Jesus Shaped Community

What A Friend: a song for community

2019-06-13T15:11:07+00:00By Joel|Christian Music, Christianity, Jesus Shaped Community, Music, Worship, Worship Leading|

Over the years, I've heard songwriters and/or musicians say things to the effect of, "I wish I wrote that song." And actually, I'm sure I've said that at some point - but this one, I'm glad was penned by my friend Bruce. I remember when I first heard it. It was shortly after my wife and I walked through a tragic time in our lives. It was one of those times where it felt as if the world was crashing down, and nothing felt safe. Bruce and his wife Lois were trusted friends who walked through that time with us. We were left with many questions and very few answers, and through that messy time I [...]

Living with Joyful Endurance [Audio]

2019-05-17T00:51:51+00:00By Joel|Audio, discipleship, Jesus Christ, Jesus Shaped Community, Kingdom of God, Missional Living, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation|

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4 (The Message) This year, as our church prepared for Holy week, I had an opportunity to share something that the Lord has been working in my heart and experience. The end of 2018 and early 2019 was a difficult time for our family, but in it the Lord taught me much about joy and endurance. As [...]

Living a Life in Community [Audio]

2019-05-17T04:15:23+00:00By Joel|Audio, Jesus Shaped Community, Kingdom of God, Missional Living, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation|

Christian community is something that I love (or at least, I'm growing in my love for it). I think that I can now say that because I've let go of a lot of the idealism that I've held in the past. Growing up in the 90's there was a bit of the Friends (TV show) utopian ideal, with the sitting in coffeeshops, talking about life, and having those who would personify The Rembrandts' lyric of "I'll be there for yooou." But I eventually came to the realization that I didn't love Christian community then. I loved the idea of it - the dream of it. Don't get me wrong, I longed for it - the real [...]

Being People of Mercy and Compassion [Audio]

2019-05-17T00:11:54+00:00By Joel|Audio, Jesus Shaped Community, Kingdom of God, Missional Living, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation|

"God's love is what we are created for and living lives of compassion are what He invites us to." From my sermon Everyone Gets To Play: Being People of Mercy and Compassion What does it look like to live lives of mercy and compassion? Recently, I shared the following message at my home worship community, during which I looked at: what compassion is, how mercy and compassion is at the heart of God, His invitation to us to us, and how we can cultivate it in our lives.