Birthday Tattoo

Last week we celebrated the 23rd birthday of one of the incredible ladies in our church. She asked us all to chip in for her first tattoo. Sitting around the fire pit, we asked her what the design was going to be. Her reply? "Ex 14:14."

It's Moses encouragement to Israel as they're hemmed in by the Egyptian army behind and the Red Sea in front. "The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still." Great verse, and even greater miracle to follow.

Our birthday girl is a walking miracle too. Almost a year ago to the day, her brother goes to visit her in a little town in the Mid-West. She is living with her girlfriend, far from God, feeling trapped and helpless. Her brother offers to cancel his flight home and drive 2000 miles to L.A. with her if she will pack her stuff and leave the relationship. Two days later she arrives in L.A. with her brother and all her belongings in two big trash bags.

The first weekend here she visits our church and God meets with her powerfully. She tells me that she feels loved for the first time in years. She rediscovers a gift of tongues that has laid dormant since she was a six year old in her father's church.
God begins to lead her on the long walk to freedom.

A year later and she is barely recognizable from the lady who arrived desperate, carrying black trash bags. Of course there have been dark days and difficult decisions. But God has been a rescuing, transforming God. She is a daughter of Exodus, the blood of the Lamb smeared indelibly on the doorposts of her life.
All of us around that fire pit are children of Exodus. We are astounded at what God has done in one short year. The least we can do is chip in for a birthday tattoo.

From Unity Musings to Unity Charter

Thanks for the comments on the musings. One of my friends has already used it with his leadership team and said it was very helpful. After another brainstorm with the elders, we have reworked our musings into a charter that we intend to model and teach to our community. Hope it can be helpful to yours too. Here goes.

1) Because we believe that Christ reconciled us firstly to God, but secondly to one another in his body the church, we will make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit both between local churches and within our local church. Unity does not mean complete agreement or conformity. Through the cross we can be united in diversity as we attain to the unity of the faith. (Eph 4:1-16)
2) We maintain unity primarily by speaking the truth in love to our neighbor, rather than speaking about them. We recognize that the tongue has the power of life and death, and acknowledge that the sinful nature has a tendency to avoid face to face communication and resort to gossip, malice and slander, which grieve the Spirit. (Eph 4: 16 -32)
3) We acknowledge that whether we take offense or cause offense, the initiative remains with us to go and seek peace. Forgiveness requires that we send our debtor away debt free, because we have been sent away debt free at the cross. (Matt 18:15-35, Matt 5:23-24)
4) We consider it a person’s glory to overlook a minor offense, and that one who covers over an offense promotes love. Christian maturity means at times that we deal with the offense alone with God. Overlooking an offense includes forgiveness, as well as resisting the urge to share the offense with others. (Proverbs 19:11, 17:9)
5) We also recognize that the gospel includes both pardon and a quest for reconciliation. While forgiveness may not ensure the restoration of a broken relationship to it's original state, we heed the scriptural encouragement to 'be reconciled to your brother' (Matt 5:24)
6)We intend to eliminate gossip in this community, by neither initiating, nor participating in it. We will instead devote ourselves to a culture of encouragement and honor, which is the culture of heaven. (Jn 3:22)
7)We may hold opinions that are different from what is taught, but we will not be divisive by actively spreading dissension on issues of theology leadership or decision making. We also honor the specific biblical warning not to entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. (1 Tim 5:19)
8) it is our conviction that initiating a lawsuit against a brother is unbiblical and against the interests of maintaining unity. Instead we will seek wise mediation within this church. (1 Cor 6:1-11, Matt 5:25,26))
9) While we embrace the use of social media in building church community, we will avoid the use of email, text messages, facebook or Twitter in resolving conflict, acknowledging that face to face communication is best in resolving conflict.
10) We believe that a church united in diversity reflects and glorifies the Triune God, and brings his commanded blessing. We also see that a united community is good for the gospel. "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another." (Psalm 133, Jn13:35)

Unity Musings

We spent some time in the desert as elders and wives a couple of weeks ago. We found ourselves wrestling with the call to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit both in our team and our community. We are working towards some sort of 'unity charter' for our team and church. Still a work in progress.


1)Because we believe that Christ reconciled us firstly to God, but secondly to one another in his body the church, we will make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit both between churches and within our local church. Unity does not mean complete agreement or conformity. Through the cross we can be united in diversity and as we attain to the unity of the faith. (Acts 2, Eph 4)
2)We maintain unity primarily by speaking the truth in love to our neighbor, rather than about them, recognizing that the tongue has the power of life and death, and acknowledging that the sinful nature has a tendency to avoid face to face communication and pursue gossip, malice and slander, which grieves the Spirit.(Eph 4)
3)We acknowledge that whether offense is taken or caused, the initiative remains with us to go and seek peace. (Matt 18:15-19, Matt 5:24) Forgiveness means that we send our debtor away debt free, because we have been sent away debt free at the cross.
4) We see that it is a persons glory to overlook an offense, and that one who covers over an offense promotes love. (Prov 19:11) Maturity means at times that we deal with an offense internally, without bringing it up with the person at all. Overlooking an offense includes forgiveness, and also resisting the urge to share the offense with others.
5) We also recognize that the gospel includes both pardon and reconciliation. While forgiveness does not ensure a restoration of a broken relationship to it's original state, we heed the scriptural encouragement to 'be reconciled to our brother.(Matt 5:19)
6) We believe that a church united in diversity reflects and glorifies the Tri-Une God, and brings his commanded blessing.(Ps 133) We also see that a united community is good for the gospel. "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another."(Jn 13:35)
7)While we embrace social networking in the building of community, we will not use email, texting, facebook or twitter to resolve conflict, but will endeavor to communicate face to face or by phone.

Comments welcome.

Beat your swords into Plow Blades

The promise to Israel of a season of harvest replacing a season of wartime is a recurring theme in Isaiah.

"He will settle disputes for many people.They will beat their swords into plow blades." Is 2:4
"Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp with many teeth."Is 41:12

It should be a recurring theme for churches too. When a community has unsettled disputes, the gosple always suffers. When its peaceful, the gospel is allowed to flourish. But that requires that leaders intentionally 'do the work of an evangelist,' not satisfied merely with a loving church, but wanting 'all men to know that you are my disciples.'

We must learn to leverage community peace for the gospel's sake.
We recently started four Alpha courses in four homes - partnering teachers with people who are great at hospitality. Most of the teachers are pastors doing the work
of an evangelist.We started last night with our neighbors, Cory and Crista, who became Christians less than a year ago. So, a room full of our neighbors, who are cautiously open to investigating the claims of Christ and I'm thinking, 'how do I put these people at ease.'

During my 10 minute talk about Jesus, a throw away quote from Bono, turns into an hour long discussion about U2. I discover a room full of U2 fans. One USC professor says he has attended 15 U2 concerts and his wife admits he plays air guitar to the Edge! I'm trying to imagine a USC prof doing air guitar. Anyway, its a common bridge, that will hopefully become a common bond, and I can hear God sharpening his plow blade.

Normal Christian Community

I've heard many people say that the Acts 2 account of the church is merely descriptive. "It is not prescriptive at all,"they say."Nover to be repeated. We've developed since then." I beg to differ. I think it is significant description. It is God showing what Normal Christianity community should be. It was God's 'law of first mention' on the church. The exact details may never be repeated in the same way, but God was describing His intent for the church.

Most big churches tend towards a lack of health and most young churches are immature. The acts 2 church was big, healthy, young and mature. It was a compelling community. The church at her best.

A friend of mine, who is the son of a well known leader of an apostolic network in the UK, spoke to me about how he became hurt and disillusioned by his experience of the church he was in. It became very handed, controlling, and as a law student, who loved Jesus, he walked away from the church. Wge one of his friends became interested in Jesus, he would drop them off at church and meet them in the pub afterwards.

He describes how one day it was as though Jesus met him in his bedroom. He fell to his knees in awe. He heard an inward audible voice asking, "Ger, will you join me in restoring my church?" Very soon afterwards he went back to church, became involved in leading God's people, and is now planting a church in Santa Monica.

I know many have been hurt and dissappointed by church and church leaders. Jesus of all people is aware of the shortcomings of His church. But He has not given up on her.Will you join Jesus in restoring His original intent for His church?

10/10/10/10

I'm not a big 'reading significant things into significant dates' guy, but I have to say that I am fascinated by the fact that, without any intentional planning, the Southland's leadership transition takes place at 10 am on the 10th of October, 2010.
If nothing else, it makes for an unforgettable date!

Talking of unforgettable, we have just returned from an exceptionally memorable two days in the desert with Chris and Meryl and the elders. The first day was really just to honor them for who they have been to us as leaders and friends. Too many profound and sacred words were spoken to attempt a summary, but I was left with the consistent thread of appreciation, not just for where they led the people of Southlands, but for how they led.

A wise man said recently that "today everyone has vision, but few have values."
Of course, Chris is a compelling visionary, but he and Meryl have been a couple who have led with values, not just vision. They have been mindful not just of a destination, but of God's way of journeying, and God's idea of the way he wants his people to arrive at that destination. This requires great courage, patience and honesty as a leader. It requires, at times, that you arrive more slowly at your destination.

It is this quality that was mentioned again and again around the dining room table in the desert. It was who they are, more than what they have done, that has left the deepest impression over the last 14 years. They have kept watch not just over the flock, but over their souls, their marriage and their family. Among the many marriage and family casualties littering the ministry landscape today, it is noteworthy that by God's grace, they have kept their marriage and family intact. It is even more remarkable that they have learned to thrive in this area - not without challenge or conflict, of course - but with a total absence of shadows, and an abundance of joy, vitality and romance. This has been a most astonishing gift to us a community. It is a jewel among the riches of God's grace through them to us as a community, that Rynelle and treasure and hope to continue.

And so 10/10/10/10 draws near with an unmistakable sense of God's strong hand of love upon this transition and this tribe. He is the God of continuity. The God of Old and the God of the future. The already previous God has gone before us, and we journey with Him, in reverence and awe.