Monday, June 18, 2007

Time Return to A Churchless Faith. Part 2

My toying with timetables and thinking about the idea of dividing life into the areas of Connect, Grow and Serve. Has lead me to the kind of break down of my life outlined below. It is all about trying to work out how to live as a Xn and what that means in a more practical and tangible way rather than something less tangible like "love God and love others" as well meaning as that might be. Below is what I now try to do and check each fortnight. Somethings are slightly more self explanatory or not worked out than others the rest I've added some notes to.

Connect with People
  • Family: For me this means making sure I have a cup of tea with the wife every day
  • Friends: For me that's going to start by inviting different friends over to dinner more often
  • Geographic Community: At the moment that means walking around the neighbourhood and slowly saying hi to people
  • Christian Community: At the moment that means connecting with people at the church I'm at.
  • The Poor: At the moment I'm doing this through work
  • Stranger: This is something I can't plan
Connect With God: this is closely connected with growing as a Xn, so things like reading the Bible I could put he but for the sake of simplicity I won't
  • Pray: This is not structured but something I look back on just to check that I'm regularly praying
  • Meditate: I try and make sure that I take time out at least once a week to do this.
Grow as a Christian
  • Read the Bible / Xn books
  • Listen to the Bible / Xn talks : At the moment I've been listening to a fair bit of Tom Wright. Mostly I do this on the way to and from work
  • Go to the Space: The Reflective service I am involved in
Grow as a Human
  • Read
  • Listen to podcasts
  • Play Guitar and Busk
  • Blog
  • Exercise
Serve
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Geographic Community
  • Christian Community: Mostly doing stuff at church
  • The Poor: My Job
  • Stranger: Writing Letters for Amnesty

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps I'm off base, but it seems to me that the very act of breaking things down like this kills the ability to "love God and love others." These aren't chores to do. "Balance" here among the categories means nothing. What matters is your relationship with Jesus. Is it real? Is it vibrant? Is each day filled with thanksgiving to Him and an eagerness to see where He leads you?

Real fellowship with believers - where you can talk about Jesus all day - is rare but is what a church should be. I am blessed to be in a church with believers like this. We are small - about a dozen families - you could call us a home church that happens to have a building - and because we are small, it is even more "like a nudist colony" to visit us. If people are looking for a flashy service or a place to "get their balance" of church, they will be disappointed in us and not stay. But for those rare folks who really hunger for Jesus and to see the hunger lived out in community, they will find their desires filled. I pray you could find a body like this.

Chris said...

Hey There Anon,

I don't really consider the above list chores but merely a guide. And I am sure I will be led to do other things which don't neatly fit into my boxes. And that's fine. I guess all I've tried to is find a default position for when I'm not being led to do something in particular. Which can be quite often.

Yes it would be great to find a group of people to meet with like you have and there are times in my life where I felt like I had found that and other times where I haven't. Part of the reason for writing this blog was really for those who have found themselves without such a group.

Chris