Last night I had the privilege of attending the Global:Church Forum at Park Community Church in Chicago. Here’s how GCF explains it: “A gathering allowing the western church to hear afresh what God is doing in the Global South and East and find out how ministry is done within the context of different cultures and economies.”
The open session last night was a stellar line up: worship led by Sara Groves, a focus on India by Ralph Borde (As Our Own!!), and a focus on global church planting by Oscar Muriu from Nairobi Chapel in Kenya.
I can’t stress how impressed I was with this event. Of course, my heart is sold out on As Our Own. Seeing photos of the girls I met in India while I was there in February made me long to see them again. Hearing from Oscar Muriu* was like having my brain cracked open; his explanation of how the Church around the world is the Body that must work together was brilliant. And then Sara was there. She speaks my language, weaving together thoughts and phrases that sum up who I am.
The evening was so filling, I wish I had gone to the entire conference! Anyhow, much was said that pricked my comfort sensors. I made lots of notes that will likely feed into my writing project. One thing I’ll share now related to a song Sara sang (“Eyes Wide Open”); I was reminded of how obedient we can be to the call of comfort and life on our own terms:
I’ve got layers of lies that I don’t even know about yet / bathroom doors turned billboards / no place left untouched without the mumblin / tell me what I need, tell me what I want / worship the things that we’ve made with our own hands /
in so deep I don’t even know it, I don’t even know it / rubbing these sticks till the air is thick / no spark no heart no inspiration / tell me what I need, tell me what I want / worship the things that we made with our own hands
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Good stuff, huh?
What needs and wants mumble to you? Do you ever feel like you are in too deep? I’d love to hear your heart on this.
*Addendum
Here’s a summary of Oscar Muriu’s message from one of the conference bloggers, Kent Shaffer from Church Relevance. Enjoy!
