Scribbling w/ Crayons!
Posted by Chilly | Posted in Church Planting, Me Stuff, Missiology | Posted on 27-11-2009
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I’m sitting at Starbucks in midtown, on ‘black Friday’, with Maximus & Zoe… Christmas music is playing, my 2 kids are coloring, laughing and talking (lots). I’m finishing up some of my studying for the weekend. There are lots of tired, stressed-out, discouraged faces seated all around us. Rarely are there any children in this location – I think Max & Zoe are captivating to the others. Lots of people begin staring and then seem to get lost in their own thoughts – it’s not creepy but, instead, very intriguing. There’s something about the freedom & joy of children. We can escape back into easier, happier & simpler times simply by watching them.
I’ve had a few conversations & shared the love of Christ with others today. People are open to hope. We all need some! It’s amazing how many doors a smile and a kind word can open.
That’s kind of been the testimony of Real Church over the last 5 years…
I’m thinking a lot about my church today. Here I am sitting in the center of the city that I believe God has called me to plant churches. I thought by now that I would already be leading a new campus. Months ago, when I thought about the Christmas & New Year season(s), I envisioned the outreach & ministry we would be doing. I have sat right in this Starbucks many times and tried to picture the new faces that would be attending our midtown campus. Instead, several doors have closed and others have yet to open.
I’ve already handed the leadership of Hamtramck over to Pastor TJ and his team. So, I speak on Saturday evenings at NightLight – which we’re treating as our next campus experience (that simply meets in Hamtown for now) – then, I serve the church as the others lead on Sundays and Wednesdays. It’s cool, but weird… I know it’s God’s timing and perfect will – so, I’m doing my best to walk in wisdom & obedience each and every step. I’m grateful to be able to mentor Pastor TJ (and Netta mentors his wife Jess) – as they grow into their new roles & responsibilities. And, I can see God maturing me in character & faith.
I guess today, I need to be like those around me and get lost in my kids coloring books & crayons! Yeah, to venture into my childlike faith and enjoy each moment with fresh vision, open adventure, endless energy and unbridled joy! I want to leap into the next chapter, scribbling with crayons, with laughter & playful passion! I want to venture outside the lines and create a new colorful image on top of the harsh black lines the enemy has drawn on the pages of this city! To make something that my Father will smile at and hang on the refrigerator of Heaven!
“My kid, Chilly, colored this! It’s awesome!”
Yeah. I’m smiling. Maybe someone around me can escape through my childlike faith. Maybe I will lead them to Jesus and their whole family will come to know Him. I refuse to accept the black & white pages that define this city. I’m grabbing some crayons and I’m going to allow Christ to create something beautiful through me. Childlike faith is key.
- What has God asked you to color?
- Are you staying in the lines that this world has made?
- I tripple dog dare you to travel into your little child today. See beyond the edges & create!
No, I still don’t know when or where the next church plant will be. But I’m not waiting to start coloring! It’s time to play, pray, smile, serve, laugh, love, go & give!
scribbling BIG (look out for flying elbows), Chilly
Wow that’s awesome man. I see God showing me so many new things as I crawl to his throne. I see that our heavenly DADDY wants us to play heavenly hide and seek as a child plays with their father. As a new chapter in my life opens, he desires for me to encounter him today and then the next day knowing that he is my focus and purpose. As I pursue the unatainble I know that God will allow pieces of his presence to stur hunger in the hungry around me. Thanks Chilly for the creativity you have brought into our drawing for our Daddy. I see him responding to our efforts to know him and surprising us as jeremiah says. He will show us mysteries and secret things which we do not know.
–>WOW! As i read this i was sucked into the thought of “why can’t we be kids again”…something a friend of mine said two weeks ago after a sunday morning service in VT. You see, we’re part of a discipleship program called New England Masters Commission. God is constantly opening our eyes to new & exciting things that we have been called to do in our generation.
–>we’ve been on vacation since tuesday & going back will be like a re-energizing. I will tell you one thing, i will be more like my father’s daughter than before. Jesus is a true daddy & while being in masters & on this journey, He is showing me this more & more each day
Thank you for helping me realize this.
~Kali~
going to see the wayne co light show made me think of going to light shows as a kid. that was a lot of fun. i would have never done that on my own, either. sometimes we need others to encourage us to color outside those lines.
xoxo
Yeah. I’m smiling. Teary eyed. My favorite of your blogs yet.
Pastor Chilly, I must first tell you what an awsome blog, and yet what an awsome man and pastor you are. I have a home church in Sterling Heights, but live in Hamtramck. I ventured into Real church one day after being late for my church and knowing that Real Church was close by. The church that I regularly attend, is great, I enjoy our pastor, I teach kindergarten on a monthly basis, our pastors sermons always keep me interested and I always leave fulfilled. But, I might tell you that the first time I visited real church, I was so overwhelmed with your message, I was so humbled by the people, and I felt for some reason that I was meant to be there that day! Every time I am late for church I come there. As a matter of fact, sometimes I just come because that is where I want to be, its gotten to be about once a month. Each time, I mean each time I visit, I was meant to be there, that day. I always leave fulfilled, on fire and refreshed, and at the same time humbled. I guess just like a kid, as described above. I thank god that I found real church, I thank god that he put you and your family in my life, your dedication and child like faith has been such a direction in my life.
Somewhere between being a young teen and adulthood, we have a tendency to lose our ability to dream. Lord, may we all regain that ability!
Great Post!