This Train

A brother whom I've been in conversation with, recently wrote this to me:

You yourself are willing to lead a more communal/evangelistic life, but you don't believe that others will. This is where your faith becomes challenged. I think you need to examine these thoughts:

1. People who have not behaved like this before have no concept of it.
2. It cannot be communicated by teaching but only by observation.
3. Therefore someone needs to create it so that others can be invited into it: "I'll love you if you'll love me!"
4. If it is already happening, and can be observed, It exists; it only remains to be multiplied.
5. You need to decide to become an initiator of this. It is Ok to be someone who knows what is wrong but isn't sure how to fix it for a while, but in the end you need to start being an answer yourself. Ten years is too long...
6. You can't wait for the perfect people to come along. you must start with anyone who will respond.
7. At first some of these people will seem unsuitable and a waste of time, but as you get something going even with short term people the longer term and more suitable turn up, and there is something existing to join in with.
8. Busyness is a choice. Don't believe other people when they give this excuse, and don't fall for it your self. This is meeting mentality; people can include others in their lives who will help get things done. Community can be a net gain for all.
9. I think you should commit to making this happen; clear your diary and learn to be proactive; you're a priest as much as anyone. Even if you are going to have more excitement at home, actually you and Eileen will have a different sort of more ambiguous time. When working you have to do what the boss wants; child rearing can be done in overlap with others who you are relating to.

What I'm saying, is that instead of thinking of this as ending when we go, think of it as a leg up to a new era for you. I think you could be very good at this, and find a home spiritually in walking with God in the way that you have always wanted others to do for you!!!

For 10 years I've had a vision of church that my fellow believers didn't care about or couldn't understand. Two years ago, the Lord brought some people into my life who shared my vision. Problem was they were all geographically disperse. Then this summer, my friend asked me to lead a bible study, so I chose "church" as my topic. This study opened the eyes of many in the group and they were quite excited to experience a different way of "being church"! In the meantime, I began meeting informally with another brother and his friends for further discussions. Then a few weeks ago, someone stumbled upon my website and deduced that I was the author, and contacted me. So the Lord has answered my prayers in a wonderful way! I'm taking my brother's words of exhortation to heart as I contemplate and pray about the direction He is leading me.