Fill me up, Lord

"You will seek me, & find me when you seek me w/ all your heart," God says. But that is not the whole story. I'm not just a searcher. I'm also a hider. You too. We have to come face-to-face w/ our tendency to hide, to get lost. ~John Ortberg, Love Beyond Reason

Thursday, August 03, 2006

God has Only One Treasure: PEOPLE!

I think Willow Creek gets a bad rap. Personally, a few years ago, I was pretty snobby-snobby toward it. Its service felt like a very fake, slick, professional performance.

However, the last 2 years I have been involved with a couple types of small groups there, and I have to say.... that I have met the most genuine, authentic human beings.

They are passionate and excited about their faith. Yes, they love their church & really like to be involved/& help out in every aspect, but Christ is first place in their life. Not the pastor.

Additionally, Willow doesn't just preach & teach the Word...they have a strong focus and commitment to the surrounding communities and beyond.
Something that is lacking in most American Protestant churches...

GREAT Quote from an article that Bill Hybels (Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church) wrote in Christianity Today a few years ago.....

"We cannot afford to be deaf to heaven. Training, process, and strategy are all good. Developing your mind is essential. But ultimately, we walk by faith, not by sight. There is a supernatural dimension to our Christian experience and it comes our way by keeping an ear open to heaven.

I ask myself regularly,
Can I still hear God's voice?
Is the ambient noise level of my life low enough that I can still hear God's voice when he speaks? And do I still have the guts to obey him even though I don't understand him all the time?

Have you reminded yourself recently whose job it is to grow your heart for God?
Is it the church's job?
Your small group's job?

No.

It's your job to make sure your heart for God is increasing.
Nobody can do that for you.

You've got to develop the spiritual practices
that keep you growing towards Christlikeness.

Likewise, is your capacity for loving people deepening?

If you think about it, you realize God has only one kind of treasure. It's people. "
-Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church

What are some spiritual practices that you incorporate into your faith journey?

(Beyond being faithful everyday, in the little things; making the right choices, loving God and loving your neighbor, turning the other cheek, living justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. Although these things are good...)

I am thinking of intentional disciplines.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/bcl/areas/vision-strategy/articles/le-2001-003-13.86.html

PS: I'd like to hear from my secret readers in California & Missouri.

3 Comments:

  • At 2:54 AM, August 04, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Will you put a button or something so we can email you directly and not post in comments? Then I'll fill you in more! But you'll know who I am. And I'm the San Diego visitor. I'll tell you more in email!

     
  • At 9:03 PM, August 04, 2006, Blogger *Christie* said…

    Sorry to have gotten offended at your comment... I have 'anonymous' comments sometimes that make me feel that way, and i was getting tired of it and i think i jumped on you because of it. So i'm very sorry about that and of course your apology is accepted.

    PS... willow creek? Do I know you? I went there for years.

     
  • At 11:39 PM, August 10, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    New to this. Praying, reading every day from a prayer type booklet, mostly trying to see the good in situations and people. Writing positive affirmations. Realizing more and more how much I need God. Trying not to worry too much. Need help with this one ;-) Also need to read the Bible more. Psalm 91 calms and strengthens me, as does an oldie, but a goodie-Psalm 23. Oh, and nature is a Big Help. The beauty that is there, can't be there by accident. It helps me calm down and connect to God. I'm still mostly a work in progress.

     

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