Setting Sail

I started reading a book today called The Tangible Kingdom
by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay.  The
introduction of the book begins with an illustration of a sailor, sailing his
ship on the open sea headed for an island that he has heard about and desires
to reach.  This island is not easy
to get to because of the wreckage that surrounds it-wreckage from other ships
that have attempted to reach shore and failed or ships that have gotten caught
in a storm and are waiting for the storm to pass before navigating the rest of
the way in.  This picture of the
sailor is a metaphor for the church and the island is God’s Kingdom.  The wreckage represents people and
communities who have been lost and wounded on their journey to find the true
Kingdom-not just eternal life, but God’s life and reality here on earth. 

For the longest time, I went through life as a part of the
church not knowing that this earthy Kingdom existed.  I thought Christianity was simply about accepting Christ as
my Savior, telling my friends about my love for Jesus and being “good like the
Bible tells you to”, for the rest of my life.  It wasn’t until December 2007 that I began to hear that
gentle whisper of my Spirit, calling me to embrace the glory and wonder of God
on this side of Heaven-The Kingdom.

This whisper lead me to The World Race, and it was through
my time at training camp and over the course of the last 14 months that I began
to understand more and more what God’s Kingdom here on earth could and should
look like.  It’s different than any
view of “church” I have ever been exposed to, but it has brought life,
authenticity, transparency and community to me and to others.

In the last year, on and off the race, the Lord has begun to
open my eyes to His reality-His Kingdom here on earth.  I don’t know if you have noticed it,
but there is a restlessness rising in generations across the globe.  The concept of Christianity as we know
it is not satisfying them or us. 
Our Spirits are aching, yearning for something MORE!  I believe this is the Lord, calling His
bride, THE CHURCH, back to Himself. 
He is calling a generation to rise up and proclaim His truth to the
world-not as a denomination but as HIS BODY!

The Lord has equipped us each in
a special way to contribute to the overall function of His body at work on
earth.  He is calling us to respond
to His love and bring life and hope to our friends, families, neighbors and
people across the globe.  The key
is finding a vision and a community to work together towards this common goal
that the Lord has called us to.  We
aren’t called to simply worship and love the Lord within the safety of four
walls or one specific community, but to go out as THE CHURCH and multiply-make
disciples!

The World Race has become that
community for me.  Their vision and
their passion have fanned the flame in my heart.  For this reason, I have chosen to become a part of their
ministry.  Starting in January, I
will begin a 6-month apprenticeship with them in hope of finding a better
understanding of how the Lord might use me and my gifts to help them move
forward with their God given vision. 
This position is one where I am required to raise support once
again.  Therefore, I am asking you
to prayerfully consider supporting me in this ministry, either prayerfully,
financially, or both.

My prayer for you is that you
will hear the Lord’s calling for as well. 
Although I love The World Race, I believe there are members of the BODY
all over the world with a vision to see God’s Kingdom here on earth.  I pray that you will respond to the
whisper of the Spirit inside you and be mobilized in some way shape or form in
your own family, community or if He calls you, among the nations!

^{9Only take heed to
thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine
eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but
make them known unto thy children and thy children’s children. -Deuteronomy 4:9
ASV}