Together
Another Day Along the Way
Friday, June 22, 2007
Another day,
The song from years ago confessed my thoughts this way: "It's been quite a year." And, for my family, quite a year it has been.
Since the first Sunday in June of last year, so much has changed. As I preached that goodbye sermon to our dear friends in Orlando, my family and I didn't know what would occur from that June to this one. A year later and a life so different, I glance back and stare forward. I smile, I shake my head, I think, I pray. I nod, knowing we made the correct choice and trusted the right voice.
We miss our son Taylor and his wife Brittany. Seeing them in Atlanta a few weeks ago reminded Debbie and me again how much we miss them. And also how proud of them we are. Though they pulled for the Cubs, their "Braves-loving" Daddy didn't mind. We were together.
Though Aaron and Graham are still our sons, they are so much older. This one year has made them appear to be much more adult than our parental mindsets easily accept. Though we all move in so many different directions, we are - sometimes - together.
Time together is crucial. That is how I feel about our friends from Orlando and our friends here in Georgia. About my Emmanuel College friends and my Faith Cafe friends. About my cell phone friends and my email friends. About family, classmates from my own younger years, students in college, pastors, strangers, and a world of lonely, busy, hurt, uncertain people. Not waiting for time, but making time is crucial. To meet, to talk, to watch a game, to spend too much on hot dogs, to watch a movie, to travel, to listen, to laugh, to cry. Crucial.
A friend recently asked me about Faith Cafe. He said, "This curriculum seems much more honest and real than anything our church has used before." He wasn't sure how I would take that. My response? I said, "Thank you."
We want curriculum to invite lifetime learners into that experience I label as crucial: time together. Studying together in order to build community, to display authenticity, to pursue spiritual formation, and to act out our beliefs in service to others - to me, that is the Bible alive. Truth in action. Doctrine to go. Amid our doubts, mistakes, decisions, and makeup - we can move forward together instead of isolating ourselves in this stormy world of Junes so similar and years so unique.
We can eat chilli dawgs together. Or, go on diets together. We can hear music together. Or, be silent together. We can seek to know deep truth together. Or, learn news ways to finally apply old truth together. We can go to ball games and movies together. Or, visit a foreign land and experience the challenge of change together.
I experienced it again Tuesday night. Chatting in a spiritual gathering to a group of college and high school students, we talked about Paul's instructions for us to "press on." We can, rather than staying stuck as we've always been, move. Not geographically. Spiritually. Not as an escape to avoid. As a growth spurt toward maturity. But we should not press on alone. Time together is crucial for the experience we crave, we need, we desire.
So, as another June comes and goes and as our own life experiences move us in various ventures, let's live as a Faith Cafe experience. Honest and real. Pressing on together. Making time together a priority. And living the life in service to others.
To me, it sounds like a family at a game or at a meal. To me, it sounds like a Savior on a boat or in a house. He told others to come. They came to Him and they often came together. Let us go there. Together.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: It takes a breeze to make a banner speak.
(Calvin Miller, The Song)
Friday, June 22, 2007
Another day,
The song from years ago confessed my thoughts this way: "It's been quite a year." And, for my family, quite a year it has been.
Since the first Sunday in June of last year, so much has changed. As I preached that goodbye sermon to our dear friends in Orlando, my family and I didn't know what would occur from that June to this one. A year later and a life so different, I glance back and stare forward. I smile, I shake my head, I think, I pray. I nod, knowing we made the correct choice and trusted the right voice.
We miss our son Taylor and his wife Brittany. Seeing them in Atlanta a few weeks ago reminded Debbie and me again how much we miss them. And also how proud of them we are. Though they pulled for the Cubs, their "Braves-loving" Daddy didn't mind. We were together.
Though Aaron and Graham are still our sons, they are so much older. This one year has made them appear to be much more adult than our parental mindsets easily accept. Though we all move in so many different directions, we are - sometimes - together.
Time together is crucial. That is how I feel about our friends from Orlando and our friends here in Georgia. About my Emmanuel College friends and my Faith Cafe friends. About my cell phone friends and my email friends. About family, classmates from my own younger years, students in college, pastors, strangers, and a world of lonely, busy, hurt, uncertain people. Not waiting for time, but making time is crucial. To meet, to talk, to watch a game, to spend too much on hot dogs, to watch a movie, to travel, to listen, to laugh, to cry. Crucial.
A friend recently asked me about Faith Cafe. He said, "This curriculum seems much more honest and real than anything our church has used before." He wasn't sure how I would take that. My response? I said, "Thank you."
We want curriculum to invite lifetime learners into that experience I label as crucial: time together. Studying together in order to build community, to display authenticity, to pursue spiritual formation, and to act out our beliefs in service to others - to me, that is the Bible alive. Truth in action. Doctrine to go. Amid our doubts, mistakes, decisions, and makeup - we can move forward together instead of isolating ourselves in this stormy world of Junes so similar and years so unique.
We can eat chilli dawgs together. Or, go on diets together. We can hear music together. Or, be silent together. We can seek to know deep truth together. Or, learn news ways to finally apply old truth together. We can go to ball games and movies together. Or, visit a foreign land and experience the challenge of change together.
I experienced it again Tuesday night. Chatting in a spiritual gathering to a group of college and high school students, we talked about Paul's instructions for us to "press on." We can, rather than staying stuck as we've always been, move. Not geographically. Spiritually. Not as an escape to avoid. As a growth spurt toward maturity. But we should not press on alone. Time together is crucial for the experience we crave, we need, we desire.
So, as another June comes and goes and as our own life experiences move us in various ventures, let's live as a Faith Cafe experience. Honest and real. Pressing on together. Making time together a priority. And living the life in service to others.
To me, it sounds like a family at a game or at a meal. To me, it sounds like a Savior on a boat or in a house. He told others to come. They came to Him and they often came together. Let us go there. Together.
Along the way,
Chris Maxwell
Powerful Statement: It takes a breeze to make a banner speak.
(Calvin Miller, The Song)
10 Comments:
In a culture that is so generous with material gifts, we fail to realise that relationships are built when we invest time in a persons life. Time spent over a cup of coffee or on a long telephone chat communicates a sense of caring far greater than an expensive gift does. Meaningful relationships are priceless and they cost nothing, but time.
The church has hurt me so many times, I don't know if I want to find relationships there.
Cyn said "they cost nothing but time." She's right. Why don't we schedule time to be together with others? Why do we not allow time to talk and listen? Church, for me, is just another busy addition to my full calendar. We come there and we leave. We hardly talk to anybody.
even though i grew up in the church and have seen the good, bad, and the ugly...i still have faith in God's ability to redeem her and use her as an instrument of grace through love and community in the lives of his children.
well said, pastor!
I know a few people who have been hurt by the church and what they discovered was that, the church is not always the perfect Bride of Christ she is supposed to be.But that does not mean God is like that.He IS perfect, and perfect LOVE casts out all fear.I'd encourage you to pray about what you're feeling and see if there is any fear or bitterness or any other sin (maybe there is not and I'm not saying this is the only possible reason for your feelings).But let GOD minister to your heart as only He can with that PERFECT love.Then maybe you'll be strong enough to try again.With love from a friend in Orlando.
I do love God's people. That is the church and we can learn together, be changed together, serve one another. That is life in Christ. Check out www.faithcafe.com
As Chris, and another Chris, both say, please don't give up on church all together. There are problems there because we are there. But we need time together in Christian community like Chris Maxwell wrote. No church is perfect. We are not perfect. But do not give up.
KG
Russ said,
I just returned home from Orlando, my old home. It is hard to imagine that it has been 2 years since our departure to Northern Illinois.
What was so apparent was the LOVE we shared with our friends was stronger than ever. These are relationships that were developed in our church. Those relationships developed over time, and required us to invest time from our busy schedules. Time well spent.
I do not know where God is leading us but we continue to invest our time wisely into new relationships. We are making sure that we allow God to direct those special moments. We had a Great Vacation. Thank you Chris for your leadership and being a special part of those memorable times in Orlando...
Never take any day for granted.
Never take your family for granted.
Never take your friends for granted. Never take your health for granted.Never take your job and finances for granted.
The only thing in life that you can take for granted is that our Father in heaven is always with you,loves you and if you let him in your life He will show you the way.
We miss that kind of teaching so much Pastor Chris. Thank God and thank you for your Another Days. May we spend many more together although apart.
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