Sunday

The Bridge is in its pre-launch stage, so we're having more training-like sessions than sermons on Sunday. Still, ALL are welcome!

Here are some thoughts on Sunday's training session:

First, it was wonderful sitting in the pew with Wendy and Josh. I could sense their passion!

Second, I really want to revisit Luke 5 & 6 some time this week. Thomas used this text to shed some light on church planting. Rather than looking at Acts or some of the Pauline epistles, texts that are commonly used regarding church planting, we looked at Jesus and the commissioning of the first disciples. I'm not going to summarize the training session here, but I do want to share some points/questions that were going through my head.

In a way, Luke 5:10-11 is one of my favorite verses - I used it one year for a poem I wrote for Good Friday service. Jesus is like a poet himself! I think he's got a knack for taking words and flipping it and creating something new from it. Just imagine the original Greek! So Jesus tells a bunch of men who were fishermen--about to be his disciples--that "from now on you will catch men." I love how he uses "catch," a word that is obviously connected to their vocation. Yet, he's asking them to leave their vocation for an entirely new and different kind - there weren't pastors back then! Why does he use "catch," a play on words? Does he mean to imply that SURE the same concepts or skills they used for their vocation are applicable to their new kingdom job?! What does it mean to "catch men"? (It meant something for the disciples, and they dropped everything to "catch men," what does it mean for you and me?)

Thomas also asked whether we endured injustice. This is an interesting question and Thomas didn't have enough time to develop it. I think he was alluding to Luke 6:29, "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also." I know his point was that the church is called to a higher standard of love. I might add the question of whether we endure injustice for the sake of others! For, in the next few verses, it reads, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them." I want to highlight this verse because for whatever reason it makes me think about injustice. Why does this verse do that for me? What is the nature of injustice? What should Christians do about it? I've been thinking about such things for years and trying to apply my conclusions to real-life living.

What were your thoughts this Sunday?! Please comment.
What are you prayer requests this week?