Prayerfully Written

One of my favorite activities occurs when I take time away to travel pathways that have been etched by adventurers who have gone before me. One of my favorite forms of travel is walking. The other is riding a four wheeler, all terrain vehicle. Either way, I like to take my time. In other words, I enjoy the slow stroll or the slow glide. That way, I can delight in savoring the five senses as I open windows to the glory and wonders of God’s creation. Traveling pathways is a lot like the spiritual journey.

The spiritual journey consists of a series of choices. Most of the time, we choose to travel pathways that have been crafted by others. Other times we develop our own trails. For instance, I am captivated by the journeys of the first followers of Jesus Christ who accompanied him along the pilgrimage of conversion. I long to experience and embody the intimate closeness the first disciples felt as they literally followed in the footsteps of the Savior of the world.

The Spirit of God goes before us to craft trails of transformation. The Spirit of God accompanies us on these journeys. These journeys involve faith and change. The apostle Paul said it like this in his letter to the Romans 8: 14, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

Where does the Spirit of God lead his children?

One significant destination the Spirit leads us into is participation in holy community and relationship practiced in the Body of Christ. “To each of us is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7). It’s like participating in the dance of new creation. The choreographer is the Holy Spirit. The cast includes all followers of Jesus Christ. We open and lift up our hands to the Spirit of God and he breathes upon us spiritual gifts that empower us to participate in God’s dance of new creation. The Spirit of God leads us into depths of being we never dreamed possible. In time, without our awareness of it, our footsteps form a pathway that leads others into deeper communion with God.

I can think of no better way to celebrate Pentecost, the giving of the Spirit, and the birthday of the church than to be led by the Spirit of God.

Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

Now it’s North Carolina’s turn to bask in the media attention that is sweeping across the country. Isn’t it unusual to be given this much attention by presidential candidates? You and I might even get close enough to touch Mr. Obama or Mrs. Clinton. We might even get to ask a question. Who knows? One of them might even show up to worship one Sunday accompanied by 50 or so secret service agents carefully positioned incognito throughout the sanctuary.

Which one is the best candidate for President of the U.S.A. I’ll leave that up to your prayerful discernment.

What I do know is that none of the presidential candidates is the best advocate for humanity. Then who is?

The Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandment. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” (John 14:15-17).

All the presidential candidates claim to be the best advocate for the people. Followers of Jesus Christ already know who the best advocate is…The Holy Spirit. Isn’t it freeing to hear the truth?

The Advocate of all, the Holy Spirit chooses us,

Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

I continue to be amazed how the Holy Scriptures serve as a vessel that carry us into depths of perception that provide perspective to inform and transform our lives. For instance, let’s take a deeper look into Matthew 28:1-10. (Please read this text.)

In what ways does this text inform and provide perspective upon your journey? Here are a few of the insights that give me perspective and transform my life:

The willingness to confess and not run away from our vulnerability… Notice how Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, allowed themselves to be vulnerable to the frightening transitions that were shaking the earth and shaking their identities. Still, they dared to journey to Golgotha. Still, they dared to journey to the tomb. Still, they dared to stay around long enough to listen to the angel who told them, I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him. They allowed God to be in charge of their lives. This involves fear and joy…the fear of being out of control; the joy of immersion in the presence of God.

The willingness to bow down and worship the Risen Christ… As soon as Christ revealed himself to both Marys, they bowed down and worshipped him. Praising Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord is an essential ingredient along the journey into resurrection life.

The willingness to go where God sends us… Following Jesus Christ means that we will be sent out to places we never would have traveled except for the conviction that God is in charge of our lives. We will witness to the Good News of salvation with persons Jesus Christ goes before us to help us meet, get to know, and lead to him.

Obedience leads to adventures into joy we never dreamed possible…
Obedience is painful. Tears of loss and transition abound. We are ripped away from comfortable nests we have carefully constructed for ourselves. Still, the willingness to be who God makes us to be; the willingness to do what God wants us to do; the willingness to go where God wants us to go leads to the embodiment of the joy of resurrection life. Others are transformed and so are we.

God, thank you for the Holy Scriptures and the ways you transform our lives through a community of faith immersed in them.

Journeying with you,
Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

I wonder how the mass media today would have portrayed the events leading up to Jesus’ death. “You Tube” sites would have lit up with all kinds of political commentaries mocking the one who called himself “The King of the Jews.” Headlines in local newspapers would have read: Another One Bites the Dust: Parade Hero One Day, Crucified Criminal The Next.

Imagine the conversations people were having. “Why would anyone want to follow someone who was crucified? What a joke. He couldn’t even save himself and people talked about how he was going to save us from Roman occupation.” Others just shook their heads in disgust.

Many persons are asking the same question today: “Why would anyone want to devote their lives following someone who ended up being killed on a cross?” Has anyone ever asked you that before?

I think one of the best places to begin a conversation concerning Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection is recorded in Paul’s letter to the Philippians 2: 5-11.
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Delve into the mysterious journey of the cross and your life will never be the same. You will not have to look far for adventure. You will not have to look far for excitement and meaning for you will become one of the vessels of the one living God who changes the universe. Thank you God for loving us so much you became completely vulnerable to save the world and us from sin.
Thank God we can journey to the cross together.

Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

Do you remember the first time you found yourself walking in an area so full of darkness that you could not see where you were going? Perhaps the electricity in the house failed all of a sudden. Perhaps you stayed outside playing into the night and found yourself “caught in the dark.” When you can’t see where you’re going, walking becomes quite an adventure.

As our heart beats race, our paces slow. We take shorter steps and reach out with our hands to make sure we don’t bump into any surprises. This is especially alarming if we are walking in this particular location for the first time.

Life’s passages and transitions can make us feel like we are walking in the dark. Any significant change perceived as a blessing or a curse often ends up feeling like both. Facing significant alterations along life’s journey feels a lot like having blindfolds on our faces. We don’t know exactly what is out in front of us. We don’t know exactly what the future holds.

Jesus Christ is the light of salvation. He meets us along the journeys we face. He takes hold of our hands and leads us. Sometimes he carries us like the image portrayed in that famous writing we know as “Footprints.” The fact that he can see what lies ahead gives us the courage to take one step at a time into the future. Trusting Christ to know the way sets us free from fear and worry. We trust that our Father, God, desires what is best for us. We trust that he is leading us to heaven. Along the way he empowers us to live as children of light.

The apostle Paul put it like this: “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light-for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.” (Romans 5:8-9).

Walking with you,

Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

I want to take this opportunity to let you know how thankful I am for each of you. I think that Hinshaw Church is full of authentic followers of Jesus Christ who are willing to learn, grow, and change; in other words, be disciples. For instance, I like the ways that you are intentionally reaching out to make new friends. Since the new year began, I have noticed that we are receiving a steady flow of first time worshippers. Many are returning.

Likewise, thank you for taking the time to work on holy habit reformation.

The period prior to Easter, known as “Lent” which means “spring forward,” is a wonderful time to work on holy habit reformation. Basically this is a time in which we invite God to take our “old creation habits and attitudes” and replace them with “new creation habits and attitudes.” What does that mean?

Basically, it means that followers of Jesus Christ are new creations. Like I said in a recent sermon, becoming a new creation in Christ is kind of like stepping into the wardrobe described in the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. We step into this wardrobe every time we participate in practices of faith that get us in touch with the presence of God. Over time, God weaves into our very souls in unique ways the characteristics of Jesus Christ. His thoughts become our thoughts. His ways become our ways. We give him our habits and he give us his.

What are some of these practices? Individual and corporate worship, prayer, scripture reading, participation in small groups for spiritual growth, practices of outreach and mission endeavors such as volunteering with Faith Action, Greensboro Urban Ministries, Teen Challenge, Appalachian Service Project, etc… Reading a book that helps us grow closer to Christ such as a biography or autobiography of a Christian can also be helpful.

I encourage you to practice the daily readings in the devotional material you received in the mail. Dr. James Howell, the writer, offers some significant insights. Also, I invite you to attend the Wednesday Lenten services and lunches. (Please see calendar on page 12.)

Growing with you in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

Many persons pick out their version of a text to live by and treat these words in such a way that they justify violating others who do not live according to their philosophy. Indeed, they go so far as to treat their sacred texts as “indispensable weapons” against the evil of the world. Evil is defined as anyone who disagrees with me.

Historical examples of persons who have used their holy texts to invade and take over other nations not only litter the pages of the Old Testament, they pollute the pages of human history. Genocide and so called “ethnic cleansing” continue to plague the earth today.

So how could any conscientious person refer to “God’s Word” as an “indispensable weapon?” It all depends what your definition of weapon is. According to the holy scriptures of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ used words that proceed from the mouth of God as the true bread of life that made the tempter or “devil” flee. The devil kept trying to give Jesus Christ good reasons to abandon his journey toward the cross and crucifixion. In a sense, Jesus Christ used the scriptures as a weapon to make “the evil one” leave.

If Jesus Christ needed an instrument to make the embodiment of evil flee, so do we. According to the author of Hebrews, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12).

Of course, the easy way out is to act as if evil does not exist. The easy way out is to act as if there are not principalities and powers seeking to give us good reasons to avoid being followers of Jesus Christ, particularly disciples who follow Jesus to the cross.

I invite you to read Matthew 4:1-11 and ask the question, “Why did the devil do his best to convince Jesus Christ not to follow the course of action in his ministry that would get him crucified?” Paul, the author of the letter to the Romans gave an answer to that question. He wrote, “Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. ‘For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:18-19).

Indeed, the word of God is not some make believe text that gives us false power to violate and oppress others. The word of God sets us free from self-interest and self-centeredness. The word of God gets us in touch with the One and only living being who loves all of humanity so much he gave the gift of wholeness and salvation to all of the world. The question is: “Will we open up the gift of God’s redemptive love and dare to face persons whose only intention is to be lord over others?” If we dare to answer yes, we will need a text that gets us in touch with the Creator of the universe. We will need a text that comes down from heaven to heal the earth. The Bible is the vehicle of embodied prayer that carries us into living encounters with the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us-even Jesus Christ our Savior, our Lord. Amen.
Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

 As we begin the new year, 2008, I thought I would share with you some of the thoughts that have been on my mind lately. 
 ”Methodism was and still is a movement of the Holy Spirit.”
 
Recently, I had the opportunity to be in conversation with some district superintendents who represent various annual conferences in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.  They told me that all of the bishops and district superintendents in the United Methodist Church gathered at Lake Junaluska, N.C. in November of 2007.  What they told me sounds very encouraging.  Here is a synopsis of what I heard.  One district superintendent told me, “We talked about how Methodism has always been a movement of the Holy Spirit.  It was never meant to be primarily an institution.  We talked about how there are aspects of the institution we must allow to die so we can be more intentional about participating again in the movements of the Holy Spirit.”  Another district superintendent talked about how he was excited about a book that participants studied that was written by retired Bishop Rueben Job.  The title of the book is, Three Simple Rules.  These are the “three simple rules” the classes or small groups of early Methodism based daily practices of their Christian faith around:  “Do Good.”  “Do no harm.”  “Stay in love with Jesus Christ and your neighbor.”  “What would it be like if all of the churches who are United Methodist took seriously these three simple rules and applied them to our lives and ministry?”  “What difference would that make?”  I rejoice that our bishops and district superientendents are becoming more and more intentional about inviting us to follow the movements of the Holy Spirit.  I believe that we have an exciting future ahead.  History has shown that God equips the Body of Christ to rise up and meet the challenges of each new day.  I rejoice that Hinshaw Church is experiencing new spiritual growth.  We are also seeing a steady influx of new sisters and brothers into our congregation.
 
Participation in Small Groups is essential to spiritual growth.
 
If you’re making any new year’s resolutions, I encourage you to include the following:  “I will continue (or begin) participating in a small group that meets weekly.  The purpose of the small group is to help each other grow closer to Jesus Christ and grow in practices of authentic discipleship.”  Please take a look at the newsletter and consider becoming part of one of the small groups meeting at Hinshaw such as the new “Companions in Christ” group that will begin meeting soon. 

A Special Prayer to Begin the New Year: A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition
 
This is a powerful prayer that the small groups that met in the first Methodist classes in England shared.  It is especially appropriate as we begin a new year together.  It is a prayer that gets at the heart of faithful discipleship.
 
“I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low by you. Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
 
Growing with you,
Rev.Dr. Bart Milleson

Do clocks fascinate you? Have you ever entered into a room that has been decorated by a clock collector? Almost 100 versions of clocks surround the room ranging from Grandfather clocks crafted in Germany and Switzerland to electronic versions flashing the latest technology. Ever since the first day of creation, persons have been fascinated by the “keeping of time.”

Some of my favorite films focus upon themes of time travel. What would it be like to travel back in time and change the future? What would it be like to travel back in time and change a big mistake from the past? What would it be like to travel back in time and keep someone from harm?

What would it be like to stop time? What would it be like to stand in “the eternal now?” Only God transcends human history and time. In a sense, God is the only true “time keeper.” Thank God, when he created us, he did not fashion us after a clock named “destiny.” Destiny is the theory that God has already planned out every fine detail of creation. Persons who believe in “destiny” come up with some pretty strange theories about free will.

The kind of time followers of Jesus Christ believe in is referred to in Latin as “Kairos.” “Kairos” time means God is more active than all of the combined activities of humanity to bring about his will upon the earth. One way God changes time occurs when he lives through followers of Jesus Christ to bring about his will. An example of “Kairos” time is the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Notice how Mary and Joseph responded to and cooperated with God’s acts in history. If ever the “tick tock” of the clock stopped it did so on Christmas Eve when all of creation heard the birth cry of the Son of God. Persons from all over the world felt like the Creator of the universe stopped “Chronos” time and entered into human history.

When we give to God the sins of our past, when we give to God the anxieties of our futures; we are set free to enter into what God is seeking to bring about in each moment, in each breath. Let us embody many “eternal moments” in the year 2008.

“Lord, deepen our awareness of you and what you’re up to and 2008 will be full of many moments when we sense the Holy Spirit transforming ordinary time into sacred time.”

“Healing Old Wounds”

“But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.”
Luke 15:20

One of the greatest Christmas gifts God invites us to open is the gift of his redeeming love. God’s redeeming love heals old wounds. This is beautifully portrayed in the story Jesus told about the Father, younger son, and older son. The younger son received his inheritance early and took off and wasted it on a lot of rebellious acts that almost destroyed his life. He came to his senses and decided to return home. Before he even had the chance to apologize, his dad ran out of the house, embraced him, and shed tears of joy. The father even hosted a big celebration for his son who was lost but now is found. The older son, who had stayed at home and “double-timed it” around the farm, refused to attend the celebration. He had grown rather attached to his old wound.

This story has a lot of similarities with Christmas. Jesus Christ came to earth to heal us from old wounds that had multiplied since the first man and woman had rebelled against God’s love. God, our Father, took the initiative to seek us out and embrace us. In the birth, incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God offers us the opportunity to participate in the celebration of his redeeming love every moment of every day. Will we let go of the old wounds we have carried for so long? When we allow God to embrace us, old wounds heal. They are replaced by a depth of compassion that surprises us.

Getting Ready for Christmas with you,

Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

In October, I had the opportunity to attend The Pastor’s Convocation at Duke Divinity School.  The theme for the event focused on “Being Stewards of God’s Creation.”  It was one of the most unsettling events I have ever attended.  While I knew that the earth’s eco-systems are “crying out in pain” from years of abuse, I did not know and I’m sure I still do not comprehend the seriousness of the matters before us.  We continue to strip and devastate the earth’s resources at an unprecedented rate of destruction.  When God looks at the eco-systems of the earth today, how does God feel?  God’s heart must break when he sees how miserably humanity, including Christians, have failed with our primary responsibility and duty… to be stewards of the earth.  (So much data was presented during the seminars to support the fact that the eco-systems of the earth are in serious trouble that there is not room to report it here.  We can locate this data in many places: libraries, the world wide web, scientific journals, etc…)
 
On the way back to Greensboro, I realized that there are two practices I need to prayerfully reflect upon much more:  consumption and restraint.
I prayed, “God as you already know, I need to make many habit changes regarding consumption and restraint.  Help me to begin taking small steps so I can be a better steward of the earth’s resources.”
 
Last night, I watched part of the NFL. football game between The Philadelphia Eagles and The Dallas Cowboys.  I felt touched by the fact that the station televising the game was making a small step toward going “green” to conserve energy.  They did this by turning off the lights in the broadcast room.  The commentators reported “in the dark” without burning the lights.  As they said, “This only makes a small difference, but if each of us will begin making a small difference, it will make a big difference throughout the earth.” 
 
It’s true.  Small habits lead to bigger habits.  Holy reformation takes a life time.  Praise God, he sends us the Holy Spirit to provide the most important energy we need to change… his remarkable love.  Learning to trust in God’s energy more will help us learn to abuse the earth’s energy less.
 
Love in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

Recently, I started reading a book entitled, The Race to Reach Out: Connecting Newcomers to Christ in a New Century
written by Douglas T. Anderson and Michael J. Coyner. It is one of the most practical books I have read concerning
the importance of having a process in place to help us fulfill the most important reasons why we are Hinshaw
Church… We are here to invite persons to Christ, invite them into our fellowship, and grow together in Christian
discipleship.

I find the title of the book to be really interesting because the authors talk about running a race. For instance, Michael
Coyner writes this in the introduction to the book, “Running on the track team during my senior year of high
school taught me a lot about teamwork. I enjoyed running and loved to compete in track, but I was not the fastest
individual runner. My track coach made me a relay specialist. This stroke of genius appealed to my competitive
nature; I was not simply a third or fourth place runner in individual events, but rather a relay specialist. I could make
a difference for the team. I had something to offer. I could help us win. So I worked very hard in my new role. I
worked on my speed, endurance, conditioning, and running curves smoothly and evenly-just like the rest of the
team. But I worked especially hard on the handoffs. I worked on precise timing so the baton would be exchanged
smoothly and efficiently within the exchange zone, which was absolutely essential to avoid disqualification. Those
lessons proved to be valuable not only on the track, they also became a central metaphor for my understanding of
ministry. I came to realize that many aspects of ministry require a teamwork that is similar to running a relay race in
a track meet. This is especially true for the process of getting persons who are new to Christ and the church involved
in the heart of ministry”. (Words in italics are paraphrased.) (Page ix).

We need the assistance of many persons in the congregation to participate on this essential relay team. We need persons
to take part in helping with the following relay positions: 1) Attracting Newcomers 2) Welcoming Newcomers
3) Identifying Newcomers 4) Responding to Newcomers 5) Listening to Newcomers 6) Including Newcomers and 7)
Including Newcomers as New Members. Each relay position is key and will involve taking ownership for specific
practical responsiblities. Again, many persons will be involved with this. We need all of the participants possible.
Please prayerfully consider helping out with this. The book will be a helpful tool to help each person understand
your duty on the team.

Several copies of this book are available in the church office. (Donation for book cost is $15.00).
In the near future, I will lead a seven week study based upon this book. (In some cases, persons may only want to
attend the specific sessions that relate most to their areas of interest.) This is SO IMPORTANT, I’m making it as
user friendly as possible. Please let me know if you would like to take part or learn more. (Also, let me know which
time is best for you… Begin the sessions ASAP or begin in January.)

I’m excited because several persons who heard about this did not want to wait until we have the formal study. They
already are reading copies at home. This will be good ground work and give us time to immerse this in prayer before
we have the study, and we begin putting together a smooth beautiful team of co-workers minstering together in
the vineyard of God’s kingdom. Please begin praying over this for God’s annointing upon us all.

Reaching Out with you,
Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

A congregation grows up to or down to her vision of what she believes God is capable of accomplishing through her.
I am thankful for the amount of faith vision I am witnessing in you.  For instance, ministry committees and teams consistently look to God for guidance.  We rejoice because we are embodying the attitude revealed in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him (Jesus Christ) who strengthens me.”  For instance, only a few moments ago a long time member of the church remarked, “Did you know that we do a lot more than many of the larger churches in our community?”  “Yes, it is remarkable what we are doing for Christ.”  Thanks for your faithfulness. 
 
 When we surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ, it’s like  jumping into the Holy Spirit river that flows from heaven to earth.
  If you’ve ever canoed or gone whitewater rafting, the current will carry you where it wants you to go.  We can trust the Holy Spirit to help us grow up in his time, in his way.  We can trust the Holy Spirit to help us become the persons and fulfill the dreams God put us here on the earth to embody.  Let us remember, the church is the boat.  God is more active than we are to ”bump us into” the persons he wants us to form Christ-like relationships.  God guides us along the journey.  God goes before us to teach us, give us experiences, and grow us up to maturity.
 
The congregation is getting ready to enter into some in depth dreaming and planning.                  
We will begin with a small group chosen by the Lay Leadership Committee on Nominations.  This small group will participate in an eight week journey that will primarily help us focus on two questions:
Are we being obedient to God’s call for our church? (Which means we have to have some clarity about what that call is for our church right now. This is a vision question.)
2. Are we willing to reach our full potential for God? (Which is are we willing to pay the price, whatever that price may be.)
 This eight week gathering will only be the beginning.  Then the vision team will continue meeting to develop a long term plan that will include input from the entire congregation.  Please see the information shared in this newsletter by our lay leader, Mr. Tom Smith.
 
Learning with you, 
Rev. Dr. Bart Milleson

The other day someone looked at me like I was crazy, (I’m becoming more and more accustomed to that),  because I told him, “We are living in some of the most challenging and exciting times of Christian discipleship.”  With a look that would have made “doubting” Thomas proud, my friend asked, “How’s that?”  I responded, “More and more persons do not claim the Christian way of life as the way for them.  More and more persons do not see any need at all for a commitment to a community of faith where we help each other mature and become like Christ.”  “Yes, you’re right,” my friend said.  “So explain to me how this is one of the most exciting times to be in ministry today.”
 
It took a while for me to respond.  All I could think to say was, “It’s more exciting because we have to depend upon Jesus Christ more.  It’s exciting because we are being called to spend more time in prayer.  It’s exciting because we are being called to take an honest look in the mirror and admit, We have lost our love and concern for persons who are not yet Christians.  We have enjoyed fellowshipping so much with other Christians that we forgot the basic purpose of fellowship.”
 
My friend looked at me rather funny again and said, “What’s the basic purpose of fellowship?”  I responded, “The basic purpose of fellowship is to be part of a group of fellow disciples who care enough to help us become like Jesus Christ.  In other words, during Christian fellowship, our hearts and minds are fed with the love of Christ.  This empowers us to reach outside of our Christian fellowship to form new friendships with persons who are not yet followers of Jesus Christ.  This requires transformation on our part.  God will bring about the transformation if we let him.”
 
Then my friend smiled because he knew he had cornered me with the following objection.  “Bart, the church as we know it is aging.  More and more persons who have been truly dedicated are growing older and they can’t reach out like they used to when they were young.  Their bodies won’t let them.”
 
“You’re right,” I said.  “We need for them to pray fervently, God, equip younger participants of the church to reach out, form new friendships, and share their faith.  Help them reach out and know the joy of leading persons to Christ.”
 
Then my friend said, “Our church is not big enough to reach out.  We’re too small.”  I opened up the Bible and read from Luke 10: 1-2, “The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Then I said, “I believe that Jesus Christ knows a whole lot more about farming and harvest time than we do.  If he thought 70 persons were enough to go out and lead persons to claim him as the Leader and Redeemer of their lives, than 70 persons must be enough to do the same today.  Think what would happen if 35 teams in our congregations started meeting each week to pray, “God, make it part of the very fabric of my being to constantly be on the look out to make new friendships, to look for open doors to share my faith, and really care deeply about my new friends. Help me lead them to accept Christ and following him as their primary reason for breathing.”  “I believe God is moving upon our congregations to help that happen now.  It’s not a program.  It’s a way of life.  God is spontaneously moving to help people team up right now.  Some of the persons teaming up are older.  They’re on the phone right now telling their friend, ‘Let’s agree to call each other once a week and pray fervently for persons in our congregation to lead others to Christ.’  I believe that right now teams are springing up where people have decided they are going to support each other in their adventures to make new friends and lead them to Christ and church. Throughout history, God has equipped followers of Jesus Christ to go out and know the joy of leading someone else to know the joy of being a Christian.  May we know that joy today.”

 Thank God we are participants in a community of miraculous expectation.  What does a community of miraculous expectation look like?

A lot like us.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we are aware that the triune God is a lot more active than we are in bringing about the fulfillment of his will.  We believe that God has put us in this place at this time to fulfill his unique plan for Hinshaw Church and the communities with whom we minister.  We believe that God has written a script for us.  It is our job to discover, claim, and impliment the script that God has written.  With hearts, eyes, and ears open wide, we anticipate ways the Holy Spirit is making God’s will known.  We ask questions like, “What does God want to accomplish through Hinshaw Church?”  “Who does God want us to reach?”  “In what ways does God want us to reach the persons he is already working on bringing to Christ through this church?” “In what ways does he want us to enter into Christ-like friendship and be in ministry with persons who tend to be ignored by society?”  As participants of a community of miraculous expectation, we believe that God constantly works to make us Christ-like; therefore, we do not fear change.  We embrace it.  After all, the changes God impliments into our lives make us more like Jesus.  We realize that we are living in exceptionally challenging times for ministry.  We are not discouraged by this news.  We embrace this news with excitement because we realize we cannot minister on our own strength.  We are too weak and overwhelmed by sin and broken-ness.  We are in deep water.  We are in over our heads.  Since we are a community of miraculous expectation, we embrace this information as good news.  We swim trusting in the buoyancy of the Holy Spirit to transform the world’s tears into compassion.  We swim into the depths of the waters of baptism.  The church is the vessel, the ark.  Jesus is the vine.  We are the branches.  A part from him, we can do nothing.  We can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us!  God, have your way with us.  Place us in your will and let’s participate in miracles.

Many persons today are seeking a fellowship where they can grow into an intimate relationship with the Creator of the universe.  Many persons begin their search by looking for a congregation that “has it all together.”  Usually, “having it all together” is defined by the following criteria: “Several people there my age;” “Many programs to meet my needs;” “A place where I can go to be spiritually fed;” “A place where not too much is expected of me because of my busy life;” ”A big gathering in a fancy new building.” 

Praise God!  We are not that kind of church.  We are a church full of people from many different backgrounds including socio-economic class, ethnicity, nationality, generation, music tastes, and beliefs. 

We believe God loves us so much that God not only accepts us as we are and where we are;  God loves us enough to help us grow up and mature.  God does this by bringing us into intimate Christ-like friendship with persons who appear to be quite different than we are.  As we grow closer to friends with different backgrounds, we begin to take on each other’s unique Christ-like characteristics.

Societal barriers are broken.  We become peace makers and  bridge builders at our places of employment, in the neighborhoods where we live, in our families, and so on… Not only do we give money to meet the needs of the materially impoverished, we offer ourselves, our time and our love and the giver and recipient are blessed by one another.

Do you want to grow in authentic Christ-like discipleship? Do you want to be part of a congregation who believes that God not only expects a lot out of us, he provides the resources to make us saints?

Gather with us this Sunday on 4501 High Point Road, 9am or 11 am.

We need you as much as you need us.

Bart