Our children may be grown up, but when you come to the Barnes house, usually you’ll find people there. We love to do life with people. Yesterday we had several families over for Easter lunch. We put a delicious spread of food on the buffet, prayed, even sang a little, and then dug in. Afterward some went out and threw the frisbee while some talked on the porch.
[Program note: Tomorrow, we’ll do it all over again celebrating Karen’s birthday (she’ll be 29). If you’re reading this, you’re invited – our place, 6 pm (if you can’t make it, please wish her happiness with a quick email).]
There are many ways to celebrate life together. All of us are involved in missions – involved in building the kingdom by reaching out to the poor together in some way.
I’m not sure how this got to be such a counter-cultural thing. Of all people, those of us in the church should experience community. Yet these days, people are more alone than ever. Kit McDermott unpacks this trend and casts a vision for what should be normal in an excerpt from his blog.
As Americans we’re often so unreflectively immersed in the ethos of individual freedoms, pursuits and identity that even our church life can appear as an exercise in being alone together. We’re born and bred individual consumers and volunteers.I know for a fact from conversations I’ve had with people, especially those in their 20’s, that the longing for such a community resonates largely unmet. They want to live for something magnificent than themselves . . . with others; something heroic and noble; something hard to do, but so worth it. Sadly, they’ve not really seen “be the we” lived out in their church experience.The closest some of them get is in college as part of Christian Fellowship or parachurch ministry. Once away from those spiritual environs, they feel a sadness and frustration about not finding missional community lived out in the local church, even a little cynicism. We in the church can talk a good game and still live a shamefully tepid discipleship – being spectators and religious consumers. Comfort zones thrive in American Christianity.Being alone or in affinity cliques together, misses the point of the Church in the world. Jesus has unequivocally summoned us to accomplish something courageous in our neck of the woods. That’s why we’re here together.“Being the we” is each one of us following hard after Jesus, but together; not alone. All of us covered, supported, encouraged, given rest, then gently lifted back to our feet when we need it, and loved as we work to change the world toward the Kingdom reign of God.No one is left behind. No one is kept silent. We don’t shoot our wounded, shun our “difficult” ones, or send the sinner packing. The broken are welcomed, embraced, healed, trained, strengthened, and invited into the fray beside all of us when they have their sea legs. We all share inestimable worth, and a wondrous destiny.
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Seth Barnes
I'm motivated to join God in his global reclamation project. He's on the move, setting his sons and daughters free from their places of captivity. And he's partnering with those of us who have been freed to go and free others.
The last paragraph says it all.
Happy Birthday KarenMom! 🙂
Seth, amazing how you keep dropping these bombs! Mad respect…Jim