Seize the Holiday

Reposted by Request

It’s the middle of October, and already I have spied decorated Christmas trees in stores. Our culture seems to have defined October through December as one on-going holiday season. To some, this may excite us with anticipation, while others feel that it is season of commercialism. But what many of us in the Living Stones family are learning is that the holiday season creates unique opportunities to love our neighbors.

October 31^st--Whether you call it Halloween, Harvest Day or Reformation Day, there are some unique and redeemable opportunities within this holiday that many Christians understandably distance themselves from. There is no other day of the year when almost all of your neighbors are roaming around your neighborhood and even knocking on your door. How can we use this cultural rhythm to live out the two greatest commands of loving God and loving others? Justice in the Burbs, a book that some of the women in our church were discussing, talks of the importance of loving our neighbors whether in the city or the suburbs, wherever God has placed us. In the book, followers of Jesus loved their neighbors by serving trick-or-treating parents chili in their front yard, providing a place for conversation, replenishment and rest. Some Living Stones members will be creating these connection points of care on the 31^st in their neighborhoods.

Thanksgiving--While many people get together with there loved ones on this day, many others don’t have the resources or the opportunity to dine with family. Who are those people who won’t be across the table from loved ones this Thanksgiving? College students, singles, divorcees, recent transplants, immigrants, people in the retail and service industry--I'm sure you can think of some your life brushes up against. All can be welcomed to the table.

Christmas--While many acts of love are performed during the “Christmas Season”. Christmas Day itself often sees a lull in these acts of service. December 25^th is another clear time when people reflect on what relationships they have or wish they did. Last Christmas Day, we had visited a group home of children in foster care. The children living at the home who had families were off visiting them. Those who were at the group home on Christmas Day were the most relationally poor. So we had the opportunity to celebrate the greatest gift with a simple but powerful act that we posted about previously.

Have you prayed about how God may be calling you to seize the holiday season? Perhaps the decor and accelerated sales in the stores can be a reminder that God may be calling you to love your neighbor, your co-worker, or the lonely man or woman your life sometimes brushes up against. This holiday season is great time to demonstrate through both great and small acts our Father's great love.

Creating Community with Living Stones Church

An Invitation to Experience Community

"Nothing good ever comes easy. For sure, nothing of God's Kingdom comes without resistance from our personal kingdoms or the world's kingdom. Nothing of the Spirit of God comes without a good ol' fashioned bar fight from our flesh."

- from the Tangible Kingdom Primer

Last week we started the Tangible Kingdom Primer, with the goal of living life more like Jesus not only as individuals but as a community: Loving God, loving others and participating in God's activity in the world around us.

Here are some excerpts of what others are saying about Tangible Kingdom Primer on Amazon:

"It's one of those resources that so deeply provokes the soul that you can't help but to be changed or decide you don't want to."
 
"It was fun watching the transformation from 'skeptic' to 'engaged in community' by many of our group"

"If you are a Church-planter, Church leader, Church goer, or Church hater, I assure you that this book will challenge your paradigm of Jesus' mission, foster a new understanding of ministry, and as it has done for many, catalyze you and your church into a new style of living."

"The strength of this tool is that it leads us to think AND act! It leads us to think about and realize what the implications are for life as followers of Jesus. Church is not a place or something you go to... it is who we are and how we live."

"It is accessible to new and pre-Christians and yet still contains a simply profundity that will challenge seasoned Christians."


Interested?

Meet me at Starbucks from 8:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights at the New Tampa Starbucks (7525 Preserve Walk Lane Tampa, FL 33647) or give me a call or email. 


Pastor Steve

813-838-8486

Counting on Accountability

The word seems scary, but Christian accountability helps us to be faithful to the next steps of our Christian journey. A lot of times, we already know what to do. God has enlightened us through His Spirit and Scripture as to what next step we need to take to follow Him.

But there is often a disconnect in the transition from conviction to action. Having a relationship with someone else that can help you follow through is key—someone with whom you can share what your next step is going to be and then can encourage you to actually take it! Find another sojourner with whom you can share your God insights, and help each other on the journey.

With whom can you be honest with, and respond positively to their feedback?

How Our Garden Grows: Organically Cultivating Faith in Community

If you have experienced other forms of church, you may be asking about our “programs”. Well, we don’t have programs, but there are many other things that are occurring throughout the week. For example, already happening are groups of 2 or 3 that are meeting for discipleship. Also, some folks have started a community garden for those that don’t have the opportunity to grow their own veggies, and there are weekly Bible studies. These all started within the community of faith. Some new things that are starting in June are: a Wednesday evening Experiencing God study that meets in a home in New Tampa, as well as Summer in Sync—Reading Scripture in Community.

In the right soil, with living water and Son, faith in action grows. What is God germinating in your life that should blossom within your relationships?

Summer in Sync: Spending the Summer in Scripture Together

In the middle of the “lazy days of summer”, our schedules are often cast aside. What a great time to try something new! Summer in Sync. is 85 days of Scripture-reading within community.

We invite you to read the New Testament Epistles and Acts Reading Plan by YouVersion with us from June 7th thru August 30^th.

Sync with God, as you spend daily time in His Word.

Sync with others, as we all focus on the same passages and reflect on them in our relationships, Facebook page, youversion.com and worship gatherings.

Sync with Scripture, as you forge a daily rhythm of Bible reading. You are also encouraged to reflect on the Scripture with journaling.

Summer in Sync starts on Monday, June 7^th with the first chapter of both Romans and Acts. How are you going to make this summer last?

Dashboard Confessions

Like burning embers, the letters shone from my dashboard. MAINT REQ’D. It was at the end of a week during which I drove my 9-year-old car 1,200 miles. I have always had my Honda serviced by the dealer and the little car has been faithful to me. So immediately, I picked up my cell and scheduled an appointment for the following day. But the next day, I cancelled my appointment because something came up. Well, it is almost a month later, and the car has not had a wash much less the oil change and maintenance. The indicator still shines, but somehow, after seeing it day after day, it doesn’t seem as bright anymore. I will address those maintenance needs… someday… when I find time.

On our Christ following journey, there are parts of our lives that need attention. Sin that needs to be addressed, spiritual disciplines that need to be exercised, heart changes that need to be made. But the more we ignore the Spirit’s urging the more distant God appears to be. We realize that these small yet bright indicators need to be prayerfully and quickly addressed. Sometimes we want God to speak new things to us even though we haven’t yet responded to the last things He has shown us.

What spiritual indicator light is emblazoned on your dash? And how are you going to seek the Lord today to address it?

What is your next step on the journey?

"...I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God…"

- 2 Timothy 1:6

At times we can be overwhelmed by the life change implications of the call of Jesus…. There is no way around it; the impact of the Gospel is huge. But we are called to faithfully take the next steps.

Whether we are investigating who Jesus is, or have been a Christian for a long time, we are called to ask ourselves (and be asked by others on the journey): "What is your next step?" As we faithfully live out our answer, we ask each other and ourselves again how we can fan the flame anew.