WINTER >> 2008
Newfrontiers is a worldwide family of churches together on a mission to establish the kingdom of God by restoring the church, making disciples, training leaders and planting churches.
A N E W F R O N T I E R S - U S A P U B L I C AT I O N
IN THIS ISSUE Newfrontiers-USA churches, church plants and pioneering efforts are currently working in 12 states.
Soundbite from John Lanferman Team Leader >> Newfrontiers-USA
A CLOSER LOOK Moving Forward in Faith Christina Haasis
Reasons to Read the Bible Tim Chambers
Frontier Year Team Sandy Slade
MY GRANDMOTHER'S QUILT
ClearVision 2008 My grandmother made beautiful and colorful Rebekah Kruvand quilts, as did many ladies in our rural community. It was more out of necessity rather Newfrontiersthan a hobby as poverty demanded creativity. These quilts were made out of remnant cloth USA Today from garments that were not useful. She kept a “rag box” in which old and tattered garments would be cut into appropriate pieces. These useless scraps of cloth were then sewn together, giving them purpose again. They became blankets that would last for generations. In fact, I still have a couple of these quilts. Many of our guests have been blessed by their beauty and warmth.
Like my grandmother’s quilt, Christ has taken our torn and tattered lives and sewn us together into something that has purpose. Our guilt and shame were dealt with. We were sewn into Christ’s family. Identified with Jesus, we have found a new purpose and expression as we live out this life in His community, the Church. Christ has designed it so that we just can’t live this life of faith on our own. God lives in and expresses Himself through our togetherness. In Acts 2:44-47, we have a description of this life found in the words “together” and “in common.” These people were wonderfully and mysteriously connected. As a result of this life together, others were being added to their community as they were being saved. Followers of Christ are unique. We share a common life source. We are connected. Just like my grandmother’s quilt, it’s not just one piece that is connected to another, but an entire pattern that comprises this quilt. The quilt, with all its pieces, is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Each part shares this togetherness in the thread that connects them. God brings us into His community so that we can connect and have significant relationships to serve His purpose together. Church is not about a Sunday meeting. You can have meetings and not have community.
This quilt that God is making is described as “one new man,” “one family,” and “one temple.” Paul writes in Ephesians 2:14-15 that Jesus has smashed the wall that divides people from God and each other. Now, in Christ’s Church, there is no racial or national division. We share a common life in Jesus. We are one family and members of God’s household. We share together in each other’s joys and sorrows. We are also a temple, a place where God’s Spirit is present in and through the community. 1 Peter 2:5 describes us as a “spiritual house …to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 2:22 says, “…being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit breathes His life into this random population, like those pieces of torn and discarded cloth, and makes us a people, a community, a church. We are distinguished by the living presence of Christ among us. We as a family of churches are also distinguished by an incomparable calling: “Go and make disciples of all nations…” Often the nations are as much on our doorstep as they are across the sea. As we set our mind and passion on this calling we will have worldwide bearing on the course of this age. As we work together we demonstrate that this is a calling worth sacrificing for. We give ourselves, we give to each other, we give our time, our money, and we embrace our mission together. The stakes are high: We are the light of the world. This Church is God’s universal showcase of His mercy and grace.
Love can’t exist in isolation. Grace can’t be received privately cut off from others. Hope can’t develop in solitude separated from community.
The gospel is never just for individuals but always for a people. Sin separates us and sentences us to solitary confinement. The gospel restores us and sets us in community. The life of faith, as demonstrated in the Bible, is personal but never individual; there is always a family, a community, the Church. Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 and Ephesians 1-2; Christ pulls us into community. One of the immediate changes the gospel makes is grammatical: We instead of I; Our instead of My; Us instead of Me. The Gospel message is always an act of community, never an exercise in private.
Love can’t exist in isolation. Grace can’t be received privately cut off from others. Hope can’t develop in solitude separated from community.
a worldwide family of churches together on a mission
I look forward to a tangible demonstration of these values as we gather together at Celebration Midwest in Warrensburg (MO), Celebration Northeast in Boston (MA), and Celebration Northwest in Silverton (OR). I urge everyone to be at these events to celebrate our togetherness, commonality, sense of family, and our commitment to our mission together. Together, we will eat, laugh, pray, celebrate in worship, and experience God’s presence among us as well as give an enormously outrageous offering to see our apostolic mission progress.
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