Fellow Journeyer: January 2006

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

The church ineffective?

JP says he likes short blogs so bro' this one is for you...Hopefully.

I was hanging with a pastor/friend who has started a church down in Washington Shores. This is arguably the worst part of Orlando. High crime rate, drug use, poverty, etc. We were driving down the road and what struck me was the amount of church houses in the area. It was a Monday morning so the vast majority were empty, the church wasn't present. Most were old and looked like they had been there a while, they fit the neighborhood. However, others looked pretty new, shiny and clean, well groomed if you know what I mean.. They didn't seem to fit the hood at all. They weren't wearing the right clothes. Some of these buildings were literally right next to each other they could have shared the same parking lot and maybe they did and I just didn't notice. One had a security gate all the way around it. I guess to keep the unwanted out?? There is even a mega-church in the area, the largest Baptist church in Orlando and possibly the largest church in Orlando. There were numerous different denominations; AME, Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Free Methodist, Presbyterian and many more nondenoms or at least denoms that I had never heard of. I wouldn't be surprised if there was even a church or two meeting in homes. I would not be a bit surprised if there are 100 churches located in this 3-4 sq. Mile area...really.

So with all these churches why does the culture seem so unaffected, still so dark and hopeless?

Mar 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Joh 17:20 My prayer is not for them only, but for all who will have faith in me through their word;
Joh 17:21 May they all be one! Even as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, so let them be in us, so that all men may come to have faith that you sent me.
Joh 17:22 And the glory which you have given to me I have given to them, so that they may be one even as we are one;

1Co 1:11 Because it has come to my knowledge, through those of the house of Chloe, that there are divisions among you, my brothers.
1Co 1:12 That is, that some of you say, I am of Paul; some say, I am of Apollos; some say, I am of Cephas; and some say, I am Christ's.
1Co 1:13 Is there a division in Christ? was Paul nailed to the cross for you? or were you given baptism in the name of Paul?

more later

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Initial attempt at Blogging

This is my 1st official attempt at blogging, or at least at having my own blogsite and blogging. I have been reading blogs for awhile and adding my thoughts on a few of them. That is pretty cool but responding to what others say only when you feel like it is pretty safe. Jesse thanks for the encouragement to get me started. Lew thanks for the tech help.
So what do I mean by a "Pilgrim"? Well, I certainly don't own one of those funny hats that has a big belt buckle on it. At least not that I would admit to anyway. There are two official definitions of a pilgrim that fit me pretty well.
First, A pilgrim is someone who journeys in foreign lands. Most of the time I feel like I don't fit in very well like a foreigner who is easily misunderstood. The apostle Peter says we are aliens and strangers in the land. I can relate to that and it is totally ok with me. Not that I like being misunderstood but if we are following Jesus then we are going to look and sound foreign to people living the status quo. I just got off the phone with a friend who said his neighbor came down and yelled and cussed him out. He said that he is baking him a pie and is going to take it down to him and say basically, "I want to live at peace with you can we pray?" Now that is an alien to this world!
A pilgrim is also someone who embarks on a quest for something that is sacred. I'm on a quest of sorts. I've given up my life to chase after the true source of life...Jesus. I want to know Him in His resurrection power and the fellowship of His suffering as Paul said. How do I get there, how do I get to Jesus? Esther De Waal says "I shall not find Christ at the end of the journey unless He accompanies me along the way." The only way I get Jesus at the end is to follow Him now.
That is the journey I am on. I'm not alone, I know there are other fellow journeyers out there. Some are ahead of me on the path and some a little behind. We're wanderers...people who look like they are lost. To be sure, I don't know the way, but my guide does and He has a good grip on me and He's taking me home.