Never thought I would be helping launch a church at the ripe old age of 59, nor did Tricia, my wife. But here we are. Northampton MA is not an easy place to do so either. Naming it imagine/northampton adds to the challenge. What kind of church has such a name? Is it a cult? Is it a joke? Where is Jesus in this?
And I am something called a spiritual formation catalyst to boot. What the heck is that? Why aren't I a pastor or reverend, something easy to recognize like that? Why do I have to be so obtuse. so different, so weird?
Also, 59 is not 29, or even 39. Church planting is for young men and women who can handle the myriad pressures and challenges. Old guys need to just be old guys: over the hill, geriatric, addled and preoccupied with old guy specialties like prostates and nose hair.
But old guys can and do plant churches. We have a vision that retirement can't touch. We hear Jesus say "will you go?" And we go, maybe a little slower and having to check our notes to make sure we don't forget stuff, but we go. To not go would be to settle for a lesser life and a sagging faith. Old guys like me are not happy with the spiritual status quo, the "easy does it," lifestyle. We want to finish our race running as hard as gray guys can for the prize of prizes. We want to see Jesus and say: "Pappy, I ran the best could."
So I'm in Northampton planting imagine convinced it will make a difference in a way nothing else I could do these days. In the latter days old men will dream dreams and follow them as best they can...as best I can. See you in Northampton . . . .
4 comments:
Glad to see you break into the blogging world! There is no turning back now.
I'm very excited for you all and Imagine and you aren't so bad for an old dude.
Why thank you, young man. We shall journey this intrepid path together.
You're as old as you feel! (Uh oh, I'm in big trouble.) A hand full of Advil and you'll be good to go, Buddy. The Lord just wants you to be willing and obedient, and you are, so he will use you powerfully!
This morning I have an agenda, I need to finish hanging the sheet rock in two recently expanded closets. In the midst of accomplishing my goal God brings you to mind, and then the passage from Joel, and again from Acts comes to mind.
Acts 2:16-18
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: " 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
The disciples are exhibiting the manifestation of the Spirit and some of those who witness it respond with thoughts of, “these men are drunk…they are crazy…out of their minds.” I got to thinking about my “old” friends starting a church in Northampton. Their moves might not make sense to some but if the Spirit has led them to “dream dreams” then there is nowhere else they need be; in fact they would be disobedient to the Call of God if they were anywhere else.
Chase those dreams old man!
Chase those dreams maturing woman who possesses the wisdom of many years yet looks much younger than she really is. :)
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