But I Work with Them!

I looked around the room tonight and I realized I was having church with my co-workers  Everyone in the room was someone I work with, or the spouse or teenage child of someone with whom I work.

Besides someone whose career is in ministry, who else only goes to church with people they work with?

HOW  WEIRD  IS  THAT?

The sermon from 12 Stone Church was spot on.  A sermon and a topic I have heard many times before but shared tonight in a practical, experiential way vice just the boring story of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25-40).  

But deep down,  I couldn't get the thought out of my head that these were people I WORK WITH, I shouldn't be doing church with them.   Since when does work and religion mix?  I mean, I'm all about living out my faith and encouraging my co-workers who share with me that they too are Christians, but CHURCH TOGETHER.   That's just another story.   Now, I have gone to churches with thousands of people and if a colleague or two go to the same church, no big deal.   Even if I'm standing up helping to usher people into the throne room  of God through worship...not gonna sweat it but when they are the only other people in the room and their sitting right next to me, or across from me - hmmmmm!

They see me in my element.   They see the real me - flaws and all.  On good days and bad days.  With great customers and with difficult ones.   When I'm tired and worn out and when I've just returned from a three week vacation ready to tackle whatever comes my way.   They've seen me frazzled, dazed, frustrated and irritated.   They seen me at my best and at my worst.   And NOW - they see me at church.

I won't kid you - many memories played in my head with just about every one one of them.   Do I really live out my faith without walking around with a sticker on my forehead that says, Hi, my name is Michelle and I am a Christian.   Is my work life an example of my Christian life?  Are they two in one or am I two different people - the one people see at work and one that people see at church.

As the sermon concluded and the Pastor turned the service over to the "campus pastors" (our "campus" just happens to be thousands of miles away from Atlanta) we eventually went into a time of prayer.  As we shared around the room our prayer requests, my heart suddenly no longer cared who these people were to me other than the fact they were fellow believers with real hurts, real struggles and real pain. I knew about some of them because of the nature of my job, but some...some were personal, raw and vulnerable requests.  I realized no one else in the room appeared self-conscience about the fact we were colleagues, instead they shared as though we were brothers and sisters in Christ, because that's what we are.

As I was leaving, one of the ladies was sharing how she had driven 1.5 hours (probably getting a ticket) to make it to "church" tonight.   It was the first time her and her husband were joining us.  She had asked me several weeks ago if I was still attending a local church and I told her that Friday mornings (the start of our weekend over here) was a little too early to be up and at church 45 minutes away so I had started attending a home bible study.   It's been on my heart ever since to invite her but I was nervous she might say no.  Unbeknownst to me, she reached out to the organizer and asked sheepishly if her and her husband could attend.  At the end of the evening, she said it was because of me her and her husband were there.  Had I never mentioned it, she would have struggled the same as me and just not attended anywhere.

FRIENDS - listen to me....INVITE YOUR COLLEAGUES TO CHURCH!  Don't be shy.  Don't wonder if they will reject your invite.  If the Holy Spirit prompts you to invite someone to church...run, don't walk to invite them.  We live in a lost and hurting world.  People are searching, people are crying out for help, but sometimes they aren't sure what that help looks like.   You may be the only Jesus that some will ever meet.  And once you've prayed together.  Once you've bore one another's burdens, you've fulfilled the law of Christ.   Nothing will bind two hearts like praying together.  

Step out in faith.   Trust the Holy Spirit in your life.   You know what His still small voice sounds like.  You feel His gentle nudging in your heart.   Who cares that you work with them...Be Jesus!

Don't Think...Just Do It!

A colleague stopped me in the hallway and invited me over for supper.
She said, "we'll have some supper and then we'll have some church"

Living overseas for much of the last 16 years
I've learned to have church wherever it presents itself
many times its been in someone's home
or on a military base
or in a 20 ft container
or on a mountaintop
or in a vehicle
or in a spectacular cathedral

It's ironic, when I think specifically about this week

On Tuesday, I was seated in a stadium with 40,000 people
listening to the Pope give a homily
tonight, I was seated in a home with 7 other people
watching 12 Stone church out of Atlanta on my host's X-box

Can I tell you something friends?
God speaks anywhere and everywhere
To hearts that are receptive to hearing His voice

I could have made a dozen or so excuses
not to accept my colleagues invitation
but I knew I needed to be around like-minded folks
who love Jesus

I met a young man tonight, ready to graduate from high school
that was talking to me about how excited he is
to share his faith, defend his faith, and bring others
to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ

who wanted to know my experiences
working with high school students
who had a passion to share their faith
with people who don't share their same faith

we had some supper
never going to skip a home-cooked meal
and the pastor started his series
Grown Up Faith

* Mind Blown *

It's only week one of a six week series
but I'll tell you the biggest take-away from week one

God doesn't do anything by accident

He didn't impress upon my colleague to invite me to her house
on accident
I didn't decide to accept my colleagues invitation
by accident
I didn't meet my colleague's son who's on fire for Jesus
on accident
12 Stone pastor didn't preach that sermon
by coincidence

God had a purpose

He had a purpose when He created you
You were not an accident

When I heard that tonight
It FINALLY dawned on me

My Identity
my reason for existence
is because God created Me

I was not an accident
I was made for a purpose
I was made for such a time as now
I was made to love and be loved by the Creator himself
I created for something much bigger than myself

repeat that last paragraph to yourself
and speak it out loud

maybe you need to say it again
and perhaps again
until you believe it, or hear it, like I heard it tonight

Do you question your purpose in this life?
Do you wonder if you are only on this earth by accident?
Do you even question if you were created by mistake?

Let tell you what I think -
Not a chance!
Now let me tell you what the Bible says:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you" (Jer 1:5)

Next time someone invites you to
a home group
a bible study
a stadium of 40,000
or a church of 8

Don't even think about it - Just Do It!

It could be the Holy Spirit gearing up to do something insane in your life
Just like He's doing in mine