Shared Experience

This is a Re-Blog from Mark Batterson (Lead Pastor of National Community Church in DC, Ambs' Church-----it is soooooooo what God has been speaking to me about lately, and actually for quite some time now).......

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I Thessalonians 2:7-8 has always been a linchpin verse for me when it comes to discipleship. It's not just about sharing information. It's about sharing life.
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
I'm more and more convinced that discipleship is all about shared experiences. Think of it as discipleship super-glue. That is why Jesus invited the disciples to follow him. He basically wanted to hang out with them and do life together.
As my kids get older, one of the things I enjoy about parenting is sharing experiences by sharing hobbies. That is why I wanted to learn how to snowboard with Parker (Mark's son). I knew that shared experience wouldn't just be fun. I knew it would create memories and build the bond between us. I think we'll take up rock climbing this summer. And that is why so many of my life goals involve my family. It's not just about achieving the goal. It's about sharing the experience!

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Lauren here, again. This is something that God is speaking to me OVER and OVER again. We need to mentor folks and spend time building RELATIONSHIPS with them and together. We can't have strong churches without strong relationships, and I really feel that bigger the call of your church, the stronger (and deeper) you have to have those relationships......to be able to link arm-in-arm.......and go the distance. (You have to "build a bridge" with folks, before you can "speak into their lives" with the heavier stuff.....and we do that by getting to know one another.....spending time together........getting comfortable enough with each other that we finally break through past the walls and masks we hide behind, and can be "real" with each other about what we're going through, our struggles, our weaknesses, etc......and as we see things in each other's lives, that we can (in love) share that with them, pray with them, and walk them through those valleys....AND share the mountaintops together, too!) We wonder why when we add and add more and more classes, and folks don't show up, or they do, but they stay the same, why it is that they really don't progress much. There is sooooooo much more to discipleship than anointed and gifted teaching (even from the best teachers)!!! (This is actually one of my biggest pet peeves.......sorry!). Fathering (and mothering) isn't just TEACH! TEACH! TEACH! (or preach, preach, preach), but it is spending time with folks doing.....LIFE....doing everyday stuff! It doesn't always have to be super-spiritual. And when we schedule something for every night of the week and every day of the week, we are not allowing time for them (or us) to have and/or experience life AND we are stealing precious time away from families to be families. Families are the building blocks (and actually the "glue") of a healthy society, and we must allow them time to be together, and to do things together (and this isn't just when you have kids at home, either......couples need time to spend together, too) to mentor their kids, do fun things, etc, etc, etc. When new & baby Christians come into our churches, we don't have to have something for them every night of the week......we need to put them with someone ( a more mature Christian) that can "do life" with them, and spend time with them......just hanging out and talking....someone they can "shadow", and learn about the day-to-day things and not only how to act, but how to react, etc.........it doesn't have to be (and in my point of view, SHOULDN'T) be in a church building 24/7 (and many baby Christians don't want to be there for long periods of time anyway). We talk about wanting to be the "Church of Acts", but if you read, they went "HOUSE to HOUSE" (building relationships)...... it wasn't being walled up in a church 7 days a week. Okay, sorry about getting on my soapbox.....enough! PRAISE GOD!!!!
(H0pe I didn't offend anyone, because that is NOT my heart!!!).

God's love & mine,
Nonnie
aka Lauren

P.S. Here is a great link to a great message that is a lot about what we've been talking about above. Steve Andrews is the lead pastor of Kensington Community Church in Detroit, Michigan, and he is from the Andrews family....a family that is near & dear to the Childress family. ENJOY!
KENSINGTON VIDEO