For the City...

About a week ago I finished a wonderful book called For the City by Darrin Patrick and Matt Carter. They are both church planters one in St. Louis and the other in Austin. Through the book they share their experience, advice, confessions and much more on planting a church and being a church for your city. It is by no means only for church planters. I was so encouraged and stirred by every word in this book. I highly recommend it for anyone that longs to see their church be more for their city  I wanted to share a few things from the last chapter. Really I just want to copy and paste the last chapter for you to read, but I can't do that... too long.  They end the book with how we as Christians are all so much like Jonah. They explain how we are Jonah because we are a rebellious, self-righteous, comfort-loving, people-avoiding people. They go into depth about each one and I identified so much with each. I know all those things sound like a hard pill to swallow, but i often need to be humbled. However, you are not left feeling utterly useless. Through the Gospel they go on to explain how we are: 

• redeemed community experiencing the daily blessings of God's salvation
• a strategically placed community seeking God's purpose for our city
• a counter cultural community 
• a called community in possession of a dangerous message that God intends us to take beyond the walls of the church and into the lives of the lost. 

They zone in on one phrase that Jonah realizes, "Salvation Belongs to the Lord". I find an immense amount in comfort in those 5 words. I am a planner. I want to see things "succeed". And I tend to do this with everything. But as I read that phrase and really thought on it and let it penetrate my heart I was broken by it. Salvation is the Lord's. There is no great plan or tactic to see salvation or a church to "succeed" those things are the Lord's. While at the same time being faithful with our lives and and the specifics that the Lord has called us to as a church. "A church for the city is willing to dream big and take scary risks because the God who began a good work in and through the church is the God who will use the church to bless cities, nations, and the entire world." Amen and Amen

I desire with so much of my heart to be for the city... through our church and through our family. Oh, Lord use us up for your glory!