Missional Church & Readings for this week

Shalom
Do you know what this word means? It is a Hebrew word that means peace. This is the state that God wants us to be living in. At Jacob's Well, we have spent way to much time in conflict and not nearly enough time in peace. In order for Jacob's Well to survive we need to get ourselves to a point where shalom reigns our gatherings. Right now, I don't see it. In fact, I see the exact opposite.

I know that the way that we are attempting is not the way that you have done church in the past, but Jacob's Well was never supposed to be a church that is like the churches that meet in the buildings that have been erected for that purpose.

We are not a church that is 'selling' God to others. We are not to assume that just because people don't attend a regular church gathering that people don't believe in God. We assume the opposite.... that God is already working in the world around us and we need to recognize God where God is showing up. We join God where ever God is at work. This is what it means to be a part of a missional church...

Missional Church
I know we have been talking about it for awhile at Jacob's Well, but I think it would be helpful to see what others have said about the missional church. Please read at least the front page of this website:

Friend of Missional - What is a Missional Church?

It explains what a missional church is supposed to be about. Please be praying about if this is the type of church that God wants you to be a part of. This kind of church is not for everyone. Some people fit better in a more traditional congregation where there is preaching from a pulpit and Sunday school each week. It is between you and God to discern where you belong.

Readings
I want each of us to be looking at the Gospels and Acts to see how the early church interacted with the world around them. We will talk about this as we are doing our 'Mission to Montose' on Sundays. When you do these readings, read a version without commentary so that you can look at the text and come to your own conclusions without seeing what another author has to say about the text (let it speak directly to you).

For next week, read all of Mark and look for the answer to the following questions: How did Jesus and the disciples respond to the people that they met along their journey? What did they talk about? What was the first thing that Jesus says in this Gospel? What is the last thing Jesus says in this Gospel?

Peace,
Lisa