Grant Myles-Era - July 8, 2018
It Begins with Me!
This Summer, NewSong Church wants to be All in. All In with God, with one another and with our community, our neighbors, and co-workers, so that they can be All In with Jesus. The majority of the letters in the New Testament were written to communities. The few that were written to individuals were intended to help the recipients to understand, create and protect the new forms of community that the followers of Jesus were engaging in before a watching world. Paul's letter to Philemon is no exception. His message is clear: The grace, love, and peace of Christ had challenged and removed all that separated people from one another, particularly the possession and use of power. Today, it begins with me, and I have a real choice.
From Series: "ALL In"
In the song Eleanor Rigby, the Beatles asked, “...all the lonely people, where do they all belong?” Their lyrics portray the “church” as providing no real solutions to the isolation and loneliness that so many people experience in the modern world. They may have a point. Some of the loneliest people sit in church pews week after week without ever finding the sense of belonging that they long for. How can this be, when the Christian faith calls human beings into the deepest experiences of community living? This summer at NewSong we'll be exploring the rich tradition of community life that is at the very heart of faith in Jesus. We'll also be hearing from some leaders from various types of community in our neighborhoods. Even more importantly we'll be spending time together, and seeking to ensure that there is no one left in isolation within our sphere of influence. From the beginning... Genesis 2:18, "Then the Lord God said, 'It’s not good that the human is alone…’ to the new beginning… ” Rev. 7:9 "After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language.” All in!