the reeds

Communities that Feed Communities

One final post before our family boards that big silver bird to America tomorrow.  I realize that many of these posts have been relatively all focused on challenging some assumptions in mission.  I wanted to give these out before we came back because it helps lay a foundation for what I plan to share with each of the churches we are planning to visit.  It will help you understand the framework for what God is doing here.  We hope by the end of our visit with you all, that you will see your contribution to this work is much bigger than any of us ever anticipated it would be, because God is orchestrating something remarkable!

This final piece reveals a bit of our “system”.  Almost one year ago, I had a coffee with some friends who were leading an intentional Christian community in our neighborhood.  We began exploring our similarities and found that we were basically cousins.  We might have different surnames, but we were related in practice and vision.  We decided to explore how we could begin scratching each other’s backs a bit.  Fast forward to June 1…

This community has been working through our formation and preparation process all year.  In May, Curtis and I helped lead them through a discernment process which led them to initiate some very important ministry projects in the city.  Their energy towards these projects generated huge contributions from outsiders as well as nearly 100 people who joined them in serving the poor in their first endeavor this past week.

I just had coffee with one of the leaders and he shared with me that they believe God might be inviting several of this extended community to join them next year.  The other part of our conversation centered around how to support those who will leave their community at the end of this year.  That’s where Curtis and I come into the story…

We are praying that God would raise up a few people who are leaving our cousin community and allow us to help them form a submerged community in another part of Pretoria.  The needs in our city are complex and difficult, but we believe that submerged communities who collectively work towards reaching specific neighborhoods and networks of friends are how God’s kingdom is growing here.  There is a long way to go, but we are seeing that communities that are feeding each other, doing what they do best, actually generates synergy for growth and multiplication.

May His kingdom keep on coming!