Spotlight

Getting Ready to Get Ready

Earlier this week my son Aaron emailed to ask me if anything out of the ordinary was going on in my life, I responded, “Advent is beginning this Sunday, so I'm getting ready to ... wait ... getting ready to get ready ...”

Getting ready to get ready? How do you do that? How do you wait well? The season of Advent has taught me to wait expectantly and to anticipate the extraordinary. In the context of the ordinary, God shows up and God moves in. God was the first sponsor of the “Occupy Movement!” In fact, the Gospel claims that the Word became flesh and dwelt (literally – tented) among us. And remember, Jesus’ tent is peg-less as He is the Way, a movement that can’t be pegged down.

Over the last month we have prayed in our worship services, “Come, Lord and abide; in your temple reside. We are your temple today ... Come and dwell in your people.” We anticipate daily that we will incarnate Christ in the world, wherever we are and wherever we go. These expressions and longings dovetail (interesting word) with a process to which we have been committed for some time. A resource has become available to us to strengthen our resolve to re/present the redeeming love of Jesus, a growing edge facet of our mission.
The Tangible Kingdom, a book co-written by the keynote speaker at last spring’s Convention Assembly, Hugh Halter, challenges ‘the churched’ to follow Jesus into the spaces outside the church where the Spirit of God is at work. Yes, the temple was important in the Gospel story, but God would not be confined there. Jesus’ mission and ministry, the mission and ministry to which we are enjoined for the most part moved in and through the marketplaces, the seaside and hillside, in and out of the boat, at the wedding feast and table of the tax collector.

Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, were besieged with requests for a resource that could help folks and their communities practice the ideas and principles outlined in The Tangible Kingdom. They responded with an “eight-week guide to incarnational community” called The Tangible Kingdom Primer. I am looking for at least 12 people who will join me in an eight week, daily exercise/study based on the Tangible Kingdom beginning the second week of January. I plan on meeting with two groups; a Wednesday afternoon group and a Thursday evening group. If you are willing to risk having your spiritual sensitivity stoked and your perspective about church challenged please see me and talk to me about it.

Until then, I hope we make room throughout our Advent events, activities and celebrations to welcome God’s Christmas occupation.

Peace Out, Al