This Saturday there will be a community clean up day in Rockland. Starts at 9:00AM, I am planning on being there to help out. On Monday night my daughter and I cleaned the Rockland High School field with her local Brownie group for a hour. We filled close to 6-10 large garbage bags. It is amazing how much garbage is tossed, the Brownie leader said to the girls about littering, if they do not pick their garbage up who do they think will. I remember listening to a Rob Bell message and he mentioned the same thing when he walked by a piece of garbage in his driveway….if you don’t pick it up, who do you think will. With that, I am planning on participating in this town wide clean up this Saturday. Hopefully, we may meet some people for Radiant Village.
I think I have finally found a bank that has an account that we can use for Radiant Village without being a "official" non-profit, charity, or business. "Official" meaning through all the provincial legal requirements to be recognized. There are a lot of requirements that we are not able to meet at this time. Banks require the "official" requirements to be met to open some of these business accounts.
Enter in the Royal Bank, and their "Specialty Business Account". I called and a community association can open an account with just having some documentation put together. So I am working on completing some of these documents, for the stage that we are currently at. Then I will go to the bank and open the account. Then we can move forward with some of these initiatives that we have been working on, ie. Rwanda Clean Water Project. We have a cheque that a business wrote to Radiant Village, but we have not been able to cash it yet.
We will be posting all our documents on the Radiant Village website, and they will be classified as open source, so if there is someone else that wanted to use them as a base, they can download and go ahead.
This past Saturday, Jackie and I were able to finally get together with the The Delgado’s. I met the Delgado’s when we were at the Home Hardware raising money for the Rwanda Clean Water project. Pam had been over to Kenya with a group of dentists. So this past Saturday we were able to go over to their place and go through all her pictures and have her talk about the time spent over in Kenya. She told us some stories that were incredible about some children and the procedures they had to perform. There was one 5 day old baby that have a major problem that required major surgery for a clef lip. Another one was a boy that ended up dying after they left the region. They ended up giving us some DVDs of pictures to review with the kids and a couple of films to watch.
It was a good time hearing about Pam’s trip to Kenya and everything she was involved in, and also to get to know them a little. We will certainly be getting back together with them.
Here is a short list of highlights of my 2007 (no particular order):
a. Bought a new house in Rockland, Ontario. b. My wife had successful foot surgery and started a new diet plan that has helped her a lot. c. My father had successful surgery, had a non-cancerous growth removed. It was not looking good for a while before the surgery. d. Started a new project in Rockland, called Radiant Village. e. Catalyst sessions on Sunday morning @ Calvary Church. f. My wife and I started discussions on something that will be huge in 2008 and beyond. Will share more as time goes by. g. Started to live Greener. h. Thanksgiving in New York City. i. BMX year was a blast, all three kids riding this year, had some trips to other cities and tracks.
I haven’t been blogging much lately….guess it is one of those times where not much to type out. Maybe it is the winter season, or the holidays etc…but here is a quote from the book, "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela.
"I was not interested in the Hell’s Angels, but the larger question that concerned me was whether we had as Strini suggested, become stuck in a mind-set that was no longer revolutionary. We had been in prison far more then fifteen years; I had been in prison for nearly eighteen. The world that we left was long gone. The danger was that our ideas had become frozen in time. Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the world moves on." (pg 522)
Very self analyzing question that we need to think about. Are we stuck with a mind-set that is no longer revolutionary as Christ was? We can be in "church" services so much and within the Christian sub-culture that we can become frozen in time. Stuck in the same place.
Let us look at the community that we are placed in and return to the revolutionary ways that Christ came into this world for as we celebrate Christ’s birth tomorrow. Christ left the church with a mission, and as the body of Christ, followers of Jesus we need to become more missionial into the community that we are located in. This is what we are desiring for the community we are moved to recently. We have been developing the Radiant Village’s website and recently posted the Values of this new community project. More on this in the next little while on some thoughts on Radiant Village and where are currently stand.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to post about tonight, I haven’t been posting much lately. A few weekends ago we raised some money for the Rwanda Clean Water program at Home Hardware. The next step that we are going to be taking, is running a letter campaign. We will write up a letter and pass out to the local business community in Rockland. We will ask the local business to partner with us, with a donation of $10-100.
This weekend, I should have the letter complete, and then we will deliver it to the local business community.
Next Wednesday morning I should be attending a local business breakfast. This is held in a local restaurant each Wednesday morning. I should be able to pass some letters out there.
I found out that there is a Business Breakfast every Wednesday morning, at a local restaurant in Rockland. I have sent an email to the person in charge, and I am waiting a reply to find out what is involved in getting into this breakfast. I would be attending for Radiant Village. The restaurant is Friendly’s, and serves a great pizza…but this being breakfast I will have to see how good the breakfast food is. This will be a good opportunity for us to get people exposed what we are trying to accomplish with launching Radiant Village. Will have to check it out and get a feel for how it operates etc. It will also allows us to get meet more people in the community.
Last Saturday when we started the campaign for Rwanda Clean Water, we raised a pretty good sum for being at a Home Hardware entrance. We were able to meet some really nice people throughout the day. We met one of the Town Councilors, a few people were interested in checking out the Radiant Village website, and also a couple that was very interested in what we were doing. The husband came over first and then went and got his wife from the car, she was part of a medical team that went over to Africa. Something similar to Doctors without Borders, can’t remember the exact name of the org she was with. She mentioned that they had bought some goats for a village last year and this year were going to be buying a donkey.
They offered to met with my wife and I and go over some pictures and things in regards to Africa, and talk about what we are doing and about what they are planning to do. It was a really interesting talk we had, my son was there and was really interested in hearing what she had to say about what she saw and experienced.
I have registered the following domain name radiantvillage.ca. The site is up, and is a work in progress. I will be adding some content to the site over time. I have also added a blog on the site, and is being hosted over on Wordpress. The blog portion of the site will not be a daily blog, but will be more of a event related blog for the time being, and also to track and update on the progress of this initiative.
Tonight before our general leadership meeting, I had the opportunity to meet with a small group leader over some coffee. I asked to speak with this leader to get some feedback on their thoughts and opinions from last week’s small groups leadership meeting; the meeting that I taught. It was a good meeting, and I was able to take a lot away from our conversation. I really appreciate leaders like this that can speak very honestly about how they feel things are going with our small groups. He gave me his views on how he sees things, not just on what I taught on, but how it fits within the context of our local church. The best comment I took away, was something that I really believe and taught in Catalyst before, he said to the affect, "we can sometimes always say that we need to pray about things, but there are times when we get to the place where we just have to go out and do it." (not the exact words). Knowing this man’s prayer life, it was said with added weight.Â
Comments like that really make think more and more about Radiant Village.
I should have a work-in-progress website up and running in the next couple of days. I have purchased a domain name and will be putting some content on the website. Not sure if I will implement an ongoing blog on it or not, possibly. Right now, it will be a means to communicate what Radiant Village is about. It will grow in content over time, as questions are answered etc. I do not want to use too much print material at this time, rather direct people to the website.
We are also looking into getting involved with the local Community Business Leaders Breakfast here in Rockland. Need to find the contact information, and times etc….I think it is an hour every Wednesday, right after the kids leave for school.
This past weekend was a pretty busy one around here. My parents came up this past weekend, as on Saturday, my wife had planned for another birthday party for me. My sister-in-law and mother-in-law came up the highway for Saturday afternoon. My sister and brother-in-law came over for a BBQ in the evening, and my friend Michel came over as well. Some others could not make it. But it was a good time by all. Michel and my brother-in-law talked about water for houses, drainage etc.
I received a few books from everyone, some gift cards, and a toaster oven. Thanks, wasn’t expecting anything.
The books I received were:
Catalyst this past Sunday morning was again, I good session. I spoke on Creation. I started by reading the summary of God’s Creation, Genesis 1, and a few scriptures into Chapter 2. Then we I just went with the flow of things, and had some questions as we went along, and answered those, about evolution, 24-days, gap theories, etc. Not being a scientist, I could answer only to my depth of knowledge. We talked about the term "race" and what that really means, I rather use the term "people groups". Used examples of different oppressions in history and why views like that tie into theories we talked about, one example was South Africa and apartheid.
I think it was a very good session to set the next few weeks up for "God is Green". I have not deciding what each session will cover right now…but next week will go into how as Christian we are responsible for caring for creation. Should be another good session.
This past Friday for Radiant Village, we were able to have an opportunity open up for us to setup a table to raise money for the Rwanda Clean Water Project. So this coming Saturday, we will be at the local Home Hardware in Rockland. The owner of the local Home Hardware thought this was a very good idea, and had no problems with our new Christian community setting up in his entrance way.
I am also staring to work on a website for Radiant Village, so people will be able to track what Radiant Village is and what we are up to. Stay tuned.
This week is pretty busy as well, General Leadership meeting tomorrow night, and I am meeting with one of the cell leaders for coffee prior. Then I am filling in for the Sr Pastor on Wednesday night for his mid-week Bible study.
Right now I am looking into the first community project that Radiant Village can lead in our community. We need to start with something that we can handle with the resources we have. This means my family will be getting into the community to lead our community in raising money to provide clean water in Africa.
We have been discussing it somewhat today with what will be required. Now we got to put some plans together on how we can manage this.Â
Looks like this coming weekend, Catalyst will be taking a short road trip Sunday morning. We will be leaving at 10am and returning at 11:45. We are going to go to Mer Bleu Forest. This will kick off the series, "God is Green". We will go through the trails, and at the end I will speak to intro this portion of the series.
Since we did the reverse welcome wagon on the street, there has been a few things that have took place as an outcome.Â
1. The neighbors have stopped by when my wife was gardening the other day and talked to her for a bit and commented on how surprised and happy that our family did such a thing. They had never heard of someone doing that before.
2. A neighbor (elderly gentleman) stopped by and was talking with my wife and let her know that his wife is quite ill, and he was very happy that we gave him some baked goods.
3. Another neighbor came over this afternoon, and gave and my wife and daughter some fresh raspberries.Â
What does all this have to do with Radiant Village and a post like I posted yesterday….well…before anything can launch or begin or be established….we need to engage our new community, we need to get to know, and interact with those in our community. We need to establish relationships with the people around us. When we do this, God will begin to water the seeds, and grow everything organically.
Tomorrow morning, we have a monthly small group leadership meeting for Calvary Church, I missed the one last month. My oldest son has a soccer tournament for his school team. My other son is going to have a friend from our old neighborhood spend the night. My parents are coming up for the day as well. So tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I have some work to do at the old house as well.
An update on my wife’s health. She has been seeing a nutritionist for some diet changes. She had started the breakfast and this week got some changes for her other meals. Big meal changes, but this should really help her conditions.  Lots of foods are out, and lots of new ones are in, foods she would never have eaten before…but now must. Please to continue to pray for her, and that this is a real improvement for her. One of the things that has really helped her the last few weeks is the move to the new house. She has been really happy with the new house, quiet neighborhood, bungalow style house and new school for the kids has really helped her. She is also volunteering at the kids school with the lunches and possibly the library one or two days a week.
Tonight while at the local Farm Boy store, I picked up some new Fair Trade Coffee. Kicking Horse Coffee. I bought the Three Sisters blend. Very good!!! It is one of the better coffees I have tried.
                                  Â
Tonight I have been researching, planning for some things pertaining to Radiant Village. Even though we have just moved to Rockland, it is important to be planning for the future developments. I don’t fully know yet how things will work out in the neat future for Radiant Village, but if I can better understand some things, it will help in making some of those decisions in the future.
With all of it it requires me to remember and keep in focus exactly what lion God has placed in front of me. Even through some of the tough roads traveled, and yet to appear. The journey, is one that Christ is leading, and I believe He has given us the freedom, by faith to pursue.
What does this all mean?
I have been researching on what it takes to establish non-profits and charities in Ontario and Canada. What is the process that one has to go through, what is required before submitting an application. Does that mean that is the route I believe we are on. Not necessarily, it very well good be. Have I ruled out certain changes or non-changes that need to be made, not yet. It very well could be that this is started just as a project in this town, with really no "big" changes or "establishments" that I mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph. It could be that this is a venture that is taken in not "traditional" means, but one of uniqueness, in some ways. Some people have preconceived notions of how to "start", but I really am not feeling that is the direction Radiant Village needs to take, I do not feel it would work or that is any part of the lion that Christ has staring at me and my family.
We are still in the very early stages of getting our "feet wet" in the community. Things have been really good in the town, and in time, steps will be taken. It my seem to some, well you are not doing this or that yet….but that is not how we believe we should define Radiant Village, especially at this point. There are some values and foundation stones that are being laid first and foremost. Some will definitely not agree or even understand, but hey, not their lion, not their calling.Â
I definitely do not think we are being asked to just do something that is one of the same. That is why we need to be prepared to do certain things, because down the road that may be the only option available. Then again, if certain individuals are on board then we may not have to go that route or direction. I can’t jump to far ahead of things. But if things progress the way they should, no matter which steps are taken, Radiant Village will be able to feed into other areas that I am currently part of, that being Calvary Church’s small groups ministry and Catalyst.Â
This week my wife and I decided that we needed to do something to meet some more of the neighbors on our new street. So, I know I read about this somewhere before, we decided to do some reverse welcome wagon. I think I read this in the book by Eric Bryant, "Peppermint Filled Pinatas." I really liked the concept, and when I mentioned it to my wife, she thought it was a great idea. So, she decided to bake some muffins this afternoon, and add a tag to say "We are the Bertrand’s." So, my daughter and my wife went door to door after school and deliver them. The response by the neighbors was amazing, my wife said, the neighbors were floored. A couple of people came by the house a few minutes after they returned to say thank you. One neighbor even brought over some home made dish clothes that she knitted to say thanks.Â
We were also informed that each summer, they shut down our street and have a huge potluck dinner outside on the road. That sounds awesome. We had talked about trying to arrange something like that when we were looking to move to Rockland. Seems they already have it organized!
It is going to take some work and time to get things going with Radiant Village, because we are starting from scratch with no core team, or financing help. We are just letting things begin organically and see it grow. But that doesn’t mean we are going to sit by idle….we have some meaningful work to do. To start we need to get out into community.
This was one of those busier then normal weeks, but we had an unexpected break this evening.
a. We firmed up with the house in Rockland. Financing, House Inspection, & Insurance. Now we move at the end of September. Monday was a real busy day, with the 3 hour inspection in the evening. I had a turn of events with the mortgage broker, I went out to start my car and the key would turn, after calling the dealer and trying a few things and calling a 2nd time, it was simply the steering wheel locked. I had to turn the key and wheel at the same time. I guess when you are in a hurry and busy, something simple would be a gotcha. So the mortgage broker drove over to our house to get things signed up. (He was on the way over when I finally turned the key)
b. Contacted a Fair Trade Coffee Roaster for a possible connection with Radiant Village or something.
c. BMX Racing on Tuesday night
d. Had to bring my car to finally get car’s AC fixed on Wednesday morning. They had to order a sensor from Korea. Yes I drive a KIA. It was 10 hour job to fix and they would keep the car overnight. No courtesy car, just a drive home.
e. BMX Executive Meeting on Wednesday. No car, so I rode my bike over to the meeting. Which was actually a nice ride. The meeting was supposed to be 2 hours and it last 3.5 hours. I got some take a ways, like contacting the Ontario Summer Games for next year. Checking into paving the corners on the track.
f. The last minute BMX clinic by Canadian Pros, Ken and Samantha Cools was to happen tonight, but it rained. So it was cancelled. This was the downtime for us tonight.
g. Friday, I drive the boys to Kingston (my daughter is only racing locally this year) for a big UCI International Race this Saturday. Lots of pro riders coming. Christian BMX’er Randy Stumpfhauser is supposed to be there.
Yesterday, we went back to the offer that was submitted on our house a couple of weeks ago. We have our house conditionally sold. That is one step.
The next one …
…find one in Rockland….
…we have one that we like….we have submitted an offer, for a lot less then they have it listed (it is overpriced), there is one issue that I have with it……heavy smokers were living there before (currently)…that means a lot of heavy cleaning, repainting to get rid of the odour….new carpet and basement ceiling tile. I found a technology that may be able to zap the air, ozone shock treatment. We need a empty house and the unit pumps the entire house full of ozone to kill the odour and lots of other microbes…..essentially it removes all the oxygen from the house and replaces it with ozone and the ozone turns into oxygen after a few hours.
…then…
Tonight a new listing pops on the board and we are wanting to check it out, a beautiful home with a model we looked at before……better priced.
I think we might have to move fast on that one if we flip over to it…..not sure if the people will take our initial low offer. I am guessing they will not.
These steps are where we believe we need to go, the town of Rockland.
Tonight we made our trip to Rockland for the prayer walk down the main street from Simon Parc. (Missed posting on it last week).
One thing that we noticed tonight, was a lot more people were out in the park, and on the street. We also played some beach volleyball again.
We also got another call from our agent, looks like we may be finalizing an offer tomorrow morning. If things were out, we look to take a bit of a hit on the price. However, this just needs to move forward, we really need to take or have the ability to take some next steps within that community. We also, have to switch schools in different districts and everything else that goes along with moving into a new community.
Tonight (this post was supposed to appear on Thursday), we headed out to Rockland and did another prayer walk through the area we are looking at for a house. We usually do this on Wednesday (got to be flexible, eh!) but we had a BMX Executive meeting last night. After turning the corner off Patricia St (the very street we want to be on) my agent phones and we have our first offer coming in. Also, we have a potential for two more that are interested. So this is good.
There are a couple of spots on Patricia with the new homes being constructed that we really like,please pray that this works out for prime location in Rockland. This area is about to grow in size as mentioned before.
We always stop on our prayer walk in the local town park, Simon Park. The kids play on the playground for a bit. Right beside the playground are two beach volleyball pits. There was a pick-up game being played tonight with 5 young people. My middle son, thought the game looked pretty fun, and asked why I did not bring a volleyball (easy, I do not have one). So, we told him we will get one to play the next time. So, I told him, just go ask to join the game going on. After a bit of discussion it was decided that I would go over and ask if he could join, and I would play as well.
They agreed to let him play for a bit, and my oldest son jumped into the game to play as well. The boys had a good time for the few minutes of game action before we left. They scored some points and returned the ball on some big hits I didn’t think they would, I thought it was going to hit them in the face.
Sometimes, we are not sure if will take the risk….but as Eric Bryant said in his book, Peppermint Filled Pinatas, You got to get off the couch. Interact with the neighborhood, ask to join the game that is going on in the park, make the first step.
Tonight, we went down to the local car show for about an hour checking out all the old Chevy’s and Fords, the bikes….and the kids favorite Fast and Furious copy cats. Then we went to Rockland, and did a prayer walk from the school to the local park, down through the street we want to move to. We prayed as we walked down through this street that Christ would open the door for us into this community. We need to sell this current home, and then purchase one in Rockland, please join us in this prayer.
The street we want to move onto is Patricia St. and is right in a prime location in this town. There are 4 schools within a block, 3 right behind the street. Close walking access to the main street. I really believe this is a community we can step into and serve. It is perfect time to step into this town as well, as it is about to grow from its current population of just under 10,000. Close to Ottawa, 15 mins. We are wanting to be part of a solution for this town, and begin
creating the future. We are ready to serve, and are believing Christ will water and grow what is planted.
Last night we went out to Rockland for some prep’ing for what we are wanting to start in that community. We are looking at moving into that community, and are starting things from scratch there…so we went out and parked the car with the kids, and did a prayer walk down the street we are looking at a house on, and up the main street and down into the town park area. We are believing that by faith God is going to open the doors in this community….the village shall grow up organically as God waters it.
The thing that needs to happen, and its a big hurdle, is we need to sell our house, and purchase one in Rockland. I really believe that in order for something to be started in this community, we need to live there. It is not a big move, but a necessary one. Please pray in the next few days that things will be opened up for us to step into that community and continue to chase the lion that Christ has placed before us!
This week I have started to look into getting something started in the community, might start a campaign with 1000 Wells Project, Habitat for Humanity, or Make Poverty History. This would be with the new venture we are starting from scratch, and going to let it grow organically.
Not sure how I am going to get this all kick-started, but working through some planning stages now.
Changes for our small group this week. I am no longer going to be attending the same small group. I emailed the leader of the group, and let him know. I am taking the big step on my journey to start some things from scratch. This means taking everything in what I have been speaking on from the Chase the Lion series to teaching on small groups and essentially chase the lion right in front of me. Starting from scratch is something that will take some time in building, but it is time to get out of the
talking points stage.
Tonight was the first night we (my family and I) were on our own. So, it may seem totally foreign to some on what we are doing, but we have to cultivate right now. So, we hopped into the car took a drive down the road and stepped out into the community for about an hour. This small group will not be modeled after our existing groups, so comparisons are off the table.
I will be posting as we go along, maybe not each and every week, but as things progress.
Tonight, being the 5th Sunday this month, we had no church service at Calvary Church. The purpose of having no service is to connect with someone in the community for a meal or something. Small groups were encouraged to have a get together to invite people over to a social event etc. We thought our group was going to have a BBQ, but that did not materialize. So we decided that since we are very actively looking at a purchasing a home in Rockland, to head out and have dinner in Rockland, and take a walk through the neighborhood. We thought that we would go into the neighborhood where the homes are being built and meet someone with the same model of home on the same street. We went to Friendly’s Restaurant for pizza, and then for the walk. On the way back, everyone seemed to be gone with that model of home we are looking at, however, we met a lady from the neighborhood that has been living a street over for 51 years. And also, I talked with a man that just bought another model on the street about the homes, and builder etc. So for a initial journey into the 20,000 + town it was successful. Now to just sell our house, and get one of these models. Please pray that we move this house soon, so we can continue to connect with the community of Rockland. My initial thoughts are to establish a small group in Rockland, and go from there (more on that as we go).
I read this post from Jay Hardwick and asked him if I could repost here in it’s entirety….
I jumped back into Nehemiah last week. Nothing refuels the vision for Catalyst better than reading this guy’s story. Last Thursday, this verse grabbed me and has yet to let go:
“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned, fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” - Nehemiah 1:4
The context is that Nehemiah asked one of his brothers who was visiting from Judah how things were going back home. The report of the city being burned and the people walking around in defeat led to Nehemiah’s response. The report he received was so bad that he literally could not even stand up. And beyond that, he wept. Not shed a little tear. He wept. I imagine his weeping to be the convulsing, stomach-tightening type of weeping.
I have to ask myself, “Do I respond with the same kind of emotion to the depravity evidenced in Greenville?” Saturday at the Egg Drop, on three separate occasions, as I looked out across the field and saw all those people, I literally had to fight back tears. Yes, I was so very excited to see that many people in one place. But that’s not why I fought back tears. The only thought in my mind was, “Most of these people have no idea what’s available to them through Jesus.
WE HAVE TO TELL THEM!” Even now as I am typing this, I am seeing a replay of Saturday and all the people…their eyes, their faces, their expressions…and my heart is clinching wanting so desperately to lead our church to always be RELENTLESS in figuring out how to reach those people. That relentless spirit is born out of our response to depravity.
God is doing something in our church right now and it’s a result of what He’s doing in my heart and in the heart of everyone on staff. Everyday, I get multiple emails from CCers who are responding the same way. The bottom line of it…God is teaching us to respond to depravity the way He does.
Do we seriously think God is happy that 60% of Greenville has something better to do on Sundays than involve themselves in the irresistible environments of a local church? Do we seriously think God is happy that most churches are very resistible and have little to no influence in the community? Do we think God is happy that most churches and “Christians” have decided that everybody knowing everybody is more important than everybody knowing
Jesus?
Uhhh…I’m going to say He is not happy about that. I think God weeps over cities where authentic Christ-following has been lost in religious protocol. I believe He weeps over churches that have decided “us 4 and no more” is easier to achieve than “to the ends of the earth.” I believe He weeps over those of us who call ourselves Christians yet ignore the depravity all around us on our way to our Beth Moore Bible study or our pot-luck fellowship.
How you and I respond to depravity is evidence of how close to the heart of God we are.
If it doesn’t bother us that 3 out of every 5 people we see everyday in Greenville don’t go to church, then we’re far from the heart of God. If it doesn’t bother us that most churches are half-empty at best on Sundays while Wal-Mart, Target, and Home Depot are packed, then we’re far from the heart of God. If it doesn’t bother us that lost people live, work, and play all around us, then we’re far from the heart of God. If it doesn’t bother us
that people in Greenville suffer all alone because of HIV/AIDS, homelessness, domestic abuse, poverty, child abuse, etc., then we’re far from the heart of God.
If we weep and cry out to God on behalf of our city, our church, and the people all around us who desperately need to know Him, then we’re moving in the right direction. As He did with Nehemiah, God will blow our minds with His response. And, He’ll call us to action…
This past Sunday’s Catalyst Class we discussed “risk”. The title of the class was called “Playing it Safe is Risky”.
This is an area that for many people is a hard one. Taking that risky move. However, one courageous choice may be the only thing between a person and their dream from becoming a reality. Faith does not mean that there is no risk involved.
That being said, when you are in a relationship with Jesus Christ, it is a win/win relationship because you can never give up more then you get back.
When we try to live our life with “no risk”, we will miss out on the God-ordained opportunities that God places before us. There is nothing passive about following Christ.
We had a good discussion right before the end of the class, we discussed that when we do step out in faith, taking on that risk, the kingdom work has exponential opportunity to be accomplished. When we do not step out in faith and miss those God ordained opportunities, kingdom work can still be done, but the exponential opportunities are reduced. Make sense?
I used an example in my life with Radiant Village, see the category in the left side bar for previous posts on this. If I do not chase this lion, then yes I can still accomplish things in the kingdom, and be used of God, God’s kingdom work is still being done. But I will be missing this God ordained opportunity that God has put in front of me, is there risk involved with Radiant Village , without a doubt. If I do chase the lion, then the possibilities for the
kingdom work has exponential opportunity to move forward. It is not about me, but rather, chasing what God is already doing, and has place before me. It is all about His kingdom. Make sense?
