The Diary of Snod

I've probably posted this before.

I love my church. And by church, I mean gathering of local christ-followers.

For those of you in blogland who don't know me, after I graduated from college I went to work for some dear friends at a church I had been involved with in high school. I was brought on staff as a wide-eyed kid (like I'm much older now) to run the middle school ministries. I enjoyed my time at the church. I really did. Eventually however, my eyes truly began to open. To a number of things: the consumerism of the church, hyperspiritualization, denominationalism.

As I started to see how I had lost track of the world, my spirituality, and life in general, the weight of my disappointment and disgust of myself started to bring me down.

The last three months at the church were not pleasant, and looking back, I should have left earlier. What few positive effects I had been having on the kingdom began to disappear as I sunk lower into sheol.

Finally, through some dramatic and unfortunate experiences at the church I realized I had better just go.

All of this is just to explain where I am coming from.

I was really depressed with the state of the church, and even embarrassed to face God because I knew I had been a leading proponent of much of what was depressing.

It was time to change. I knew it was time to leave ministry for a while. And I promised myself I would never work for a church I wouldn't attend.

That made me think about what kind of church I wanted to attend.

I was searching for truth, I wanted a church that was doing that as well. I desparately needed people to love, and people to love me. I was starting to care for the world, it would be nice to find others who do.

Well, I started looking, and I got lucky on my first try. The church I am attending doesn't like to be called "a church." In fact, they call themselves a community of christians. They are also passionately seeking truth, sometimes that means breaking down old walls. They care deeply about the world around us, they have more passion than I in this area, and constantly drive me to see the world with different eyes. They also immediately loved me. And I had found my group of people love as well.




Here is my new "christian gathering's" mission statement (if you even want to call it that).

Holistic Missional Christian Community

 Holistic: We believe that the Gospel impacts every area of a person's life and culture.  We reject unfounded categories that divide the world into uniquely sacred or purely secular.  God is redeeming all of creation through Jesus.

 Missional: We believe that the church exists for the world and not for herself - she is to introduce and usher in the Kingdom of God into every part of this world.

 Christian: We embrace the teachings and divinity of Jesus Christ as well as His unique role as the means of salvation from sin for all who believe.  We embrace the Scripture as God's primary instrument by which He introduces this message to the world.

 Community: We believe that salvation brings people together as a reflection of a triune God: Father, Son and Spirit.  Saved from sin by faith through grace, the people of God are able to live in unity as was intended by God in the beginning.



Here is some more beliefs of the community that are beautiful.



Struggle
A worldview that does not see culture as sacred or secular, but redeemed or in need of redemption.

Community
We value other churches.

Justice
We are the voice for the helpless, understanding that God's Word says, "pyre religion is to care for the widow and the orphan."

Hope
The next generation of leaders are called out now.

History
The ancient story of God is retold and lived out.

Mission
Culture is met, transformed, and embraced.

Beauty
Beauty, art, and creativity, are valued, utilized, and understood as coming from our Creator.


I have found my place of healing and rest. And at the same time it stretches me and challenges me and pushes me to higher heights. It is a place I can feel comfort, but not complacency. Love but not apathy. Justice but not vengeance. Tradition but not religiousity.