These are some of the things I believe we should do when we gather each week.

Re-Orient

Life is disorienting. There's lots of things to look at, to want, to have to take care of, to understand. Gathering allows us to once again "Set our faces like a flint." (Isaiah 50:7) We look to Him and our faces are made radiant. We say "This is what I believe. This is Who I belong to. This is what's true."

Re-Imagine

Life is disappointing. Man, it's sick out there. Hurting, oppressive, ugly. I see the affects of sin in my life and in the world around me. There's something transforming about meeting with the One who says "go and sin no more," who shows up where there's need and switches superb wine for tap water, who feeds half of LCBC with my tuna salad footlong combo meal. He just sees in other dimensions, other realities, with another imagination.

Re-Position

Life is pushy. Usually downward. I'll never get over the reality that in one moment I was dead in my transgressions, stuck in sticky, smelly muck. And as an 11-year-old on my Noah's ark bed, the extraordinary happened. I was re-created, a new creature, and suddenly I was home...seated in the heavenlies with Christ. #canyoubelieveit?! We celebrate this.

Re-Define

Life is ridiculous. Why would we work so hard to define who we are by what we do when He's already named us. It's like I'm Jarrett all week...except for that 60 minutes on Sunday when I remember I'm actually David. As a son, there's no earning. Intentionally listening to the Father together powerfully sets us back in the right context.

Re-Connect

Life is frenzied. We rush. Especially on the way to church! We're over-connected online, under-connected when we're breathing the same air. Beyond just a shared experience, we get the chance to respond to God and each other in the same room. Touching God-with-skin-on has a similar effect that the Ezekiel-37-dry-bones experienced.

Re-Direct

Life is idolatrous. Our charge as disciples is to bring an offering that is not for us. To acclaim, honor, magnify, worship, bless, praise, extol, love...Him. As Christ followers, we need a place to once again, as a set-apart group, express love and devotion to the Center around which our lives satellite.

Re-Believe

Life is challenging. It should be faith-draining. Or said differently, it should require faith. We need the belief-fuel of faith. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Hearing it in the company of other witnesses emboldens our faith.

Re-Enact

Life is forgetful. We get wrapped up in the latest song, outreach program, and small group system. It's cool stuff. But the Church has been doing it's offensive on the gates of hell for a very long time. Sacraments, liturgies, rituals, and ceremonies connect us to the Church throughout history. We need that context. His body broken. His blood poured out.

Re-Interpret

Life is...not always as it seems. When someone has received truth from Truth and gives it to us, our moments are interpreted. The lies that have been thriving in our heads are exposed and shrivel in the Light. It's beautiful, really. Whether in a sermon, a prophetic prayer, an encouraging word, a song lyric, the power of Truth translated in the language of love always sets us free.

I started out on this written journey, in part, to see if a more "missional" or "attractional" or "believer" or "seeker" or "traditional" or "contemporary" or "blended" or "un-church" gathering was more fitting for "Church circa 2012." At this mile marker, it seems that if we're all doing the "Re-ing" the other labels become pretty unimportant when describing why we gather weekly.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Interact on our blog! 

Upcoming Training Events in order of occurrence

(click each title for more info)

Projection Resources!

None of these folks asked me to tell you about this,

I'm just doing it because I think they rock!