, and what that means is my life is way too busy for my own good. But that is not what I have to confess, what I'm here to confess and get off my chest is that I'm an "achiever" (according to stregnthfinders 2.0), therefore if I enjoy being busy, putting a lot on my giant metaphorical plate and seeing the way that God will move through me just showing up and being on mission with all that He has given me to do. I really do not know what life or college would be like without being so busy. Sometimes I wonder and dream about not having to work - but then I remember how much I enjoy working, because working is mission; working is ministry.
So, for the next 15 weeks I will be taking 12 units, working about 20 hours a week, interning about 10 hours a week @ RockHarbor with Campus Life Groups, leading a CSUF Campus Life Group, being a RockHarbor Middle School Leader, RockHarbor Middle School Life Group Leader, and being able to be on the ground floor of one of RockHarbor's new campuses that will be launching shortly. By the way I still have homework too.
This is the way I roll, I really do not know any other way then to be crazy busy - and somehow this is how I function and this is the way God has wired me. Gotta work with the size plate one has been dealt and it just so happens that my plate is really big and deep and able to handle incredible amounts. Pray for me though, because firstly it is never about me but always about Jesus; and secondly, occasionally I do get tired - haha.
P.S. Coming shortly will be my reflections on this summer and what I learned and what I'm looking forward to happening this fall!!!
I am a college student, and what that means is my life is way too busy for my own good. But that is not what I have to confess, what I'm here to confess and get off my chest is that I'm an "achiever" (according to stregnthfinders 2.0), therefore if I enjoy being busy, putting a lot on my giant metaphorical plate and seeing the way that God will move through me just showing up and being on mission with all that He has given me to do. I really do not know what life or college would be like without being so busy. Sometimes I wonder and dream about not having to work - but then I remember how much I enjoy working, because working is mission; working is ministry.
So, for the next 15 weeks I will be taking 12 units, working about 20 hours a week, interning about 10 hours a week @ RockHarbor with Campus Life Groups, leading a CSUF Campus Life Group, being a RockHarbor Middle School Leader, RockHarbor Middle School Life Group Leader, and being able to be on the ground floor of one of RockHarbor's new campuses that will be launching shortly. By the way I still have homework too.
This is the way I roll, I really do not know any other way then to be crazy busy - and somehow this is how I function and this is the way God has wired me. Gotta work with the size plate one has been dealt and it just so happens that my plate is really big and deep and able to handle incredible amounts. Pray for me though, because firstly it is never about me but always about Jesus; and secondly, occasionally I do get tired - haha.
P.S. Coming shortly will be my reflections on this summer and what I learned and what I'm looking forward to happening this fall!!!
August 17, 2009
Matt Chandler the Man - A Preacher with a Great Influence on Me...
"Ladies, single women, I know your not going to believe me, I know this is climbing Everest naked. Impossible, but let me just say it for my own peace of mind. It is better to be single at 40 then to love God and marry a man who has no intention of leading." Matt Chandler
“When I preach, I preach to men. That’s what I do. And if you are a woman in here and that angers you, I apologize. The scriptures very clearly say that men are the glory of god and what that means is that if men will do what God has commanded them to do, if men will be who God has commanded them to be, then everything else will work well, and when they fail everything begins to unravel. Which is why we need grace, and is why I preach to men.” Matt Chandler
I love this man, he preaches it strong and hard. He calls men to stop being stupid, to man up, and start doing our jobs. I don't think that is too much to ask.
For those of you don't know, Matt Chandler is the Lead/Preaching Pastor of a church in Texas called The Village Church, a member of Acts 29...
“When I preach, I preach to men. That’s what I do. And if you are a woman in here and that angers you, I apologize. The scriptures very clearly say that men are the glory of god and what that means is that if men will do what God has commanded them to do, if men will be who God has commanded them to be, then everything else will work well, and when they fail everything begins to unravel. Which is why we need grace, and is why I preach to men.” Matt Chandler
I love this man, he preaches it strong and hard. He calls men to stop being stupid, to man up, and start doing our jobs. I don't think that is too much to ask.
For those of you don't know, Matt Chandler is the Lead/Preaching Pastor of a church in Texas called The Village Church, a member of Acts 29...
August 13, 2009
What a Day; What a Summer; What an Amazing Fall is Coming!!
So, I can't disclose too much info. But, I'm super stoked. I'm on the ground floor of exciting things and opportunities. My final year @ CSUF is going to be filled of surprises and adventures that are God planned and God ordained. Let's put it this way, I could have never ever chosen a better time to go deep @ RockHarbor. God is moving, God is pushing me farther and farther along his path for my life and it is way exciting! I'm looking forward to seeing what God does with me, in me and through me my final year and beyond at CSUF!!!! Trust me, you'll be hearing more about this as I go down the hole! This was just the first step in a long staircase!
August 12, 2009
Tommorow!
Okay, so here is just a one paragraph update on my summer. So for those who don't know, I have had the privilege and continue to have the pleasure of interning with RockHarbor until sometime next year. This summer has been amazing - but I can sum up my initial experience in one snapshot. Tomorrow, i get to have a meeting with Steve Carter one of RockHarbor's two teaching pastors to talk vision and plans. I'm uber stoked and excited - because I love this church but more importantly I love the Church and I can't wait to see where God continues to guide and lead. This is just one of the many things that has popped out of my summer. God is good. Jesus is good. I love being able to do ministry and equip others for it - so amazing...
Here's the deal
I've been a bad blogger - life has been busy, but I really, really want to start blogging. I want to get better at story telling while remembering and celebrating what God has done. So, once the semester starts I'm really gonna kick this into high gear. But this is a good first step - just putting my thoughts onto the internet. Next step, I really want to write about my summer because it truly has been one heck of a spectacular summer... Jesus and Ministry is way too much fun!
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