It is easy to understand God as long as you don’t try to explain him. ~Joseph Joubert

God is not what you imagine or what you think you understand. If you understand you have failed. ~Saint Augustine

I have been hearing God talk to me lately. NO I didn’t hear him but I felt him tell me recently to stop visualizing the people that will come to Sanctuary [the church plant that is emerging]. I didn’t understand. But then I realized that my problem has been that I want everything so organized but the community that will emerge will rise from what I would deem as chaos. I hate chaos. I am very organized! I like to plan everything. Then another thought hit me. I have not learned to stop planning. So God allows my plans to go into chaos to help me survive so I can yet again learn to trust him. I can’t plant a church if I can’t trust him with the goings on of my life. I thought I did trust him but in reality I was comfortable, “of course I can trust Him then!”. The other issue was that I kept envisioning a place for us to meet as so important to the start. Then I was going through the book, The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball and he reminded me as I have heard many times before, “going to church aka building is a theologically incorrect statement.” No where in the New Testament are the words “went to church” stated. Kimball says “the church is the people of God who gather together with a sense of mission” (Acts 14:27). He goes on to say, “WE CAN’T GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHURCH.” Another BAM session from God, I was focusing on the wrong thing. As I released that thought about having to find a place so we can start meeting this summer, I felt at peace. What came to me was that I as the lead cultivator of this community am responsible for the development and nourishment of the culture I believe to be God’s vision for this yet to emerge community. Those who believe in the values and mission as well as the people we are, will be attracted to Sanctuary, the people…not the building….not the programs…not the other things associated with the traditional church. I know not what will emerge but I feel confident today to say that a missional community of hungry seekers and disenfranchised damaged faithers will find us with masks off and no pizazz to take the glory away from God that usually showcases man. We’ll grow together.We’ll learn together. We’ll walk together. Yeah. I feel good today. The journey is tough and God is always in teaching mode. I receive His gentle nudge today. I cry. I am humbled again by God’s choosing of such a confused soul. He loves me so. Lord help me to display your love for others, let this new community emerge as you wish. Selah.