disruptive grace

I discovered this video today (from another off the map project). This video describes a similar thinking to what provoked this blog, and how I want to be living in a faith community.

There’s some lovely observations in this video, Jeff describes some categories of ‘church type’ people, and as uncomfortable as we all tend to be about being put in to categories, and as limited as that approach is, I think we can see ourselves and friends in the terms he describes. Personally, I think I could quite easily be ‘church alumni’ – if it wasn’t for the fact that the church (organized-structured-church) I’m part of has plenty of opportunities to practice practical ways of loving those in our city, particularly to those marginalized due to economics and addictions.

I have friends who sit in each of the categories Jeff describes, and all who have found ways to practically love others in the manner of Jesus. So, in many ways these friends are my church* — a faith community — we courage each other in this way of life, we eat together, we care for each other. It is a church that intersects organized church structures, yet it is not fully defined by those structures, it works within those structures and without them. This is the nature of the kingdom, you can’t point to it and say here it is and there it is, for the kingdom is among you… in your midst.

So, let us keep practicing this life of embodying the way of Jesus, and let us encourage one another to do good works, let us keep meeting together in whatever context we can: around the dinner table, at the pub, in the coffee shop, in worship gatherings, over games of poker, and in the street.