my vision for fresh canvas and paint in 2015 ..

i sat and wrote a blog post yesterday ..
fail ..
because what's on my heart is not what i wrote

what's on my heart is this
a longing for the church that claims the name of Jesus to reboot, as in dump the cache, and head back to its roots

roots are good
they are where the tree gets its nutrients
we are part of a vine, the Jesus Vine
Paul speaks to that at Romans 10-12

the Church (as in worldwide church) was built by Jesus
he is its founder, our example

what is passed-off as Christianity today is far far removed from what Jesus intended
in fact, it's a blotch on the face of God
in my opinion

my prayer for this 2015 year is that we, the church of Jesus, his Body, move in the direction of Jesus himself

that means
stop already with the show, the concert-styley, the lights and sounds and
   presentation, the sit-in-the-pew-and-listen-to-thatguy
stop with the 1 hour-a-week in the expensive, expansive buildings
stop the pouring money into ??
stop with the exclusivity and the club mentality

it means
pick up my bible and read it, regularly, as if it's relevant to me
   here today in my place
gather regularly as a body, the Body, and worship and share
   and learn and help and support
not rushing off after we've given the
   dutiful 1-hour sunday get-together, but
   hang-out, share a meal or
   food/drink, and talk, get to know
   each other personally, by name,
   circumstance, life
joining each other in meeting the needs
   of people in the neighbourhood,
   especially the underprivileged
joining other churches in doing that on a broader
   scale
meeting with others to pray for each other
joining each other in day-to-day life, communitying in
   yoga and basketball and board games and bowling
   and coffee hangouts and .. like that
visiting the ill, the aged, the orphan, the imprisoned
   to encourage them and offer them hope
   (and i'm not so much talking about another church
   service; more like getting to know them one-to-one,
   and being their friend)

like that

mostly, i fear we have lost our knowledge of the bible, and that is the tap-root of our root system
that is where we encounter Jesus and early christian life and practice
that is where we see our Exemplar in all his earthly self, witness his life and listen to his thoughts .. internalize his mindset, his lifestyle, attitude, approach ..

like that

i have renewed my personal commitment to reading the bible each day, kinda like i eat each day

i'm still looking for that 'church' that lives like that
still
God help me find it ..
meanwhile i've got to get back on the street and simply be there, waiting for whatever opportunity, whoever, looking for the image of Jesus in the eyes of the people that i meet

it's late-on
and there are many miles to go before rest
so i look to you, master Jesus, for guidance, direction, motivation, passion and compassion, intensity, and opportunity
i ask you to help me in my unbelief, to draw near to me as i draw near to you, looking for oneness, intimacy .. to know your presence, feel you in me .. be you, Rabbi

here's to 2015 and personal renewal and Body renewal ..

peace