What Most Helps Us Grow?
By Jeanne Gardner
I looked back over journals for the past year or 2 as we were meeting Rose Creek, making decisions and moving here. Sure enough they confirmed what had first come to mind when I received your email.
• We are the body of Christ . . . Jesus with skin on:
When we were checking out RCV we asked people what they considered this place to be and what they called themselves – e.g. the church, a church, Christians, etc. They stood there and looked us straight in the eye and said, “We are the body of Christ.” And everywhere I looked I saw the truth of that statement, as the people here took care of each other as if each was an extension of Christ’s hand and heart on the earth – 24/7, as they say. That not only doesn’t happen in the church groups we have come from, but it couldn’t happen, no matter how much we wanted it to, when we were so seldom within arm’s reach of one another. I was reminded of a sermon illustration with a child who is frightened in the dark and his parents tell him not to worry because Jesus sees him and is protecting him. But the wise child tells his parents, “I know that, but sometimes I just need Jesus with skin on.” In Rose Creek Village Jesus has skin on! I need Jesus with skin on, and I want to become Jesus with skin on!
Our own church background taught that we were trying to do what the early church did, but somehow the movement we were involved in missed the whole idea of coming together 24/7 like the early church – like it’s something that we just write off as not possible in this day and age. I accepted that idea, thinking that our leaders were somehow way smarter about these things than I, but always wondered if they had really thought that part through well. Guess what . . . close, but no cigar! The body still needs to be physically connected, just like 2,000 years ago. So, here we are.
• My kids . . . what “un-loneliness” looks like:
I also wanted to mention sitting in Kristee & Cody’s living room at the village one evening after supper 2 Decembers ago. (They had been living at RCV just a few weeks and we came almost a year later.) There’d been lots of singing for a while that evening and then people started talking and Kristee (our daughter), in tears, told everyone she’d never realized just how lonely she really was until she came here (to RCV) and saw what “un-loneliness” looked like. Not only is that idea totally true, but how can any parent ignore testimony like that from their child? I find what’s happening here to be totally irresistible when I see what’s going on in the lives of my children. I don’t know how any parent can ignore that or not want to get on board.
• Gatherings . . . more of God – really:
Then there’s the gatherings. We look forward to them so much. They last 2 or 3 hours or more, and we don’t mind at all. We’re still ready for more. Who ever heard of anything like that (even in the show business of mega-churches)! No way. It’s like we just can’t get enough of the testimony and teaching from everyone here. They’re full of noisy children, and we don’t mind at all. The chairs are not the greatest or most comfortable for everyone, but we love being together and singing and dancing and witnessing the spontaneity of the children and the speakers. We’ve heard stories about gatherings like that from missionaries around the world, but not here in the United States. It’s because everyone here wants more of God – really!
Posted on Jul 24, 11:01 AM | Categorized under Articles—
