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In which the doorbell is ringing

June 13, 2012

Source: wanelo.com via Sarah on Pinterest

 

The doorbell is ringing. Again.

There are small hands banging on my front door. Again.

And the baby was been startled awake from her nap. Again.

The neighbourhood kids all like to hang out at my house. I am less than thrilled about it.

—–

Years ago, when I first stumbled into the missional church conversation, before it was Christian-marketing-speak or a buzz-word, I felt like I had come home to my people. This was my tribe. Yeah! Now I had labels, names, books, a vocabulary and lexicon, leaders, theologians, and co-conspirators for what was already stirring in my heart about the message and life of Jesus. I yearned to experience the truth of Christ and then bring that truth into my daily walking-around life.

It sounded sexy and exciting. I wanted to be part of making space for God in the world, I wanted to be part of God’s mission to restore and redeem and renew creation. I read and underlined all of the books, downloaded podcasts, I wrote and waxed philosophic about discipleship, about the theology of place, about community, sustainability, intentional organic church practices, justice, mercy, redemption, I was seeking an active and inclusive living out of the Jesus-life I knew right now.

And over the years, as I’ve been committed to missional life in actual practice rather than theory, a life that seeks to be outside of structures and institutions and programs and models, centered on embodying the mission of God, my life has gotten considerably more messy and uncomfortable.

You can read the rest of this post at A Deeper Story.

 

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  • Grace Masters

    “But as the days went by, and my husband continued to welcome them without fanfare or fuss, I had to wonder, what does it mean to follow Jesus, if it doesn’t mean loving a few lonely little kids in my own neighbourhood?” – Wow! Finding the Jesus-likeness in the simple things. Things that wind me up, and make me want to bury myself away, thanks Sarah! You showed me that the doorbell does have to be answered, even when it feels continuous, and that as I show a bit more love, more love will flow.

    • http://www.emergingmummy.com/ Sarah Bessey

      Amen.

  • http://www.redemptionsbeauty.com/ Shelly Miller

    My husband and I are part of a missionary society that plants churches to spread the Gospel. You have just described beautifully what missional looks like in the practical of every day. We use and overuse that word missional so much I forget what it really means some days. Thank for this. Love it. Shared it with the masses.

    • http://www.emergingmummy.com/ Sarah Bessey

      Thanks, Shelly – and blessings on your important work!

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  • lucyzoe

    Ahhhh Sarah, I needed to find your blog today. I fell on it when listening to a sermon from Gregg Koskela at Friends Church in Newberg, Oregon. 

    Some days, the really tough days, I begin to believe that mercy work is more about changing me, than changing the women I care for. There’s so much of me that needs changing. God is faithful. And, there’s just no going back now.

    Blessings to you!

    • http://www.emergingmummy.com/ Sarah Bessey

      No going back now – amen!

  • Anne J

    I loved this because I could so identify that feeling of knowing this is what we SHOULD do…but it’s sacrifice and it’s hard.  Good for you. I’m so glad you are THAT house on the block.