Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. + Gandalf, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Earlier this month, I had the privilege to spend time with some beautiful people during The Microchurch Conference.
Below is a collection of my notes during my time with some of these folks during the conference on Saturday, March 5 in Gainsville.
Jesus in the Small w/ Us | Tomy w/ The Underground
+ What If God Is Big Enough to Be Small?: Throughout the story of God in the Scriptures, we see God highlighting seemingly small people: Israel, Gideon, Ruth, Hannah, David, Mary ... And Jesus liked to highlight small things when talking about the Kingdom of heaven (pearl, yeast, mustard seed). What if the God of the universe came to be contained in Jesus so that he could conquer evil, sin, death, and the devil? What if God is big enough to be small? What if God likes to use the small?
+ Simple Acts of Kindness and Love: Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage. + Gandalf, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Jesus in the Small w/ Us | Brook w/ Greenhouse Church
+ Activate Others to Unleash Potential: We've been given the resources of heaven by our Father, and God likes each of us to activate others to unleash their potential. It's like being given a credit card gift with no limitations and no interest that we need to be activated by someone else in order to maximize the gift. How do we activate the potential in people to be who they are created to be?
+ The Potential of the Small to Give Out Power: What if the small community, the small space is where we can actually see the potential and activate it (i.e. call it out, prophesy into)? When we get small and don't try to do everything, we get to form leaders with who we have. Do it all and you'll miss drawing out people's gifts. Leaders who are too focused on the big give out tasks. Servant leaders who see the potential of the small give out power.
+ See What Jesus Sees in Others: Jesus had the ability to look at people and see what no one else was able to see ... yet. He noticed what needed to be called out (faith) and what needed to be confronted (fear). Ask Jesus to help you see your people the way He sees them. Where is invitation into opportunities for faith needed? Where is challenge needed to confront obstacles? Who is the Spirit ready to activate in your community?
Remember the Past & Future | Daniel w/ The Prodigal Network & Jeff w/ Soma
+ Fractals Over Fractures: Fractals are never-ending, infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. Fractals are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing loop. Fractals are images of dynamic systems. Right now, there are fractures everywhere. But what if God is inviting us to see and be part of the fractals in creation and multiplication?
+ A New Groove in the Record Player: While the small, repetitious, creative potential of what God does is always available, it takes time for us to learn a new way of life when we've focused on the big, instantaneous, and manageable. The transition often takes 7-10 years of practice. It takes time to work in a new groove in our LPs of life. People will only endure the pain of change that is required for doing something new if the pain of remaining in the same is too much. We need the guide of Jesus, the Great Disrupter and Resurrector, along with those who commune with the Resurrection and the Life to be our guides, who will help us "canoe the mountains" of the unknown terrain of discovery.
Remember the Past & Future | Bree w/ Micro Churches Australia
+ Nooks & Crannies (& Alcoves): Microchurches can go into all the nooks and crannies, and be with people in the dark corners with Jesus, and reflect Jesus' light in those unique spaces.
+ Reach Every Kind of Person: If we're going to reach every person, we need microchurches of every kind of person who are sent among those people and places as God's missionary people among the broken, the bored, and the burned out. The Spirit of God has done it before with people like St. Patrick, St. Francis, and St. Catherine of Sienna, Hannah More, John Wesley, and Catherine Booth, and many anonymous more who God especially likes to use.
+ Petition & Benediction: Lord Jesus, give us ears to hear Your calling and the courage to follow You were You send us.
Bonus: The Spirit in Everyday Spaces | Greenhouse Network
+ Start w/ a desire to see Jesus move in ways you haven't yet; begin to pray w/ others weekly.
+ Ask for the Spirit's gentleness: you don't have to try to control the situation or the outcome.
+ Continue to give grace to each other to try things that will be uncomfortable.
+ The blessing is "down below": the weaker you are, the more God likes to give grace to the humble.
+ Allow people to make mistakes as they learn to pray with others and for others, trusting that faith will grow.
Praying for others:
1) Listen to the person. Listen to God.
2) Invite God to come in the moment (ex. "Come, Holy Spirit"), then wait, listen, pray, watch (eyes open)
3) In gentleness, ask for permission to honor people's dignity and agency (ex. "May I pray for you?" (If, yes) "May I put my hand on your shoulder while I pray?")
4) "Normalize" what may seem odd at first if something happens; we don't have to understand what's going on
5) Offer prayer, community, healing (immediately if God moves in the moment or through presence and compassion if initial healing doesn't come)
6) Embrace weakness (if prayer is not answered immediately or something shared is rejected, you can say, "You know, I'm not very good at this" and smile)
7) Pray, debrief, pray again, debrief again
Lord, help me to do great things as though they were little, since I do them with Your power; and little things as though they were great, since I do them in Your name. + Blaise Pascal
Almost anything in life that truly matters will require you to do small, mostly overlooked things, over a long period of time. + Zack Eswine
Additional posts with The Underground:
Bonus resources:
+ Microchurches: A Smaller Way by Brian Sanders
+ Ready or Not: Kingdom Innovation for a Brave New World by Doug Paul
+ The Starfish and the Spirit: Unleashing the Leadership Potential of Churches and Organizations by Lance Ford, Rob Wegner, and Alan Hirsch
+ Red Skies: 10 Essential Conversations Exploring Our Future as the Church edited by L. Rowland Smith
Christ is all,
Rev. Mike “Sully” Sullivan
Email Pastor Mike | Website | Visit Us | Support Us | Facebook Us
Rev. Mike “Sully” Sullivan
Email Pastor Mike | Website | Visit Us | Support Us | Facebook Us
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