Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Pathway...Door-to-Door ain't so freaky afterall.

During our time here in Tacoma, we've been partnering with the Pathway. The Pathway is a church plant that has been here for two years and is driven by the desire to "Carry out the Great Commission of God (Matt 28:18-20) by living out the Great Commandment of God (Matt 22:32-40)."

Stacie had worked for the pastor and his wife when they were managing a summer camp in Oklahoma. We were able to easily step in as old friends and offer them our hands and feet. They are a small body of believers that are so intentional about doing life together. Bobby and Kelli (the pastor and his wife) have literally planted themselves in the midst of the most broken part of Tacoma, the Hilltop. They live in a house with their 2 kids and are constantly opening up their home for whoever wants to come in. It is a literal representation of the phrase, "Our door is always open." People eat their food, sleep on their couches, and hug their kids. They offer one another all they have because they know none of it is truly theirs. At the same time, they hold each other accountable in their individual relationships with the Lord. They love the way Christ loves, pushing one another closer and closer towards the cross, even if it hurts.  Bobby and Kelli desire people's lives to be changed, at all costs. They pour out grace and love but never forsake the tough truths of Jesus' callings. The Pathway is a family of all different ethnicities and socio economic backgrounds...they triumph and celebrate, they mess up and get frustrated, they cry and they laugh, they are gentle when necessary and hard when necessary, and they do it all together. Acts 2 style.

         One of their Community Groups...good times!

              Scott got peed on by a kid...awesome.

As a part of the family, we have taken whatever role was needed. We've scrubbed a kitchen from top to bottom, watched kids so the adults could grow together, volunteered at a local festival, assisted a family in a time of mourning, prayer walked the streets of the community, and knocked on doors in hopes of sharing Christ and extending the family. The Pastor does this on his own every week..which encouraged us to join him.

What image comes to mind when you hear the phrase "door-to-door"?

It might be of two young men dressed in slacks, white shirts, and ties...Mormons. Or maybe it is of the less uniformed Jehovah's Witness. Either way, most people have seen these missionaries, been visited by them, or know someone who has been visited by them. These two groups have experienced slammed doors, resistance, persecution, and have blatantly been ignored. Nevertheless, they continue to knock. They are well aware of the fact that they are the source of many jokes but nothing keeps them from fighting to tell every person about what they believe...one family at a time.

We walk up to doors only be asked if we are Mormons or Jehovah's witness. If they are not home we find a Jehovah's Witness magazine (The Watchtower) stuck in their door. They are good at what they do either because they are really convicted about what they believe in or they are simply crazy...

...which is kind of the same thing people say about Jesus. Either he really did believe what he was preaching, or he was crazy.

It got us to thinkin....What if we were as consistent and persistent as they are? When Jesus was asked about the kingdom of God his response was " The kingdom of God is within you." If we hold within us the kingdom of God, the truth to all the lies, the peace for all the chaos, the water that never runs dry....shouldn't we be known for sharing it at all costs?

Are we saying that we are now converted Mormons/Jehovah's Witnesses....No.  We are simply saying, they have something figured out that we need to learn from.  We want to look and live like Jesus...even it means we look insane. We want the passion that they have, even if it means rejection.  We want the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven....even if it means we have to bring it to people.



4 comments:

  1. So legit. Reading all this is like fuel to my fire. I look up to y'all in a big way. I tell people about y'all daily and show the video to whoever will watch because they need to see a true example. There is such good things going on back home. Lamar has a ton of potential to be harnessed and big things are about to start happening in the area. I'm on the leadership team for a ministry called CRASH. Its held on campus in the Lamar gym every Tuesday and is steadily building. We have a vision to eventually raise enough money to buy enough Bibles to pass out to every student in every dorm. That's just one of many ideas.... Just know that your being watched so when you get discouraged think of the example your setting for people like me all over.

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  2. My little brother has to write about a missionary for AWANA/church and he wanted to write about y'all :) If you have the time or get a chance, could you answer a few questions for him? If not, no biggie. I'm sure you guys are very busy.

    Where do you work?
    What is your job?
    Where is/was your favorite place to go?
    Has anyone ever been mean to you?

    Thanks :)

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  3. My little brother was so excited1 Every time y'all blog a post, my kids (Jase and Aleeya) and brother, Stephen, love hearing about what is going on. We slip it in during our Bible time in homeschool. We are praying for y'all and the people you come in contact with :)

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  4. I don't know you, was just 'googling' and found your blog, read your blog from 19 october. Very inspirating en a big encouragement for me to read how you (and others you meet) are following Jesus!

    Gods blessings in this beautiful work!!

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