Be the Church

I love watching people be the church. And I love hearing stories about people being the church.

One of the great privileges I have on staff at a church is that I get to hear these kinds of stories quite frequently. Let me share a story with you that has been unfolding over the past few weeks that has me totally fired up!

At our church we have many home groups. Home groups are small communities of people that meet during the week to do life together in the Way of Jesus. We have tons of these groups. One of our home groups consists mainly of older people--people in their 70s and 80s. And let me tell you, this group knows how to have fun! I have visited this group on a few different occasions and they laugh more and eat better than any other group. Every group gathering is like a huge Jesus party!

Several months back, one of the group leader's family members became severely ill. This group leader flew down to Arizona thinking she would say her final good-bye. But the family member bounced back--just not enough for the leader to return. This group leader has been down in Arizona ever since taking care of her family member. And she hasn't been able to return--which is proving to be quite a predicament. They have thought about flying back together, but the family member's health won't allow it. So this home group decided to come up with a solution for their fearless leader. Two members have rented a huge winnebago and are driving down to Arizona to pick both of them up. They will bring them both back home. Incredible!

In Mark 2 a group of friends rally around a paralyzed man. Not being able to get to Jesus through the massive crowds, these friends carry the paralyzed man up on the roof, dig a whole, and lower the man into the room where Jesus is teaching. Jesus commends the friends and heals the man. It is a great story of God's kingdom come. I love when friends do crazy things for other friends. Each time I see it, I get a taste of God's kingdom come.