Vision Glorious

It’s true. My Church is regularly emerging from the 4-walls of the Church building into each others’ lives and out into the communities around them with the Good News on their lips and the love of Christ in their hearts.¹ And I love it!

Before I post part 2 of True Christian Community is Patterned in the Sacrificial System, I wanted to share this write-up from my good buddy and dear brother, Carlos Rodriguez. Carlos is from east central Los Angeles (he’s picky about that). Carlos re-dedicated his life to the Lord Jesus in our Church and his wife Marife (from the Philippines) was wonderfully saved early last year and baptized. In the following paragraphs, Carlos writes about what he has learned and experienced in the last twenty-two months. We’re all very proud of Carlos & Fe, and we boast in the Lord of what He has done through their lives.

Here’s Carlos emerging with his Church:

One of the most precious things my family and I have is our lifeteam (small group). Our lifeteam meets every Thursday night for worship and fellowship among families. Each and every member from the youngest to the oldest is part of our immediate spiritual family. The men are truly my brothers and the women are truly my sisters. There is more than just a bond and a weekly meeting between us because Christ is in the center of our relationships. We met each other through Christ and we sustain each other through Christ in our everyday lives. The church has a number of lifeteams throughout the body, but the spirit of a lifeteam is always present when the whole body is together. We learn how to be a family with our small group and it carries over to our large group body. Team members continously take care of each families need without any obligatory feelings - it is a desire to please my brother in Christ. The children are the repsonsibility of all and are treated with the love that each parent gives their own child. Our sick are taken care of and no family has to worry about everyday tasks while they are incapacitated because the families are there for each other. The other day most of the families were able to eat lunch together at the Spaghetti House and it felt like each of them have always been part of my family; there are no formalities. We also serve each through accountability and challenge ourselves in lifeteam with difficult questions and discussions that must be dealt with. Our lifeteam has also gone door to door spreading the Good News together.  We have three months left in Italy and my family’s heart grows sad when just the thought of leaving our team is brought up. Not just the lifeteam, but the community of lifeteams that Christ has built for us. The communion, sharing, and enjoyment has truly been a small Christian community. Our fear is not having the same type of community when we move to Nebraska this fall and we pray that we will find a Christian community that will become our true everyday family and not just a Sunday club.

1. and you thought you had another "developing story" on your hands [back]