Tiffany is pregnant (sorry, but this is not the case no matter how much I would sell several of my own digits to make it happen, heh)
We won the lottery (nope, once again our student loans and credit cards would love for this one to occur...but again no)
The big news is that I have started a new blog....now this new blog is not a personal blog...and no it is not Tiffany saying that she is going to start being better about posting more often in her blog (and still never posts anything, heh heh) but this blog is going to be all about the tribe extension that I have been brought to KY by God to gather with the help of God, my wife, our pets, and the people of Florence UMC.
Right now there is no finale name for the ministry (although we are coming closer and closer to what we feel God is leading us to call it) but for now we are calling it a tribe extension.
Why Tribe Extension? (some of you may ask) or What in the world is a Tribe Extension? (a few more may ask) or even What the? Honey....I think D.G. has gone insane! (as a few of you very special people out there who actually know me might say, heh)
Well, let me explain.
"Extension" is self explanatory...whatever "tribe" means it is an extension of an existing tribe. and I can say that most people could and probably will use the term "tribe" synonymously with the term "church"...but I have more reasons to use the term tribe.
1. All too often the term church has lots of baggage with it when people hear the term...and to people who are not Christians I have a feeling that the term is not all that positive in their minds. The same would go for the terms "evangelical"(no offense, but this is the first picture that Google brings up), "conservative"(notice the image name), and even "Christian (I have had a run-in with these people sadly...and man they give Christian a misunderstood understanding)" for that matter...and tribe forces people to think of what "church" is (and I believe should be) in a different and new way.
2. Tribe carries a better understanding of a group of people more so that the term "church"...which to the average non-Christian...and even average Christian can come to mean a building where a group of people who worship together meet. Tribe emphasizes the people and the community not a building, place or location.
3. The "Church" has always meant to have the meaning of "the people of God" and the community that is formed when Christ is the center of their community.
4. Tribe is just cool! heh heh....
So, what I am doing is providing a atmosphere where a gathering can form to make a tribe for Christ! This tribe will be known as a tribe, community, gathering of people who seek relationship with God and each other and can walk into a journey of unknown, growth, and kinship. This will be a place that discussion is emphasized, creativity is encouraged, and Christ is glorified by honesty and real lives truly seeking for relationship and community.
Peter put it this way:
NLT 1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 "Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God's mercy; now you have received his mercy."
This allows us to all be different and not walk in the same line that is "expected" but that we are all still part of the same tribe and all walking at least in the same direction.
so there you go......a new blog that I hope to keep updated to show the progress of the new Tribe Extension that we are serving God to gather for your information, but more importantly for your prayers and support! So, there is not too much there right now..but please bookmark it and check it out every now and then...
http://tribeextension.blogspot.com
(this stuff sound like it is coming from a Cultural Architect? heh heh)
Ok...well, I must go to sleep now and never forget...Please KUTPs!!!!!!!
Oh and yeah why a Crash? a group of Rhinos from the last post? Well, Erwin McManus puts it this way:
"Rhinos moving together at full speed (30 mph) are known as a crash (because they can not see past thirt-one feet..but they run at full speed all the time because of the big horn in front). Even when they are just hanging around enjoying the watershed, they're called a crash because of thier potential. You've got to love that.....That is what happens when we become barbarians (a Tribe) and shake free of domestication and civility. The church becomes a crash. We become an unstoppable force. We don't have to pretend we know the future. Who cares that we can see only thirty feet ahead? Whatever's at thirty-one feet needs to care that we're coming and better get out of the way......there is a future to be created, a humanity to be liberated. We need to stop wasting our time and stop being afraid of what we cannot see and do not know. We need to move forward full force because of what and who we do know." (Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way, 2005, page 138) (the Bold I added.)
Vblog!
3 comments:
I am still unsure if I (an old lady) like the term tribe extension, but it sounded much more plausible after you explained about the rhinos. I had conjured up African native tribes and thought it was "back to the primitive" picture. I know that is just my predisposition to the word "tribe", but that is just me. It is quite interesting and may attract a more outgoing church attitude for people who join that church. Mom
It is always uncomfortable when some one steps out of everyones comfort zone. Explination is the key as well as education...and this is the term for waht we are doing not te name of te actual ministry..thanks for your comments.
oh and Momma... you mean "tribe", heh heh not church.
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