Tangible Kingdom Part II
Last month I wrote about the book Tangible Kingdom and included a quote, and about 4 steps that I would like to take in order to live a more incarnational and missional life. Well 4 weeks later I realize how hard these commitments are for a pastor who works in the institutional church as well as has a family. Most of August I was either away in Mexico or at DayCamp and so up until today I wasn't able to get to Starbucks. This is where I am writing this blog from...but honestly if I am going to be present at Starbucks I need to make it an almost every day commitment. I also found that I am not really good at saying no. The last two days I have been asked to do 2 more things at church (teach a 5th-6th grade class on Wednesday nights and temporarily fill in to be the multi-media coordinator). Saying no is hard especially when both of these things are good things. But last year I believe I was out of the house between 3 and 4 nights a week, allowing me very little time to be at home with my kids and little time to establish relationships in the neighborhood, and to play in the front yard.
Some cool things though that have happened in regards to my commitments based off of the Tangible Kingdom. One was that a neighbor and her 2 boys invited our family to go to the swimming pool that they are members at. So last Friday night Kim and I took Kaiden and Trinity to the pool and hung out with this family. I have had more conversations with people in the neighborhood just from playing in the front yard and regularly taking walks around the neighborhood. Kim (I am hoping) will again be putting together a neighborhood play group. So God has done some cool things in and through us. I am just desiring more and more to do what Henry Nouwen wanted to do:
“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them. ”
I know that this will be really hard as we enter the fall where I could literally be out almost every night of the week working for the church. But I am hoping to stay true to a commitment that I have been thinking about. To only be out 2 nights a week (Monday through Thursday night) doing church related stuff (1 night of meetings, and 1 night of Youth Ministry stuff) Please ask me how I am doing with this commitment. I need the support, encouragement, and a slap in the face/kick in the butt if need be.
Some cool things though that have happened in regards to my commitments based off of the Tangible Kingdom. One was that a neighbor and her 2 boys invited our family to go to the swimming pool that they are members at. So last Friday night Kim and I took Kaiden and Trinity to the pool and hung out with this family. I have had more conversations with people in the neighborhood just from playing in the front yard and regularly taking walks around the neighborhood. Kim (I am hoping) will again be putting together a neighborhood play group. So God has done some cool things in and through us. I am just desiring more and more to do what Henry Nouwen wanted to do:
“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them. ”
I know that this will be really hard as we enter the fall where I could literally be out almost every night of the week working for the church. But I am hoping to stay true to a commitment that I have been thinking about. To only be out 2 nights a week (Monday through Thursday night) doing church related stuff (1 night of meetings, and 1 night of Youth Ministry stuff) Please ask me how I am doing with this commitment. I need the support, encouragement, and a slap in the face/kick in the butt if need be.
posted by Ryan at 2:30 PM
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