In this series on being great neighbours, that ends this week, we’ve looked at 6 shifts:

Stranger -> Neighbour -> Acquaintance -> Partner -> Friend -> Family

We’ve encouraged you to learn neighbours’ names, stories, work together, become friends, and now your challenge is to find people of peace in your life.  Start sharing Redeem the Commute with them.  Perhaps you could do the Marriage course with your spouse and some other couples.  Or you could do the parenting courses with other parents.  Then take Christianity 101 together, and then the daily challenges.  Make a habit of eating together whenever you can, and talking about things that matter.

This is our vision, to be a network of small groups who are being the church.  We don’t want to be a church you go to, but a church on the go.  We don’t want you to just go to church, but to be the church every day.  We’ll be the church when we are scattered around the GTA at work, and scattered around our various neighbourhoods, but also when we gather for community events.  We started this with our outdoor movie night, and next we have a trivia night.

After that, we’ll have a Christmas event. We want it to be welcoming for local residents and families, generous for those in need, and introduces the story of the original Christmas party. We’re about to start planning, so let Ryan know if you would like to help!

In the next series, Becoming Like Family, we’ll look at what it means for you, and perhaps your own immediate family to be part of God’s family, called the church.  See you there!

Challenge: Ask your person of peace for help with the party you’re planning.  Then invite them to follow challenges, or another course, with you.

Ryan Sim - October 9, 2013

Wednesday - Change It - Partners To Friends

Yesterday Levi decided to follow Jesus, invited his colleagues for supper with Jesus. We saw all that meant for Levi, and today we see what it meant for his culture. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” - Luke 5:30-32 ESV What Jesus says makes so much sense in theory. Of course Jesus came to heal broken people, including these kinds of extortioners who’ve sold out their nation. But it’s so easy to forget that in practice. The Pharisees don’t seem to think Jesus should be friends with those he intends to heal. They act like he should keep a safe distance, perhaps as an aloof example of how good he is and how bad they are. Perhaps if they change their ways, then they can be seen with him. Christians can do the same. Sometimes we’d rather give to a distant charity than help a neighbour. We’d rather keep a safe distance from people’s issues, perhaps we worry about what people will think if they see us with certain kind person. This is a problem since we see Jesus doing the opposite. He goes right to people who don’t know him, and don’t act like him. He goes right to the sick, and heals them. The problem is Pharisees don’t see themselves as sick. This is part of why we don’t advertise this as a Christian resource. We’re not looking to be a resource just for those who already go to church, know Jesus, and like that kind of thing. If that’s you, it’s okay, you can support and join our team in this work – get in touch with me. What we’ll work on together is building a community of people that includes those who’d never show up at church to learn about Jesus. It’s such people as that we exist for. Now that’s a pretty familiar group. It gets much more interesting when you consider what it’s like to serve prostitutes, drug addicts, and so on. What does it look like for Jesus’ followers to sit down and have supper with them in a way that introduces them to Jesus? We’ve included one fascinating example for you to watch here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRBM_YY_YX0 Question: Why do you think the religious authorities, the Pharisees and scribes, react the way they do? Have you ever reacted similarly?

From Series: "Won't You Be My Neighbour?"

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