by Jonathan Manafo | Nov 9, 2016 | Sunday Conversations
We have come to the end of a 7 week series on things that we value or think are really important. We took the Fall season to ask what we take seriously. Seriously? Ya seriously! We talked about things like love, generosity, transformation; we also talked about our community’s three big values, discovery, story & community.
This week we look at how all those things should play out in our lives. What action does our faith in Jesus lead us to. It’s nice to talk about love and community and transformation, but will we turn those wonderful things into tangible things, action steps? It’s a question that we should always be asking, isn’t it? Even more important when it comes to faith, Jesus and the gospel. It was James who said, “faith without works is dead”. He wasn’t dissing faith, but saying that if faith is real that it’s gotta turn into action, into a verb, into real life things that make a real difference in our world and in others.
TransoforMission – a word we made up for this conversation. What does it mean? It means that the change in us should bring a change through us. Transformation needs to lead to MISSION. Part of last week’s text fits well here. (Rom 12:1-2)
Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. (message)
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)
If our faith doesn’t impact our life, our neighbourhoods, our cities, then like James says, it is no faith at all. With that in mind, let’s look at a familiar story in the gospel of John: that time Jesus washed his friend’s feet.
In John 13, Jesus and his disciples have sat down for a meal, possibly the passover meal and probably the Thursday evening before the Friday of Jesus’ death. He begins to do something that was unconventional and counter cultural. Jesus puts a towel around his waist and begins to wash the disciples feet. Peter wants nothing of this – he doesn’t think Jesus should be stooping down to this level. Feet washing was the job of servants and slaves. This is the first century, people walked in sandals and therefore feet were the dirtiest part of their bodies. Jesus insists on doing this, both as an act of servanthood to his disciples, as an example he would want them to follow.
We learn 4 things about Mission and being Missional from this story:
Mission will be messy…
Anytime you attempt to good, you will probably get a little messy, and risk a bit of pain. Jesus put a towel around his waist because he knew he’d be getting wet and having to dry off his friend’s feet. It’s a mess he knew was worth making. This is feet we’re talking about folks. Basic, ugly, dirty feet. It doesn’t get more down to earth than this. You can’t make the word better without putting a towel around your arm or around your waist and expecting a little dirt when you serve.
Mission involves doing what is necessary…
Peter can’t understand why this has to happen, but Jesus insists that it must happen. It was necessary, for the disciples, and for others who came after them. Jesus had to do this. As we follow him we will start to feel a necessity to serve others as well. God’s love in us compels us to turn our transformation into transformission. What is it that you are feeling you ‘have to do’?
Mission involves a lower posture, just like Jesus, we humble ourselves…
Jesus came to serve, and true servanthood means that we lower ourselves to serve those in need. In the example of Jesus, we are to do the same. People with a sense of mission aren’t above any role; they will do what needs to be done to make their surroundings better. Philippians 2 is the champion of this idea. So if we want to be people of mission, lets think of others more than we think or ourselves. This attitude change the world.
Mission is not about sending someone else or something else, but about being sent…
The crux of our mission is always this – to be Jesus to others. Doing what he did, following his pattern, having a sense of calling, being, as CS Lewis said, little Christ’s. A missional community is not a sending community, but a sent community – we scatter with a purpose. How? By being the hands and feet of Jesus. We are becoming a community of people who love God, love our neighbour, and make the world better.
What does this look like LIVE?
- This doesn’t mean that we go around washing people’s feet. But in the spirit of that act of humility of servanthood, we identify what God is calling us to and serve with all our hearts in that area.
- As a community we serve collectively (i.e. food drives, running4home, community events, raising and sending funds to missional organizations), but as individuals we must find our passion for serving.
- We can be like movie trailers for those who have yet to taste God’s goodness in Jesus – teasers of what Jesus has for the world.
- Of course this always includes simply sharing Jesus’ story with the world as the Spirit leads you to do so.
“The only way to give credit to the story of Jesus and the gospel is to have a congregation/community who believes it and lives it” (Leslie Newbigin)
“As you serve in places of pain, love, sorrow and hope, it’s Jesus walking in, wearing your skin, speaking your tone of voice…” (NT Wright)
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us show love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
(Francis of Assisi)
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smaller group discussion : (video summary of talk)
What’s harder, change (transformation) or turning that change into action? Why is it difficult to take the step into action?
Why is it easy to talk about good things, but not actually follow through with them?
Skim through John 13:1-17. What do you think about this story? What do you learn about Jesus, his mission, about Peter, about us?
Look at the 4 thoughts around mission. What resonates? What is most challenging? What is most exciting?
Jesus said, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) Now combine that with LB’s quote, “The only way to give credit to the story of Jesus and the gospel is to have a congregation/community who believes and lives it”. How do they jive together?
End with praying through Francis of Assisi’s prayer, and then praying for our world and your missional part in it.
by Jonathan Manafo | Nov 2, 2016 | Sunday Conversations
When was the last time you met up with an old friend? Someone from high school, maybe even middle school. If you’re reading this and you’re in high school, then you have some time before you meet up with an ‘old’ friend 🙂 Assuming you’ve done this before, you’re probably hoping that some things haven’t changed, that you can recognize them, that the characteristics you like are similar to the ones you remember. There’s something nice about that isn’t there? However, I’m guessing you’d also appreciate how they’ve changed over the years; how they’ve grown; what kind of person they’ve become from when you first knew each other. Being the same is nice, but it’s also a little creepy if nothing has changed, right?
With that in mind it’s worth noting that reunion shows are really popular these days; comeback TV shows. Netflix is very willing to produce or air these kinds of shows. Why? Because of two very important reasons: People wanna see what’s the same (from their favourite show), and people wanna see what’s different, what’s changed. The most recent one might be the Gilmore Girls: a year in the life. If you’re familiar with this show you share similar questions: What will Lorelai be like, are her and Luke happy, what about Rory, who did she end up with? Are you on team Jess, team Logan or team Dean? If you have no clue what these names mean, it’s ok, but you probably see where we’re going with this. (or not)
Most of us hope that with time also comes change; we hope that as we grow, we are actually becoming better versions of ourselves. The funny thing is that as much as we hope for this, many of us don’t take transformation seriously. We think that things just happen on their own, but that’s not that case. If we want something to change, we have to be deliberate about changing something.
We’ve been talking about what we take seriously when it comes to our faith – transformation has be at the top of the list. Why you might ask, because the scriptures takes it seriously.
Eugene Peterson once said, “We are not interested in knowing more but in becoming more.”
C.S. Lewis said it this way, “If conversion makes no improvements in a person’s outward actions then I think his or her ‘conversion’ was largely imaginary.”
Surely Jesus didn’t die for his followers to remain the same; he died so they could experience what the NT calls, new life. You’ll find other ways to describe this in the scripture: new creation, born again, made new, and of course the word we’re focusing on today, transformation. This actual word is only found in the NT a couple of times, but it’s alluded to everywhere. Romans 12 is where Paul perhaps makes the best use of this word. Before you read it, consider this question: How do we move from being inspired to being transformed – from a transactional faith (where we receive something) to a transformational faith (where we experience true change in our lives)? With that in mind, let’s see what Paul says:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Message)
This past Sunday we dealt with both verse one and two, but in this post we’ll simply stick with verse two. After Paul urges us to be living sacrifices (unlike the dead sacrifices the Jewish people were accustomed to), in other words, people who, in light of Jesus’, live sacrificially before God and the world as their act of worship, he then moves onto what some might find as difficult language. Difficult perhaps because this language sounds like a command. But Paul is sincere here. He truly wants to help his readers see a better way, the way of Jesus. His challenge not to conform comes as loving encouragement to people who he hopes don’t waste time moving in the wrong direction.
Paul is putting two words and ideas against each other: Conform & Transform.
Don’t conform or get squeezed into someone else’s version of your life. Don’t get stuck in a prefabricated space. You can live in a different space with a fresh view of the world. The only way for that happen is through the renewing of your mind. God actually cares about how you think; he wants you smarter, not academically, but with wisdom. This is all so you can ‘figure out’ how to live – how to live your best life.
Think about the renovation shows we see on TV. People love watching these shows. The best part is always the before and after shots, that’s where we see the magic. We are amazed at the transformation that takes place. We get stuck in our living space and can’t see past what’s there. Contractors or Designers are able to look at what the space can become, not only at what it is. This is what Paul is doing in Romans 12; he’s showing us a better way, a better space to live the lives God is calling us to.
Don’t let faith just be a transaction for you, an exchange, instead, through prayer, community, scripture reading, reflection, and the renewing of your mind, move towards transformation and start living the life you were called to live. Let your faith effect every part of your life. It’s the best way to live. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
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small(er) group discussion: (video starter)
What is it about transformation that both excites people and scares people?
Is it easier to see what needs to change in others, than what needs to change in you? Why is that?
We said that we want to move from inspiration to transformation; transactional faith to transformational faith. What do you think about that? Do you see the difference in the two sides?
Look at Romans 12:2, break it up at talk about it.
– Do not conform / Don’t become so well-adjusted to culture without even thinking / Don’t get squeezed into someone else’s mould for your life.
– Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your mind / Instead, fix your attention on God and you’ll be changed from the inside out.
Does the HGTV/Renovation show analogy help us understand what Paul is trying to get at with opening our eyes to a better use of our space, our mind, our heart, our worldview?
What, in your opinion, is God’s good, pleasing & perfect will?
by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 25, 2016 | Sunday Conversations
A CEO/philanthropist of a non-profit company decided to challenge himself for 30 days. It wasn’t an exercise challenge or an ice-bucket challenge; it wasn’t even a diet. He did what he called, a generosity challenge. For 30 days he would say yes to every request that came his way to help. To every letter in the mail and every request on the streets. Yes, Yes, Yes…to everyone who asked him for money. Is this a realistic way to live? No. Even the most generous people must wisely say no to some requests. However, for 30 days, this man said yes. Through repetition and action he said that he ‘learned’ to become ‘more’ generous.
Who is the most generous person you know? I’m sure you have a name in your mind. It could be a friend or a parent or a colleague. Maybe it’s someone you’ve never met but observed from far away. For me that person was always my dad. He was the first to pay for a meal with friends. He never worried about having enough. It took me a while to figure out what made him this way, but when I did it made total sense. The most simple way to describe it would be, HE TRUSTED GOD. He knew that God provided, so when opportunity to give came his way, he generously gave.
Giving is a tough topic, especially in the church. You’d think it would be easy to talk about, however, there are so many negative feelings that come with the topic of giving. Who can blame us for this, we’ve been abused by TV evangelists and fraudulent leaders. Perhaps you’ve been subject to the ‘offering’ talk in a church or camp gathering and felt like someone was reaching in your pockets with aggression. As true and unfortunate as those things are, it doesn’t take away from how vital this topic is and why it’s something that we, as followers of Jesus, have to take seriously.
Giving & generosity is directly related to our trust in God, our love for him and our love for others. It also represents what is closest to us; what’s in our hand; what we hold on to and how if used well, can make a huge impact in the world.
It’s possible that the biggest obstacle to giving is the ‘percentage’ principle that’s been associated with it. 10% of everything you have must be given to God. Hello? That’s a huge chunk of change. Some might say that living with the 10-10-80 (give/save/live) rule is ideal and wonderful, just impractical. How in the world can we make the math work?
Let’s talk about where that % comes from, then how the NT addresses giving, and then how we should live these things out today.
Where did 10% come from, OT?
Leviticus 27:30 ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29 “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year… At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands”
Malachi 3:8-10 (read here)
When you narrow it down, there are 2 main reasons for this principle and this command: Trust God & Help Others.
The idea behind the tithe was to teach Israel that it’s all God’s, everything, and that we are privileged to use it…steward it. This also shows us that every part of our budget is important, the living, the saving, the giving, it all reflects our reliance and trust in God.
In every person’s life, God plants this question: Do you trust me? Giving & Generosity answers that question for us.
Note that the tithe wasn’t just money thrown away to prove Israel’s trust, it was stored and then redistributed to those in need, priests (who didn’t make an income), the poor, the orphan, the widow, the sick, etc. There was a social idea behind this tithe. We see this in the NT as well when people gave what they didn’t need to help those who needed it. An amazing way to think about community for sure.
What did giving become in the NT?
2 Corinthians 9:6-11
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
We see here that in the NT, giving is still about trust, but it’s also about investing and planting. Sow little, reap little, sow lots, reap lots. We also see that there’s an intelligent side to giving as we’re asked to decide in our heart what to give, not ignorantly or blindly, but according to what you are sensing in your heart and mind.
Remember this, giving is always a present action that turns into a future impact.
1 Timothy 6 says this, 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Here’s where the NT turns what it means to be rich on it’s head. We are not rich in what we have or acquire or accumulate, but in what we give and share.
Some things to consider after reading these OT & NT texts…
- Don’t let fear stop you from giving (Matthew 6:33)
– we shouldn’t fear giving away too much, but planting too little
- Will you be a % giver or a heart giver or can both be helpful?
– start somewhere
– as good as this principal is, it’s not a law, but it it s great place to start
– % giving doesn’t make you more spiritual, it simply helps you be smart about all your finances
- Giving reinforces that it’s not about me, but about a calling to make the world around me better.
– it seems like the tighter our fists are with our stuff, the more selfish we become
– open your hands and see what God can do
- Be a thoughtful giver
– be smart about this
– giving should never be done in ignorance
“You might not be 100% comfortable with giving, but you want to get to a place where you become uncomfortable not giving.” (Andy Stanley)
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small(er) group discussion: (video wrap up)
Who is the most generous person you know? What makes you think that about them?
Why can giving be a tough topic to address at church? What are some of the negative thoughts associated with giving & church? Why?
Take time to read the 3 OT texts. Do they help you understand the tithe (10% giving)? What else jumps out at you? What resonates? What is difficult for you?
Now look at the 2 NT texts. Is there anything different about them? What resonates with you? What is helpful and/or challenging?
Look at our application statements. Is there anything you’d like to address? Fear? % giving? Selfishness? Thoughtful Giving?
Is it hard to trust God with your gift and generosity, knowing that something good will come from it?
Take some time to pray about needs in our world and community. Thank God in advance for using our or others generosity to meet those needs. Also pray that God would remove fear and increase faith
by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 18, 2016 | Sunday Conversations
This past Sunday we had the privilege of hosting Christa Hesselink. She discussed themes from her new book, Life’s Great Dare.
The overriding theme of Christa’s story was transformation. We’ll actually be diving into this topic again in two weeks. Christa spoke from the angle of her personal story, her heart, one that involved her overcoming both cancer and the loss of her brother at the very young age 24. It’s very evident what Christa’s passion is: helping people thrive in life. How can we overcome life’s curve balls and find our way, in Christ.
Below are some quotes from the morning, with some questions for your small group discussion.
Galatians 6:15-16
What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17
Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
John 10:10
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
We invite wholeness, healing & abundance in every area of our lives…
- Our relationship with money and stuff
- The way we treat our body, soul and mind
- How we spend our time
- How we interact with our boss & co-workers
- Relationships with our friends
- The commitment to our families
- Our connection to this planet and all of creation
- The connection to those who are different than us
- Our relationship with our enemies
- Our care of those vulnerable and marginalized
- Our sexual lives
- Our commitment and friendship with God
Christa concluded with a reminder that everything starts and ends with love…
God isn’t transforming me to be more perfect so he can love me more, he’s transforming me so that I can experience his love more perfectly. It starts with Love and always leads to more love.
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What are some things that moved you about Christa’s story? (if you missed it, let someone in the group summarize it for you)
What are some things that hold us back from moving forward in God’s story for us?
What do you take away from the Galatians & Corinthians text?
What does ‘FULL LIFE’ or ‘ABUNDANT LIFE’ (John 10:10) look like to you?
*(if your group didn’t meet last week, and you wanted to discuss some of the questions we had on community, you can find them in last week’s POST)
by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 11, 2016 | Sunday Conversations
This weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving. We know that many people in our country took time to be together and hopefully be thankful for something or better yet someone in their life. I was proud of my daughter when I noticed she used instagram to let each of her friends know how thankful she is for them. She posted individual pictures of them to let them know. As thankful as we are for our homes and our cars and the things or experiences we have in our lives, what we are really thankful for is people. People make our lives what they are. Yes, sometimes they make our lives difficult, but we can identify, pretty easily, the ones who make our lives great. Those are the people we call ‘community’. My family is my community, my neighbours are my community, maybe the folks you see at Starbucks in the morning before work is your community.
One community I’ve come to appreciate over my life time is the church community I am a part of. For the last 4 years it has been The Village. I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it is to be part of a community of people who cheer me on, encourage me, challenge me, and are constantly helping me follow Jesus in an authentic and impactful way.
This fall we’re taking time to communicate what we’re serious about; things like Faith, Hope & Love (1 Cor 13), discovering Jesus together, Stories (God’s and ours colliding together), Generousity, etc. This weekend we dive into why we are so serious about community. The simple answer is because Jesus and the early church was serious about it.
In 2 John 1:12 we read, “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” If that was a tweet or a FB post it might look like this…
What’s John getting at? Various forms of communication are wonderful, but nothing beats face to face communication – nothing beats intimate community. This is why our gathering is so important to who we are and who we want to become, because it’s there and in small(er) groups that our spirituality is formed. Sure, we can listen to online teaching (which might be better) and worship videos (which are professionally mixed and produced). We can follow some inspirational twitter and instagram feeds. But nothing can replace what we learn in community. Nothing replaces how we grow in community. Nothing compensates for what happens, in our hearts, in our lives, in our spirit, when authentic community is going on.
To help us see this, we’re going to jump in Hebrews 10:19-25.
Hebrews is an exhaustive book. It’s a NT letter with a purpose…it’s purpose is to help the Jewish Christian transition from their OT, historical, law oriented way to God, into a new way, a NT love and grace way to God. That transition and change is summed up in one word – one name – Jesus. The first half of this text lets us in on this theme…
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
This is a wonderful snippet of what Hebrews is trying to do. We are told to have confidence in Jesus as ‘the way’ into God’s presence. We are told that to draw near to God, all we need is a sincere heart and full faith. And we are encouraged to hold on to the hope we have found in Jesus. This is, simply put, the basis for any church community. We gather to surround ourselves with the story of Jesus, his death and resurrection, his forgiveness and grace. So with this in mind, the writer moves on to how that truth impacts the christian community.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
This writer, as well as the other NT writers, don’t give us an option to have a private faith. We experience Jesus in community. This is the only and best way to discover him.
Scott McKnight says this about church community: ‘I owe my primary commitment to my local church, not because it is what I want and not because it the ideal place, but because the only way for Jesus’ kingdom to take root is when local people commit to one another to strive with one another for a just, loving, peaceful and wise society, beginning at home, with friends, and with their local community of faith.’
Brian McLaren says it this way: Churches, simply put, come to be communities that form Christ-like people who embody and communicate, in word & deed, the goodness of the kingdom of God.
Hebrews gives us three things to consider about community: How it spurs us on towards love and good deeds, how it gathers us together, and how it is meant for encouragement.
The word ‘spur on’ actually means to provoke or poke or even irritate. It’s not meant to be negative, but positive. At the centre of any christian community is a prodding towards love and a poking towards doing good. If we’re known for everything else, but these two things are missing, we are failing as a christian community.
We’re told to gather together. Sounds simple, but in the first century context there was a risk of persecution. People could’ve been fearful to leave their homes for a church meeting. Even with the risk of persecution, this writer says that meeting together is worth it. So he says, ‘don’t stop meeting together’. Why throw this in? Because he, as other NT writers know, that only in the midst of community will we fully discover how to follow Jesus.
His final communal advice is to encourage one another. I remember telling a bunch of high school students a very long time ago that if they don’t encourage each other to follow Jesus, who will? This is what Hebrews is getting at. Christians encourage each other in two ways: one, how they cheer for one another and are there for each other and two, how they are able to share the truth in love, sometimes being the only warning we have before doing something we regret. Both kinds of encouragement can happen in an biblically functioning community.
Hebrews 10:19-25, as well as any other passage in the NT, shows us why we must take community seriously. It’s how we grow in our faith and how faith grows in us.
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small(er) group discussion
Community either scares you or invites you in? What side do you stand on? Is there a bit of both here for you? Why?
Read Scot McKnight’s description of community. What are some observations you’d make from it?
‘I owe my primary commitment to my local church, not because it is what I want and not because it the ideal place, but because the only way for Jesus’ kingdom to take root is when local people commit to one another to strive with one another for a just, loving, peaceful and wise society, beginning at home, with friends, and with their local community of faith.’
Why do you think it’s so important to read verses 19-23 (our understanding of Jesus) before we get into verses 24-25?
Talk about the 3 things the writer says about christian community. Which ones resonate with you the most? Why are all 3 important?
If The Village was still called _________ church, what word would you want others to fill the blank with and why?
TransoforMission – a word we made up for this conversation. What does it mean? It means that the change in us should bring a change through us. Transformation needs to lead to MISSION. Part of last week’s text fits well here. (Rom 12:1-2)
