Epic Update

After I attended the first Epic service (new church being planted here) I got super excited about things and I just couldn't stop thinking of Ryan, his wife Holly and their team. I sent Ryan a message and let him know about my interests and asked some questions. I got a hold of their statement of Faith (which is just awesome) and read through it. Jamie and I met with Ryan and Holly and another team member the following Thursday and it was just really great. Kind of gave everybody an idea of who everyone was, where we came from, what we were searching for, and so far it seems all interests are mutual. 4th of July I was able to meet even MORE of the team, when we all sat together to see fireworks at a local church (in town). AND to top it all off I was able to attend a worship practice this week and am getting kind of excited : ) I am also very very interested in the youth group their...they actually still have one from the church that used to be there, the youth leader never stopped seeing them. How. Cool. SO those are my excitements. Jamie is going to the service this Sunday and I think once he leaves we will be seeing ourselves in a new church home. Ill keep ya posted : )

Epic

We have been going to Crossroads church, about a half an hour away from here. I have really really enjoyed it. Only problem is the same one we always have...one car...Jamie working....driving half an hour away doesn't always fit our schedule. I was actually starting to get bummed out, once again. It is such a great place to be...and when I found that we couldn't go for a couple of months I just got bummed!

My friend, Ray, told me about a friend of hers who was planting a church, literally around the corner from my house. (a 15 minute walk) They are called Epic. While they are not associated with any particular denomination, they have plans to join a group that is involved with Mark Driscoll or a group involved with the general baptist. They went over there core beliefs and values last Sat night at a "practice" service. I took the girls while Jamie was at work and just really soaked up the heart that people are putting into this new congregation. Among the core values they included that they thought it was important to change with culture, making it clear they are not crowd pleasers...but now that communication and the way messages are delivered may change over the course of time due to the change in our culture. I really appreciated this.

They still have a lot up in the air for them and I am not sure how big they will be..but I feel very connected to their efforts and can see our family building into it given the Lord wills it. Jamie still needs to check it out...so he will be going to their next service on the 10th. If he feels called to it I could see this being a place we make our permanent home church. As much as I love crossroads and the people there...I feel like it has just been like pulling teeth to get there. We will see what God brings. Please pray for guidance for us as we decide where we are called.

Finding a Local Family

Jamie and I have gone to Crossroads church in Kokomo a couple of times now. At first I was just taken back with how BIG they are! Not so much how many people...but just everything! This church is really contemporary and really modern. The "Kids Town" is super organized! I was so surprised at how many classrooms, volunteers, and thought went into the kids programming. My kids seem to love there time there. Also the church has a great modern worship band! So energizing....AND they have a cafe where you can get breakfast before the service. They have men's groups, women's groups, family groups, small groups, and so many places to give! I was super overwhelmed after the first time we went...but yesterday I felt refreshed! (After lots of thought and a conversation with my mom) I can definitely see this place as a place my family can find a source of refreshment and a place we can build into. The thing I love the most is that everyone is just real. They are at a hard place in their life and they have needs, but it is like hundreds of people just coming together to praise God and put all of our differences and struggles at the alter and just come together for one common thing, to love and praise God and allow Him to meet us where we stand. I love it! I am excited to see how things unfold and what will happen and am thankful that we have a place to worship and get involved at the moment. The pastor said an interesting thing yesterday... he was introducing a couple who were going to dedicate their baby "These two people could go on and live their faith even without a church, and they would do it, they would live in their faith, but they choose to be apart of this church body and this is where God has placed them." I think that is so true...any of us can live out our faith on our own but there is something about being in a body and sharing and building into that is just so important. I also appreciate that they said...the child is molded by the home, the home by the parents, and the parents by the church.  5 months is too long to feel out of the church loop and I am thankful that this is where God has us. 

Churchy Church

Have I mentioned that I miss Life Community Church? Well I do...to the point that I am comparing our church we are attending now (the one we were married in) to it...and it just isn't making the cut. I don't feel like this church we are in now even comes close to being like LCC. I know that things can't always be the same, I knew that we would be losing a valuable part of our week by moving away from LCC, but that is life. I also knew that coming back to Peru could mean that things could be different from when we first moved here, and it seems that our current church is one of those things. It isn't that they are preaching the wrong things, or their beliefs are screwy. It's just a lack of community for Jamie and myself, not necessarily their fault. Jamie works so much and finding a way to get the girls and I there is just nearly impossible. We had someone offer to ask around at church to pick us up...but no response from anyone. And that is ok. I had a good friend of mine (who goes to a different church) offer to take us there but I think because I haven't even followed through that I am just not feeling it.

 There is a church about a half a mile away from here and I think we may go and visit it....literally half a mile, walking distance. I had to very good friends who went there, Jan and Stephanie. Unfortunately Jan passed away a few years ago, but I remember really enjoying his memorial service and it was in that church. I don't know if Stephanie still goes there, but I figure it's worth a visit. If it doesn't work out I am not sure if we will still pursue our current church or go to another? I really am kind of lost about it, and I don't like being out of Christian fellowship. I guess we'll see what God has in store.

Becoming Humble

  We had the blessing of going to small group last night with a group of mostly couples with kids and a single mother and a single gal who runs our children's ministries. It was really great. Really refreshing...takes the frustration off of not being able to come to church every single Sunday. Our study was about becoming more humble. How even the most underprivileged person in the US is still wealthy in comparison to those else where. Just kept pushing making ourselves less and less. I just see some areas in my life that I can, once again, brush up on. I want to become less of me and let Him become more of me. We talked about how we think we are right with the Lord...but sometimes still need to reevaluate where we are. Jamie and I saw some areas where maybe we are "lukewarm" and can improve. I guess in life there are always areas you can improve in. I don't know...just a couple of thoughts.

First Baptist Church

When Jamie and I started getting serious we decided to find our own church. The first place we went was First Baptist Church (after much research online at statements of Faith and such) and we never left! Pastor Paul not only married us, but he gave us his services and use of the church chapel for free. I have always loved this man's preaching and heart for the lost and wounded. We went there for 3 years before we moved out to Illinois.
Yesterday we were able to visit for the first time since returning and the best part is-we didn't tell anyone we were moving back :D HAHA! Pastor Paul was so happy to see us and our daughters. He hadn't met either before. He asked what we were doing in the area and when we told him we were back he was just so excited! The same with several other couples (all around our parents age) one person said we even made his day. We were introduced to the girl in charge of Children's Ministry and she showed me Jubilee's classroom and everything they would be doing. The worship service was great and I forgot how they had a slightly charismatic side to them as they started clapping and cheering at the lyrics that talked about Jesus conquering the grave. Juju was even dancing a little : ) Haha I have a feeling that will take a little time to get used to. The message was wonderful and Pastor Paul had to embarrass us and announce we were back and he was so happy to have us home. It was all really great.
It was also hard though, while we have only ever been shown love at that church; our relationships there were never as strong as the ones at LCC in Chicago. Not that we CAN'T have those kind of relationships, we can definitely work towards that...it just made me sad a little. I missed being on worship team. I am determined to build lasting relationships at this church and make them stronger. We already have such a great relationship with Pastor Paul and his wife and we are going to be in their small group on Sunday evenings so I think it will take off from there. Really excited to see where we can serve and what God has in store this new year.

Convictions

I feel like God has been working on my heart in a few areas lately...

The first one is finances. He has really. been. working. on. me. Really, it has been a hard road. I feel like I am still coming to terms with the fact that we aren't as blessed as other people when it comes to finances. But that is ok. I am still learning how to use the things that I DO have to glorify Him. I find it funny how much I want to do and give to other people. Like God gave me this heart of hospitality, but that I don't have much to do with it. I am learning that the things I find precious and mean a lot to me, may not to other people, but I shouldn't be ashamed to share them just because of how they are valued to others.

The next one is being green! I have been really convicted by Pastor Kirk's discussions lately about caring for creation. This world was given to us and we really aren't taking care of it. I know I am just one person but I am going to start recycling once we move and maybe even start a garden. I am going to shove my kids outside and let them just soak up nature and learn from the things God put right in front of us. I am also getting rid of stuff that is just sitting in our house that we don't use and donating it to people who may need it...not just want it.

Number three would be church politics. For the longest time I have stayed away from this subject. I hate politics...they confuse me and make me worry about the right and wrong decision. They just really take me out of my comfort bubble. I have been thinking lately how important it is for people my age to step up, be involved, and apart of church politics. We may not like how things are run or how things are set up...but who is going to grow the church if we all just sit at home on our ass'. I'm worried that the church will die, I wonder if our parents or there parents ever thought this too....maybe I am worrying way to much. Either way...I know I am just one person...once again...I need to do what I can. Don't get me wrong, I do know that church can be in more than just one setting, I am just worried that the idea of meeting in the name of the Lord and sharing with one another will be gone sooner than we think.

My last conviction is a bit of a controversy, but I am tired of not talking about it. I have finally got to the point that I just become upset about how ignorant people are about this topic.

Homosexuality and the church. I am so tired of people saying things about homosexuals and how they are unworthy of God's love, or can't truly be saved. This group of people is loved by God exactly the same as we are. I do think that homosexuality is a sin, the Bible clearly shows God does not favor it. (When He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) BUT He also does not favor:

hoarding -when the Israelites kept extra manna for themselves in disbelief God would not provide more, God rotted it and brought bugs and mold into their camp.
lust- David lusted after another man's wife and the result was a curse upon his house and his baby dying
jealousy- Cain was jealous of Abel and killed him...sending him to wander and struggle all of his days
gossip- the snake in the garden went around gossiping and spreading uncertainties to Adam and Eve which resulted in man's first sin and hardships for mankind as we know it

I can go on and on...point is...a sin is a sin and I am NOT going to sit here and say that someone who lives the homosexual lifestyle is less than I am or is unworthy to sit in a church and listen to God's word. Like Pastor Paul says "I don't care if they come and sit in my church, as long as they are prepared to hear what the Bible says about it"

It is not my place to judge people, it is God's. I do believe that there are people living this lifestyle that are saved and are going to heaven. All man lives in sin and continues to sin up until the day he dies, and it isn't my place to say that their struggle is a worse struggle than my own.

If we aren't willing to show others the love of Christ, than who will?

Feel free to leave comments about any of the above topics. I'm stepping off my soap box for now. ; )