The Gathering

The shape of your heart determines the shape of your life. Is anger defining your heart?

We experience the power of God on the other side of our fear. Did Peter allow his fear to control him?

There is wisdom in a collective crowd or community of people. Was food the only miracle of "feeding the 5,000"?

Parables have different meanings like people have different God experiences.

Transition is grounds for growth. What happens after you leave the wilderness?

The wilderness is the only way to something new. What is the Wilderness Experience?

Life is a continual transition; a cycle of endings or losses.

What will make people feel comfortable and welcome? What will help people encounter us as disciples of Jesus? A UMC congregation was unsuccessful at these things so they formed a hospitality committee and started greeting people, giving small gifts, feeding them. Nothing improved. Jesus instructed on hospitality, sent the disciples out with what they had to offer the world and prepared them for the realities they would face. Go out and tell others what God has done for you.

Is there hope for the Church today?

Isaiah announced a message of hope. There is hope for the church today. God has appointed us as a covenant to those whom we encounter. We are to be the embodiment of God's relationship with humanity. Jesus is with us in our work as His people.

What is Jesus calling me to do in the Great Commission?

Jesus tells his disciples, even though they were unsure and doubted, to go and make disciples. The great commission points the disciples to the people that they are supposed to impact. Faith is built by engaging those away from you. Yet, we tend to have a consumer culture in regards to church. The great commission is the birthing of a community on a mission. Rather than being a community that "comes and receives" we are called to be a community that "goes and makes". God wants us to invite and teach. We never really learn what Jesus is talking about until we ourselves begin to practice it. We learn as we teach and invite others to walk along side us.