MyInwardJourney

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May 5, 2004 8:08 AM

[No.More.Secrets]

Well, it's finally finished. This past Sunday we told our church and youth about our move in a couple of weeks. It was a difficult day and one that I was dreading for weeks. Everything went off better than expected & many people encouraged us when it was all said & done. The church is planning on having a farewell party for us on our last Sunday night, the 16th. This will be an even more emotional evening, but more on a good note rather than the general sense of shock that everyone felt this past weekend.

We're now beginning to pack up and life has shifted into fast-forward. It seems like just yesterday that we accepted the position. The last couple of weeks have flashed by & I know that the next couple will do the same. It's kind of scary thinking about how much preparation work there is to do in that time. I've spent that last couple of mornings on the phone for hours getting utilities set to shut off & turn on in the new location, moving phone & other services, paying deposits, etc. I still have quite a to do list of other phone calls that need to be made in the next couple of days. That, coupled with trying to pack things up & life in general means that we are existing on fumes much of the time right now. The last weekend was emotionally & physically draining & I don't expect that it will let up anytime soon (probably not until we have been in our new location for awhile.)

The title of this post is a misnomer of sorts. I'm still blogging here anonymously & haven't decided if I want to change that or not. I'll definitely wait awhile until we move & get settled in before I would 'come clean.' I don't want people at my current church to read things here out of context. They'd have to basically read from post one (and that's even incomplete - as this is a process that has been going on for over a year now). We'll see. For now it's back to packing!

Posted by Kristo on May 5, 2004 at 08:08 AM
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May 10, 2004 10:42 AM

[My.Last.Week]

I told my wife this morning that today was my last work week here at the church. Feels good, but feels kind of strange at the same time. I've got more than enough to fill up my time this week. I'm planning on trying to get the "have tos" done in the first day or two so that I can spend the rest of the week answering the "How do I do this?" questions that people are sure to ask me in regards to many things that I have done on my own in the past. Our secretary already hit me this morning as soon as I got here & told me that she wanted to get with me sometime this week to ask me some questions. That's fine. I knew that much of my week would be filled up with these kind of requests.

I've been the technological catalyst, to say the least, at our church. When I arrived here we had one out-dated computer that someone had given to the church. I leave with a network of ten computers and a new educational wing completely pre-wired for network & high-speed Internet access. This is one aspect of my new position that is going to be an adjustment. I talked with the guy I'll be working with last week about what 'gear' I was going to need. The thought of someone else picking out my laptop is a strange one. I've talked with him enough that I trust what he'll pick out, but it still feels strange, nonetheless.

This week is going to fly by. I can't believe that we're going to be moving in a little over a week! Exciting, scary, & sad all wrapped up into one. I'm actually sitting here while I type this working on our Senior Video that we do every year for our graduates. It's kind of hard to watch & I know it is only going to get worse as the week goes on. We have a 'Senior Roast' on Wednesday night where we honor/pick-on our seniors and then our Graduate Recognition Sunday will be the same day as our last Sunday - next week on the 16th. It will be an emotional day - but a good one as well.

Posted by Kristo on May 10, 2004 at 10:42 AM
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May 13, 2004 9:08 AM

[Unchurch.Growth]

One of the guys I work with just handed me an article about the latest George Barna study - "Number of Unchurched Adults Has Nearly Doubled Since 1991." Very interesting read ... especially when, after laying out the facts of the who/what/when/where/why of those who do not come to church, the conclusion reached is ...

"Unchurched people are not just lazy or uninformed, they are wholly disinterested in church life - often passionately so. Stirring worship music won't attract them because worship isn't even on their radar screen. More comfortable pews cannot compete with the easy chair or the bed that already serve the unchurched person well. Church events cannot effectively compete with what the world has to offer. The only thing the Church can provide that no one else has is a life-changing, practical encounter - and on-going relationship - with the living God and with people transformed by similar encounters. Until such a connection is made, focusing on features, programs and benefits other than such a life-shaping encounter is more likely to lose ground than to gain it."

George Barna then chimes in ...

"Millions of young unchurched are more interested in truth, authenticity, experiences, relationships and spirituality than they are in laws, traditions, events, disciplines, institutions, and religion. The confluence of preconceived notions, past experiences and evolving lifestyles and values means that existing churches simply cannot reach millions of today's unchurched people. The rapidly swelling numbers of unchurched people may be forcing existing churches to reinvent their core spiritual practices while holding tightly to their core spiritual beliefs. It will take radically new settings and experiences to effectively introduce unchurched individuals to biblical principles and practices."

I'm reading through Wolfgang Simson's "Houses That Change the World" and finding it both challenging & affirming at the same time. Seems to be striking a chord in harmony with what God has been leading in my heart for over a year now. We literally are standing on the threshold of a new life and ministry combined into one in which we will walk side-by-side those who cannot or will not be reached by the American church in general. We will build relationships, permeate Christ in everything that we do, shatter stereotypes of what a Christian is supposed to look like or what the Church exists as, and watch God draw in His harvest. I only hope that the Church as it exists today for the most part (the traditional walled structure filled with people) will take note of the cries in the wilderness and signs that they see around them, such as this study. I do believe that God is building up His Bride in new and fresh ways, but I don't believe that His desire is to leave the status quo Christians behind in the wake of the storm. God has called us out of the 'church' to be the 'Church' and yet I thank Him for those who are still redeeming the here and now (such as Brian McClaren and Mark Riddle) and opening people's eyes to God's heart.

Posted by Kristo on May 13, 2004 at 09:08 AM
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May 17, 2004 10:43 PM

[Overwhelmed]

Well, we're almost set for the big move. The day after tomorrow we'll pick up the moving truck & begin to load up. We'll leave first thing Thursday morning & be to our new place sometime after lunch. I began feeling a few weeks ago that time was flying by - now I'm sure of it. This last week or so has been a blur. We're physically exhausted tonight, but emotionally charged for what lies ahead.

Yesterday was our last Sunday at the church. The one word to describe it would be 'overwhelming.' I don't think that I would have ever imagined that our church family here would be as supportive as they are being about this transition. I think honestly that I felt they wouldn't understand for the most part. I worried about how people would view me not being 'in the ministry' (aka - not working for a church) any longer. After yesterday my wife & I are just blown away by the overwhelming response & support that people are giving us. We had people share words of appreciation throughout the day - both informally, one-on-one, and formally during opportunities in the worship services. We spent a good amount of timing reading through cards & other gifts that people had given us after we got home last night. While I was prepared to move on with or without anyone else's support, it still feels good that we have it. It certainly makes this move easier to face. It also makes the prospect of return visits here very open (I still have family in this area & we plan on coming to services when we are in town). All in all, it was a good last day to finish our time here on such a great note.

On a separate note, because of the craziness around here, this will be my last post until we get settled into our new home. I'll probably post some reflections from the other side of the move sometime next week. I start the new job next Monday (the 24th) & I guess I don't officially stop being a youth/music minister until the end of the month after my vacation time runs up. It will be an adventure, to say the least. Not sure what to expect with all of these changes. Heck, we don't even know where our new church is located, although we're planning on being a part of it. So many unanswered questions still left.

My wife says that while it looks like this move is the end of a lot of the questions we have been asking for over a year now, it really is only the beginning. This is simply a stop on the journey, a road that we don't know what it will look like even a few months from now. Here we go!

Posted by Kristo on May 17, 2004 at 10:43 PM
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May 22, 2004 3:47 PM

[We've.Arrived]

Well, we're finally in our new home. There are boxes everywhere (!) but it feels good to touch down finally after preparing for this move for so long. We had quite a crew help get us here & I am so thankful for their willingness to work so hard to help us get here & begin to get settled in. The last of them left this morning, so it is now just our little family. It feels nice. We're totally wiped right now from the last several weeks of preparation & the last couple of days of moving in, but we're starting to slow down a bit (hence me getting online to type this). Tonight we'll probably take the night off & watch a movie. Then we're going to sleep in and spend the day at the house tomorrow. It feels good to not have to get up at the crack of dawn & go to church. I'm glad to have the option right now. We're planning on getting involved in a house church first before we show up on Sunday morning. Maybe this week, we'll see.

I'm a little nervous about heading to the new job on Monday. Most of it is the normal 'new job anxiety' that I think most people face. A small part of it is self-inflicted doubt about whether or not I can actually make it in the business world. I am thankful for the opportunity, though, and excited for the adventure that lies ahead!

Posted by Kristo on May 22, 2004 at 03:47 PM
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