Intimacy, Community, and Mission

Words may never be enough to describe what I’ve experienced in the past four months. The World Race teaches on three key components for living a Kingdom life. I hope to share with you what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown in each area.

Community:

I’ve never lived in Christian community like this. From day one, the six of us said we would choose each other, no matter what. We worked hard to know one another and love one another. We had hard conversations, worked through conflict, and chose to forgive. We gave feedback to encourage and call each other higher. We laughed together, cried together, and often laughed and cried at the same time. We worked together, slept in the same room, spent countless hours in the van, made up ridiculous poems, and chose each other daily. We did not allow space for gossip on our team-and called each other out if it started to happen. We created a safe space to share emotions and heal from hurts. We spent intentional time together. We learned that kindness doesn’t mean nice-it means truth and grace. We pointed each other toward Christ.

I’ve found myself asking, “Will I ever have this again?” But the point isn’t the experience, it’s what we take from it. I can look at this past season and say, “Man that was great but I’ll never have that again.” Or I can say, “Those were the hardest and best months of my life. Jesus, how can I take what I’ve learned into the next season? How can I teach others what I’ve learned?” 

Mission:

Sometimes the mission is providing food for someone, sometimes it’s praying for your teammate, and sometimes it’s allowing God to minister to you. The World Race has a saying, “Life is ministry and ministry is life.” I learned how to live a life of ministry right here in America. There’s no special formula-it’s much easier than you think. You don’t need anyone’s permission to love like Jesus. You don’t need to wait for an event or a Sunday service to serve. Jesus didn’t wait until Sunday to speak or to love people. What do you think He did the other six days of the week? 

If you see a homeless person on your way to a friend’s house…pull over. Ask them what they need. Maybe they need a meal. Maybe they need someone to talk to. Maybe they just need to feel seen. 

If you’re watching an interaction between a mother and a son at an airport and feel discouraged, asked Jesus to help. He may open the door for conversation. And in that you may learn that the boy has Autism and the Mom is raising him on her own while also taking care of a family member with Alzheimer’s. You may learn that she never sleeps through the night and is doing the best she can. Encourage her. Pray for her. Be her friend, if only for a moment. 

When’s the last time you did something intentional for that family member that drives you crazy? When’s the last time you checked in with Mom or Dad to see how they’re doing-how they’re really doing? How about that phone call you’ve been putting off? 

Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Choose your words intentionally. Be interruptible. When Jesus tries to show you love, receive with open hands.  Pay attention to the little things. Small moments of opportunity pass by you every day without notice. Jesus is in those moments and He wants to partner with you. You only need to say, “Yes. 

Intimacy:

Everything I experience in mission and community is an overflow of my intimacy with Christ. I’m only able to give as much as I’m willing to receive. In this past season I’ve allowed Him to take me into deeper relationship, deeper trust, and deeper love. God wants to love you, He wants to speak to you, He wants communion with you. But it’s your choice. Read His word, not just the four gospels, not just the New Testament, the WHOLE STORY. Gospel translates to God’s story. The beginning to the end. From Genesis to Revelation. Read. Ask questions. Allow space and time for Him to respond. And then put your Faith into action. 

God wanted fellowship with us from the very beginning. It’s yours to access.

I don’t think it’s possible to grow in one of these area without growing in the others. My teammates have encouraged me to step out in evangelism and have given me a deeper revelation of God’s love. Living on mission has shown me the importance of community and allowed me to experience the movement of the Holy Spirit. My intimacy with Christ has allowed me to see my community through the eyes of Christ and has given me the longing to put what I’ve learned into action.

As I transition back home I pray I am able to share and spread everything the Lord has done.

If you have questions, please ask.

If you need prayer, call me.

If you want to hear stories, I have more than you could ask for!