Light Of The World Community

The people who are helping to start Light of the World are teaching me some valuable things about planting new churches. Here's the most important one:

Trust how God works.

My shelf is full of books on how to start a new church. They are thick and full of good information, mostly. But I think I've learned the most from our people. They have taught me to concentrate on what's at the center. To trust how God works. Our church teaches that God's love and presence come to us in lots of ways, but God ALWAYS shows up in three ways:

1. When we hear God's word in the Bible.

You know that famous Jesse Ventura line from one of his movies? "I ain't got time to bleed." Well, we've been having so much fun getting Light of the World off the ground, that there hasn't been much time to sit down and tell you about it here. So, don't let the absence of words in this space give you the idea that not much has been happening. Because MUCH has been happening, praise God.

On Wednesday of this week, we gathered for the first time for casual worship and to start
building community. And something unplanned happened. Lots of people received holy communion
for the first time in their lives. Here's how it happened. We were talking about what
church is about, and how church is kind of like Jesus is throwing this
big dinner party. And when Jesus hosts a dinner party, ALL are invited. Young,
old; rich, poor; black, white and brown; doubters, believers; gay, straight; single, married,
divorced.

Today is Day One of my work as 100 percent mission developer for Light of the World.
I have moved all my stuff out of my office at Shepherd of the Valley and just finished
setting up the files in the new World headquarters of Light of the World...at my home.
It goes against every fiber of my being to stay inside today to do administrative stuff.
All my instincts tell me I should be spending my time meeting with people and being out
in the community. But I have been an organizational maniac today!

There's nothing like two major life changes happening in 48 hours. This week, I will leave my cushy office at Shepherd of the Valley and move to the new "World" headquarters at my kitchen table. The very next day, I will bring my oldest child to college for the first time. What a time for radical trust in God.

The power of water. I remember long ago in my chemistry class, learning something about H20 and the scientific reasons why water has such power in the world. Something about how the two hydrogens and one oxygen are put together... Not only can it carve out something like the Grand Canyon, but it is THE thing that sustains life.

The life of Light of the World got its start with water yesterday. We baptized baby Donovan into God's family and into this new faith community. It was the first time we ever worshiped together. How beautiful.

The power of community.

Last night, we found community in a strange place: the emergency room. Our 15-year-old son broke his collar bone in a football game in St. Cloud -- and we got the dreaded call from the coach: "No need to be overly concerned, but we just packed your son in the car and he's on his way home. Meet you at the E.R."

On Sunday afternoon, eighteen Light of the World people were part of the Rambling River Days Parade in Farmington. We were entry number 36, far behind the marching band and queen candidates. But I think that what we did together on that hot and sunny day was pretty significant. What we did, as our first public act together as church, was give life away.

Here's something exciting. We're getting a whole bunch of really smart and thoughtful people in the same room at Shepherd of the Valley on July 10 at 3 p.m. to think about one big question. You're invited.

A week or so ago, I was in the same room with Mpho Tutu, the daughter of South African bishop Desmond Tutu. She is an Episcopal priest doing ministry near Washington D.C. I made a bee-line toward her like a groupie trying to meet a rock star. Nervous, I shook her hand and breathlessly said, "Nice to meet you. I am also an ordained woman. I'm working to start a brand-new church -- from scratch." Her eyes got really big and she said (I'm not lying), "I would be so afraid!"