I'm thinking this morning about CHANGE - how it effects us, how we try to avoid it, how it hurts and gets us out of comfort zones, how it might help to get us out of ruts, etc. I was listening to another CD sermon this morning, this time from Cedar Ridge, where Brian McLaren is Senior Pastor and where they're going through some changes because of the calling on his life. I've got a nominal relationship with Brian: we've only "met" once, talking with him a few years ago at a conference @ his church; and I moderate an email list that discusses his NEW KIND OF CHRISTIAN novel series.

Anyway, this "sermon" was from his church a couple of Sundays ago, when the congregation heard that he was going to stay with them in a limited but "full-time" capacity and still be given leeway to pursue opportunities to speak and teach among the leaders of what's being called "the emerging church".

[I hate to grab onto titles like that, labelling everything and somehow taking away the mystery and some of the power from what might actually be happening. But I digress....]

As the leaders outlined what changes were being made, the congregation was asked to partner with Brian in his ministry and calling. That's such a wonderful mindset, that they are going with him in the frontiers of changing theology, bunking with him at conferences, supporting Him in writing and speaking and dreaming. I pray that they will grab onto the vision that he's chasing, making it their own.
- posted by Rick @ 09:31