God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing. Psalms 68:6
Note: Prior blogs were random bits of drivel or Sean's journey with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This blog will take a decidedly more Biblical Community-themed route. Thanks for reading!
Wanted: Home for Awkward Asian Kid
In 1982, I was a freshman at Raytown High School. I was trying to navigate a multitude of things at the time: the formation of my character, my coming-of-age as an adolescent, growing conflict in my family, the desire for emotional safety and intimacy, and the call of God like an inescapable hum that Jesus wanted more of me than I was willing to give. He won, but only because I had exhausted all other fruitless options. Thank you, merciful Father, for your loving kindness!
The Lord directed a convergence of several important events and opportunities to accelerate my growth as a disciple, largely around one place: New Haven Baptist Church in Raytown, MO. I was invited by Tom Brown, who for whatever reason believed I needed to go to his church, and there I met Bob, Laura, Leandra, Sandra, Jodi, Jane … and was quickly taken-in by the Ashleman’s, the Brown’s, the Biaottos’, the Caby’s and many others. Thinking back, I don’t know what they saw in me – the awkward and self-conscious Asian kid – but they spent time with me, asked me to sit with them at Wednesday dinners, paid for my dinner (because I had no money), asked me questions, and gave me a chance to sing with their choir. They treated me with kindness, patience, and reinforced my agency to make a difference. They even gave me a scholarship to go to college.
I had no idea what was going on in my life at the time. So many bad things could have happened. But many things went well because – at just the right time, someone at New Haven gave me encouragement, bought me dinner, asked me to come over to their house, or wrote me a letter. And I know they prayed secretly and fervently for me.
It's About Community
What I got a taste of – the food I needed to eat – was Biblical community. I needed to a place to belong, a place where I would be missed if I didn’t show up, a place that would forgive me when I sinned (and I did), a place that would take me back when I wandered (and they did), a place where – even though our cultures were so different – they “got me” and understood. “No one heals alone,” wrote Dr. JP Hook. I didn’t know what I needed. Perhaps the good folks at New Haven didn’t understand how nourishing they were. I was a lonely kid who didn’t have friends and needed surrogate spiritual parents and brothers and sisters. I got that and much, much more. I needed grace, inclusion, acceptance, truth, repentance, and a chance to demonstrate those qualities as well.
In 1991, when I committed my life to ministry, it was appropriately New Haven Baptist Church that authorized and bore witness to my decision with 14 men saying they believed that my calling was authentic and true. Those 14 signatures are barely legible – but their spiritual DNA is indelibly marked in me. If you know me, you will find a little bit of Bill Mayor, Charlie Caby, and Tom Shultz.
My story is not particularly special. It has been repeated throughout history through every local church because that is what local churches do. It’s what we’re commanded to do. It’s what we’re expected to do and for which we will be held accountable.
Why talk about this? Biblical Community is inseparable from maturity in Christ. People cannot give grace to themselves – it must be intentionally offered as a gift. “You get grace not thorugh reading books or talking about it,” wrote Hook, “but through abiding in cultures of grace – enjoying the freedom of being fully known and deeply loved.”
It's literally a part of our name
At Grace, our vision is to help people find and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. If the grace of Jesus is the foundation on which we build, community is the framework that the walls hang from and holds up the roof. Community is much more than gathering. Just like anything with four wheels is much more than a car, Biblical community is a beautiful interdependence with each other that the world needs and only the Church is authorized and empowered to give. Community is so important to us at Grace that it's literally a part of our name.
Have you experienced Biblical community like that? Would you like to? You can in a number of ways, but one very intentional way is through Small Groups. That’s why the Small Group Ministry exists and is a fundamental part of our discipleship strategy. Grace will always strive at excellence in collaborating with the Holy Spirit in building his community. No, we’ll never be perfect at it – we’ll be learning until He returns. But we have covenanted with each other to say that we’re committed to being processed and helping others process their lives in Jesus Christ.
In John 17:20-21, Jesus prayed for you and for me: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
Our aim at Grace is to collaborate with Jesus to make this reality.
If that's important to you, keep coming back for more!