All In

When people ask me where I go to church now, I tell them about our Outreach Saga. Meeting in the park. Trying to do a community of Jesus in the midst of a group of people on their turf instead of in a specific building.

Sometimes people respond, "So you don't go to church anywhere else?"

Well, no.

What we're doing is church.

We don't go to a building in the morning and then do outreach after that. We've said that sink or swim, stand or fall, what we're doing with people in the park is what we're doing. It keeps us more engaged I think. There's no lifeline. There's no safe place to retreat to if the going gets rough.

Since we can't go back (well, we could, but not immediately), we have to press in. We have to love people as they are. Working through the ups and downs of life. Pointing to Jesus when it gets rough or when it is going well. It keeps us engaged with the Lord, because without Him it all falls apart. I wish I could say I did this perfectly. I don't.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that with this church in the park deal, we're all in. No chips held back. They've been pushed to the middle of the table and we're playing this hand.

It's exciting. It's frightening. It requires a lot of faith, and the Spirit encourages us an awful lot when we have those human moments of doubt.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Not sure if this song fully fits, but here's Lifehouse with All In.