First part of this post lives here.

Simply put, I always need little reminders to stay the course and writing it down is one effective way to do it.  City Community Church has the incredible potential, as we all do, to drift from it’s intended course.  Especially in it’s infancy.  Even worse we all have the potential to be so  narrow-minded in our focus that we refuse to listen to God as He whispers new coordinates.  I pray and hope that we’ll all have ears to hear and backs to row…hard to ROCK the boat when your busy ROWING in a unified manner:)

Here are #3 and #4 (yes there are more in the world and I’ll just give ours two at a time) areas or problems that drive our lives and our ministry and help us plot City Com’s navigational devices.  The problems that drive us aren’t glamourous or glitzy.  They’re simply issues we feel compelled to act upon…so we are…and here they are:

3.  People are relationally fractured.  The fall, the hiding, the rebelling against God…all of those things don’t just stay vertical, they manifest themselves in very horizontal ways often damaging the people closest to us.  As I scan the landscape of humanity, one thing is for sure:  we’re all extremely broken and most of us don’t even know it.  Churched people can often be the most dishonest when it comes to this because they’ve been taught to hide the pain.  Even though God has made a way through Christ, our sin hinders our conversations with God and our busyness trying to fill our emptiness masks our inabilities to connect relationally with each other.  It’s a vicious cycle that we have to be intentional about breaking.  At City Com we want to challenge you to create SPACE.  SPACE in your day to be with your Creator and SPACE in your life to be with His creation.  What priorities need to change to allow you to have SPACE with God?  What SPACES can you create at home, work or the local coffee shop to create SPACE for conversation with others that might not necessarily look and think like you, but have the same need for connectedness?  In the summer we’ll be test piloting some small groups at City Com that just might jump start the process…

4.  Injustices permeate the world.  Around 6 or 7  years ago, I had a close friend with LSA from South Africa challenge me with a very pointed question.  He asked, “When you get close to God, what does He say?”  Uhhhh…I feel good?  I get goose bumps?  I get blessed?  Yeah, ok…I was stumped.  Here I was leading people in worship of an Almighty God and I didn’t even know what was on His heart.  I realized most of the time I was on a journey to self (hello!) so I purposefully started on a journey toward the heart of God.  It wasn’t long before I realized His heart for the poor, the oppressed, the widow, the orphan and that He had given ME a voice to speak into the injustice.  At City Com, we will INTERACT with Indianapolis, this nation and this world by not going to church but being the church.  We will open our hearts to the King, open our mouths for those unable to speak and open our lives to administer justice in the world.  We will not only share Christ’s love with each other but we will take His hope to the ends of the earth, knowing that the journey toward His heart means learning to become His hands….getabsorbed…n

It’s so easy to get blown off course.  
(Man the “s” key is really sticking on my laptop…probably the kids spilled something…you know they shouldn’t even be allowed to touch this precious Mac Air let alone…) SEE WHAT I MEAN?
One minute you’re headed straight for open water where/what you charted out, then you take your eyes off the horizon and the next thing you know you’ve bunny trailed into a direction leagues  away from your stated destination .  So as a reminder to myself and our incredible team at City Community Church, I thought I’d blog a few different posts and give a quick review.  (Gheez, now the “w” is acting goofy…of course it is right next to the “s”..which makes sense, cause…:) SEE WHAT I MEAN?
Here are 4 (yes there are more in the world and I’ll just give ours two at a time) areas or problems that drive our lives and our ministry and help us plot City Com’s navigational devices.  The problems that drive us aren’t glamourous or glitzy.  They’re simply issues we feel compelled to act upon…so we are…and here they are:
1.  People are far away from God.  Feels like a “duh” statement but me, we, all of us need to be reminded.  As a result of the fall, man has been separated from God.  Our willful disobedience keeps us from Him and the gap can never be bridged by our efforts.  Left alone, we would be eternally separated.    Only through trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross can mankind be reconciled to God, offered peace in this life and eternity with God forever.  This transformation comes through faith and is available to everyone…this is hope…this is Good News and we have a responsibility to share it with the world.
2.  Churches are often painfully irrelevant.  Look around you.  If you live in the United States chances are you know at least the location of 3 churches right in your area but you probably wouldn’t go there. Unfortunately the greatest message in the world often comes off stale, unnecessary and irrelevant inside the walls of our religious institutions. At City Community Church, we work hard to make the message of Jesus Christ alive, accessible and understandable in the context and culture we live in.  This attitude of accessibility permeates everything we do in creating weekend environments that are Spirit-led, engaging, challenging and limitless in their creative expression.  We want you to feel like City Community Church is a place you can encounter God, grow in love with Him and invite others to join you on the journey….getabsorbed…n

A blank canvas elicits different emotions from different people.

One artist may move toward the opportunity, brush in hand, in passionate anticipation of what’s to come.  The other may stare in visible horror at the lack of any safe direction or instructions given for the seemingly vast amount of white space they must fill.

No matter which artist you are (and you are an artist) the blank canvas represents huge responsibility.  Pushing the limits is perfectly acceptable but remember no one has to like it.  Staying safe within the known contexts of previous paintings isn’t a sure thing either.  You’ve been given brush and colors for this time and this season.  It’s your responsibility to use them well.

Paint wildly with great passion and vivid colors but never forget the incredible sense of responsibility you have to the viewers and critics who will undoubtedly follow…getabsorbed…n

While in the middle of speaking last week at City Com, I had a duh moment and was blown away once again at what an expansive story God has written throughout history.  From the Garden to Moses to Jesus to now…wow…all pointing to the characteristics of a God with a purpose.  (I love random thoughts in the middle of speaking…inside words/outside words…ya never know if you’re gonna say em out loud:)  Here’s what I thought: not a week goes by that somebody doesn’t ask me this question: “Nathan, what’s God’s will for my life?”

Just hold on a second.  Lemme crinkle my nose, fold my arms, nod my head and the answer will magically appear!  Uhhh…yeah.  Not so much.

Well…since you asked, I think your question might be a bit incomplete.  We focus so much on ourselves, pondering things that only affect us, that we miss the bigger story that God is writing.  Don’t get mad…I”ll chuck myself under that same bus!  We’re always trying to pigeon-hole God into something we want Him to be in order to satisfy our own happiness.  Come on.  I know that stung but it’s often the painful reality that leads us to a deeper truth.  Don’t you wish everyone dealt in reality?:)  

Here’s the real deal: God is in the business of redemption.  That means redeeming EVERYBODY to Himself.  Not just you, but your neighbor.  Your cousins boss.  Your sisters tennis coach.  Your classmates alcoholic father.  The woman you’ve never met in the town you’ve never heard of in the country you can’t pronounce.  Yeah, her.  That’s the business God is in…always has been.  

So the better question might be, part 1″What is God’s will?”  His will is that ALL would come to redemption, repentance, a saving knowledge of His Son.  Anything that facilitates others coming to that knowledge, He’s probably all for.  Anything that gets in the way of knowing Him, He’s adamantly against.  That’s the big plan.

Better question part 2…”Since now I know God’s will for all human, how do I fit into the big picture?”

That answer my friend, is a wide-open door…welcome to the adventure:)…getabsorbed…n

So I’m sitting there in a gorgeous home after a great meal with a close friend and family whom I haven’t seen in months, and all I can think about is my I-phone.  It got so bad that while we’re discussing incredible things of the Kingdom I quietly, so no one would notice, pulled it out under the table and glanced at it.  What the heck is in this thing?

“Wonder who called?  Wonder who texted me?  Ohhh…I wonder who wants to be my friend on facebook?”  I wonder what kind of loser I really am?  Am I so into ME that I can’t stay focused on anyone else?  Am I so starved for attention that I’ll take it from anywhere else but the person sitting right across from me?  Pastors seem to be really bad at it.  ”THEY need me.”  Yeah right.  You need help!  Sure it’s a neat little device but gheez…getta life.  Or is this life now?  I’ve even found myself lying, “uhhh..yeah…just gotta check on some work stuff for City Community Church.  I’ll be there in a minute.”  I sit on a throne of lies, reeking of beef and cheese while my family’s meal goes cold.  I’m a self absorbed addict.

I’m not the only one with a serious case of self.  I’ve sat across from YOU before and YOU were more engaged with your MacPipe or IStoned or Crackberry that you were with anything I was saying.  I’ve driven next to YOU while you were popping keys in a text message to Utah or a witty twitter post while your family is starving for attention in the back seat.  Oh wait a minute, maybe that was me…

I’m publicly making resolutions; maybe then I’ll stick with em.  I’m going to be ENGAGED when YOU are around.  MacAir closed, Iphone on silent and mentally ready to slap my own hand if I feel the need to see who called. I’m going to DISENGAGE the moment YOU do, affording you ample peace and quiet to check your facebook, email or scores from around the league.  Cool?  Oh, hold on…I’ve gotta call…I’ll just be a minute…getabsorbed…n

I wonder how the disciples of Jesus woulda reacted if He would have turned around one day and said, “Hey, here’s the deal:  following Me is dangerous business.  Might get killed.  Sure you still wanna come?”

I actually think He DID say that…and most of them WERE killed.  Granted He may have not said it in so many words but it was implied in just about everything He was about.  So where in the heck did we get off thinking this was an easy ride?  That Christ = Comfort?

I look at my 11-year-old son and often wonder what type of Christ is being branded in his heart.  Is it a “come here and be entertained” Christ, full on with basketball courts, sweet videos and a stellar light show?  I mean what’s the logical conclusion for a kid that’s been mind-numbingly exposed to “the show” with no call to live differently?  Chances are when “the show” fails to deliver and is all about just trying to get him to return week after week, his so-called Christ might drop off the radar.  ”Shows” are good for a moment and if they aren’t used for the express purpose of inspiring you into a deeper relationship with a loving and dangerous Jesus, then frankly the show can’t and shouldn’t go on.  There will come a time when everyone has left the stage.

I know it’s not real popular to tell kids or even adults, “hey, this is gonna cost you everything and it might get bloody.  Like you might have to die so Christ can live in you” but that’s the reality and it will hit all of us at one time or another.   

One prepares…the other placates.  I guess I should lead the way.  Gotta first stop enjoying the show myself…getabsorbed…n

New = Different.  Or, at least maybe it should…

Indianapolis folks have been challenging me for years.,”Nathan, when you do FINALLY start this new church expression in downtown Indy (and stop just talking about it), please, for the love of all that’s pure and holy, make it different.”

City Community Church has an official launch of March 1 and we’d love to see YOU there.  Our weekend gatherings will be held at the Central Library in the Clowes Auditorium but I hope that’s where a ton of similarities stop between what was and what will be.

This isn’t boring, weekend, your-mom-dragged-you-here church nor is it a dog and pony show. For starters, we’re much more than just an hour on Sunday. Sure you’ll find gatherings full of great music, relevant teaching, a casual atmosphere and lots of fun for kids. But all of that is geared toward inspiring you to personally draw near to God and interact with the city of Indianapolis no matter what day of the week. Oh, and another thing.  We promise you’ll feel welcome here, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey (hey, we’ve got questions too). City Community Church is a place that will accept you for who you are, but also challenge you to become all you were created to be.

We’re just ordinary people with an extraordinary belief that God is doing something amazing in the city of Indianapolis. City Community Church is a brand new expression in the heart of downtown Indy, passionate about God and purposeful in loving this city and the world. We’re a community with a cause, rekindling the imagination of a city through the hope of Jesus Christ. We’re a people on a journey, moving toward the heart of God, seeking to serve the city in our own spheres of influence.

Bring in the New.  Bring on the Different.  May the world never be the same.  The Heartbeat of God in the Heart of the City….City Community Church.

What kind of environment do you exist in and why? I was so refreshed at our meeting last night at the Central Library.  

Have you ever been in a situation and then realized you were wrong or incomplete in your understanding?  If you answered “yes”, you’re at least opened to being challenged.

Good productivity takes incredible intentionality.  I find that while variety and spontinatiy might be included in the spices of life, the meat of the dish takes hard and pre-planned work.