Meetings Where God Shows Up

I once heard a CD from a conference in which the speaker was saying that the reason people go to conferences is because something is missing in their regular “church” gatherings. So they go to conferences to get what’s missing. To illustrate his point, he asked how many people had been in 10 meetings in the past year where God showed up. Not a single hand showed.

Ironically I remember thinking, “God shows up every Saturday night where we worship.” Since then I’ve connected with a couple of other small groups where He’s a regular attender. Sometimes we even end up at His house. And I have no problem finding him at my house.

I think the speaker’s point is well taken. From my own experience, I’ve been less inclined to run around from conference to conference since I know God is going to show up in my own living room or our small local corporate gatherings. I know of other folks who report the same thing. Maybe, just maybe, God doesn’t need to wait for a gathering to reach a critical mass of 800 people before He can show up. Maybe 2 or 3 (including Himself) gathered in His name…

New wineskins – the Net

For a long time we’ve been hearing about new wineskins. I knew they were coming, but I didn’t know what they looked like. I finally discovered that the “big C” Church was moving into a new season with a new structure. It was not just a matter of having a new style within the old structure of how we do church. What I’m seeing is a network of people connected on lots of different layers. As I talk to people all over town, I’m finding that they have had the same vision. It goes beyond congregational or local church walls, beyond denominations, beyond spiritual gifts or styles. For every different aspect of how God has wired you, there is a network that you are part of.

Our physical brains are designed with these patterns of networks. Given that we are the Body of Christ, it would totally make sense that our spiritual Body is designed the same way. It’s much more complex than just thinking of oneself as the toe or the ear. Each of us is a living, vibrating cell in the network of the living Christ.

It’s important to belong to a group of believers. But passive belonging by showing up at a building once or twice a week is not going to cut it any more. Active belonging in multiple groups, whether they are at work or the coffee shop or a functional small group, is increasing. Quite frequently I’ve heard people say that these networks are more like “church” than church. Hmm, what a concept.

So I would challenge you to expand your horizons. Where is God showing up in your life through your networks? Yesterday I went to have lunch with a friend and ended up meeting a new person that was really interested in things I’m interested in. I wasn’t “doing ministry.” I was just being in relationship and it bore fruit in my life and in the Kingdom. Maybe we could use some more of that.

Love to hear more of your stories.
Lori