Infuse In Focus

Beginning this Sunday at 5:00 we'll be doing an in-depth three-week look at Infuse. It will include some discussion about what the terms "organic" and "missional" mean in relation to church, a look at discipleship and what it really means to follow Jesus, and some specifics about the vision and life of Infuse. Our hope is that it will serve as a solid orientation for those who are joining with Infuse and a clear picture for those who are just interested in what we're doing. I'm excited about it because it has shown me clearly how far we've come in a year. Our focus and ability to explain what we're about are far greater now than they were then.

It's an open invitation, so if you or someone you know wants to come just email us and we'll get you directions.

Welcome Denver-ites!

This week Ty, Meagan, and Katrina arrived from Denver. And last night we had them with us on a Sunday night for the first time. (We also had Asa with us who's visiting from KY which was great!) It was an amazing feeling to have them sitting there as tangible evidence of so many prayers answered. We have been praying for them and their potential move for about 8 months now. In the process there have been obstacles, doubts, excitement, planning--but in the end God brought them here. It was an emotional moment realizing how amazing their move here really is.

As you think of it, pray for them this week. They need to find jobs and places to live. They have left family and friends, and over the next few weeks that will really hit them. Pray that God gives them continued peace about coming here and that they're able to settle in quickly. Praise God!

This Week in Aurora

Downtown development
More new condos are being rehabed in a historic building downtown and will be complete with a Potbelly, my favorite sandwich shop, and a wine shop.

Riveredge Park
This project is somewhat controversial here, but the economic impact and beautification of the riverfront has huge potential. It's something many of us are following, as it will mean more people downtown and new ways to connect with people. It'll be a great "third space." Now the city is looking for some grant money to help make the dream more of a reality.

See the sketches here.

Fermilab
Though in Batavia, it sits on the border of Aurora. Fermilab, a Department of Energy particle accelerator with lots of smart physicists, lost funding recently and has been in danger of forced layoffs and cutbacks. The good news is that those jobs were just saved by a supplemental appropriations bill last week.

Crime in Aurora
For years Aurora has had a bad stereotype for being unsafe and crime-filled. Aurora police recently announced some good news that crime is again down, and no murders were committed in the 1st half of 2008.

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What should Christian marriage be like?

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Missional Mish-mash

Recently there has been a lot of great conversation going on about the word "missional." It is a very necessary conversation as this word continues to be watered down to the point it's like my iced tea yesterday after sitting in the sun for two hours. In our culture there are many buzzwords that are birthed with a specific meaning that are then either highjacked or broadened to the point they mean nothing and then they pass away. I credit Alan Hirsch, one of the people who has popularized this term, with realizing that this was happening to the word "missional" and trying to do something about it.

Read Alan's post on this here.

From my perspective (which is the only perspective I have) one of the biggest reasons missional has become marginalized is that it is understood as a church thing rather than a people of God thing. A church is not missional because it has an outreach program--even if it's an extensive outreach program. It seems so many churches now want to highlight the ways they're reaching out to the community and then call themselves missional. Now those programs may contribute to the mission of Christ in that church, but unless the people of God in that church have apprehended a missional mind, heart, and way of living that is exhibited throughout their life (not just when they go to volunteer at the outreach event) then the church is not missional.

Somehow we have arrived at a place in Western Christianity where discipleship is outsourced to the staff and programs of a church rather than it being a part of every Christ-follower's life. All a person has to do is show up on Sunday morning and then participate in some of what the church has going on and BAM that's discipleship. But it's not. That can be a helpful part of discipleship, but being conformed to the image of Christ is not a program or something a pastor can force on you, you have to open yourself and allow Jesus to transform you. In this transformation we will become missional because we will apprehend the heart of God for the world and will seek to join him in that mission in every moment of life. As that happens churches will be missional because the people are missional.

Here are a couple other posts you should check out on this issue.
Ryan Taylor on missional and discipleship
Cory Whitehead on Alan Hirsch

We Chose Our Adventure

Last night we were driving home from a trip to the local Target (we needed new water bottles since we recently pitched all the cancer causing #7 bottles) and I had a strange realization. I don't really know where it came from, but I think it is a good summary of what our life is like now.

"Michelle," I bellowed (I didn't really bellow, but that's a much cooler word than said), "I was just thinking that if we had moved here so I could take a job in a church, we probably wouldn't have any of the friends we have now. We'd be spending all our time with church people and church programs. I'm sure we'd have some friends, but they'd all be different."

If we had moved here and right away gone into a church, especially if I was a pastor there, I wouldn't be at Starbucks every morning (unless it was to meet with someone from church), Michelle wouldn't have started a playgroup (she'd have stuff for moms with church people), I wouldn't spend any evenings in local bars, we wouldn't be having cookouts for people in our neighborhood, and the list goes on. In many ways it's been very hard to find friends without going into a church, that's how we've always done it, but we're both really enjoying the relationships that are growing right now. We look forward to more forming from our neighborhood, coffee shops, bars, playgroups, and many other places in the coming months.

Reclaiming the Word "Missional"

I had the opportunity to meet Alan Hirsch a couple weeks ago, which was a great honor and, of course, included captivating, thoughtful discussion.

As part of his stop at CTI, he did an interview with Leadership journal and Out of Ur. You can find the audio here.

The short clip focuses on what "missional" really means (because everyone seems to be using the word these days), and I've included a few of my notes here:

• A missionary stance toward the culture
  
• Treat neighbors as a cross-cultural environment
  
• Pretend you're in Papua New Guinea and have to learn all about a new culture
  
• There are hundreds of subcultures around us (different music tastes, hobbies, dress code, political thinking, etc)
  

What does an attractional church do if it realizes they need to shift their posture to a more missional mindset?:

• Win the battle of the imagination
  
• Dethrone Constantine (that the Church exists beyond the institution)
  
• Be patient because it's such a huge shift
  
• Everyone has to take an active role and realize they're more than consumers
  
• Know that people will be upset by this shift
  

Listen to the short audio clip for more context.