I Have A Dream

After an amazing week at Padre last week, I've been busy catching up on all the blog activity I've missed (see the blog links I dig on the right). Playing catch-up is exhausting and exhilirating. Nevertheless, three people sent me the following from Dan Kimball over the past three days.

It seems at his church, Vintage Faith (what a great name, huh?), Dan recently taught on what it means for his congregation to be 'The Church'. Bottom line: it's not about going to church, but about being the church. He says,
"As part of the series, we had little blank white post cards in every bulletin and asked the question of everyone "What do you dream this church could be?" and then had them fill in the black on the card, "I Dream Of A Church....." and then whatever they might dream of. We are really trying to create a culture where the church is not about just the pastors dreams and hopes but the people of the church, who are the church, are the dreamers of what God could do in us and through us as a church."

Dan posted the entire collection of cards along the walls of the building for everyone to see, but he posted a few of the entries Next Wave (bottom of post) as he recounted some of the ones that brought tears to his eyes. Some of my favs:

I DREAM OF A CHURCH...

- that reaches the broken world to bring a healing that can only come from Jesus Christ

- that is more about helping others than about us

- is honest and open-minded rather than self-righteous and dogmatic OR has donuts. I will be OK with either.

- who is loving and unafraid

- accepts people where they are in life and not just when they have achieved a level of "spiritualness"

- that knows me and loves me anyway

- that gets lost in worshiping Jesus and lingers in His presence

- that Jesus would be proud of

Pretty great stuff. Sounds like something we need to do often enough to keep us focused on being the body.

The entire article is here at Next-Wave.