Gale & I returned this week from the National House  Church Conference in Denver. We had a wonderfully challenging time. In this week's and next week's letters I will share some of what we experienced. I would seriously encourage you to visit the House2House website (www.house2house.com) and order the DVDs of the Conference when they come available.

 

Blessings,

Maurice

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Middle Earth, Or "There & Back Again: A House Church Tale," by Maurice Smith (a lesser Hobbit)

My wife & I just returned from Middle Earth, uh, the National House Church Conference in Denver, sponsored by House2House. It was a wonderful experience, an adventure worthy of any serious house church Hobbit. We spent several weeks planning and preparing for the journey, and several of you gave to make the journey possible. Despite several last minute obstacles (like having to replace the radiator in our car the day before we left - a task performed by a Christian mechanic & friend who said, "Pay me when you get back. Have a great trip.") and a questionable financial situation ("Do we really have enough for this?") we set off on our journey on Friday, August 25. Our plan was to visit our daughter in San Ramon, California and then head for Denver and the conference to visit with friends, hear what God is doing around the world, and teach a couple of workshops.

The first night we enjoyed the hospitality of new house church friends in Dallas, Oregon. The next morning we set off for San Ramon. Then it began. Somewhere outside of Mt. Shasta our car began acting up. We spent an hour or so in Mt. Shasta (an interesting corner of Middle Earth where the local residents believe that harmonizing with the vibrations of the mountain is a goal worth pursuing) hoping that the car might run better if it cooled down. Back on the road we made headway until just outside of Redding where the same thing happened again. We pulled off the freeway and eventually ended up at a Carl’s Junior where we ate something resembling lunch (?) while quietly praying and pondering our situation. It was a weekend, and anything resembling a repair shop was closed. I made several calls to friends and asked them to pray for us.

As we reflected on our situation the reality of it all began to dawn on us. Not only had we left home with less than adequate resources for the trip (and, no, we don’t use credit cards), but we had also made a choice between going on the trip or paying rent (if that sounds vaguely familiar, read our e-letter for April 26, 2006 on the website). Now, 600 miles from home, here we sat with a broken car, no money for repairs and barely enough money - if we were careful - to make it to the conference. As we got back into the car to head out again - in the hope that it would somehow run - I became lost in an on-going conversation with God (well, I complained while God listened, if you want to know the truth!) Although we would need to stop once more along the way to let the car cool down, it somehow miraculously worked. But my conversation with God became more intense until His voice finally broke through the emotional fog in my heart. And it went something like this:

God: "Maurice, you’re afraid, aren’t you?"

Maurice: "No, Lord, I’m not afraid, I’m terrified. The car’s obviously broken. We don’t have money to fix it. And even if we make it to the Conference we won’t have money for food or to travel home, much less pay rent or bills . . . !"

God: "I’ll bet your feeling a little foolish right now, aren’t you?"

Maurice: "No, Lord, not foolish. I’m feeling like a complete idiot. We shouldn’t even be here. I should be home paying the rent and bills like normal people . . . "

Then it came. That voice that speaks to you like quiet thunder in your spirit and echoes like the waterfalls of God where deep calls to deep.

God: "Son, I will call you to live foolishly for me where your obedience to me touches your greatest fear."

There it was. A word from God delivered to a traveling Hobbit along the freeway somewhere in Middle Earth between Redding and San Ramon. In that moment something inside of me died, and something else was born. Suddenly, it wasn’t about broken cars, conferences or workshops or even about having enough money to pay the rent & bills. I had set out on this journey thinking that God wanted me to teach a workshop on house church leadership (that would be easy). What I didn’t know, but gradually realized, was that God wanted me to become a workshop about the values which God desires 5-Fold house church leadership to embody in this season (and that is much harder . . . on the heart). At the end of it all, house church & 5-fold leadership isn’t about structure, it’s about values. And as Bill Beckham noted, "You never change a structure until you change a value. We do not transplant systems and structures. We transplant values and life." And you cannot change a value until God has worked that value into your own life, killing the old and giving birth to the new. You see, some values can be taught, while others must be caught. But when God is preparing individuals for revolutionary leadership during revolutionary times there are certain core values which cannot be taught or caught. They must be spoken into our spirits with quiet thunder in the midst of a God-orchestrated teachable moment when heaven moves earth (and cars) and causes our personal obedience to Him to touch the hidden fears of our hearts.

Spectacles & Fools

"For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ,s sake . . . ." 1 Corinthians 4:9-10)

As those of you who read these weekly missives already know, one of the workshops I had planned to teach was entitled "Of Hobbits, Heroes and Spiritual Leadership: 5-Fold Leadership Lessons That Frodo Taught Me." In addition to watching seven clips from "The Lord of the Rings" and one from Henry Vth, I planned to examine 5-Fold leadership principles from 1 Corinthians 4. As I prepared the presentation before leaving home, I sensed that God somehow wanted to emphasize two principles found in 1 Corinthians 4:9-10, namely, the importance of being a "spectacle" (Greek: theatron) and "fools" (Greek: moros). I remembered of one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite authors, A.W. Tozer, to illustrate the point: "What we need very badly these days is a company of Christians who are prepared to trust God as completely now as they know they must do at the last day. For each of us the time is coming when we shall have nothing but God. Health and wealth and friends and hiding places will be swept away and we shall have only God. To the man of pseudo faith that is a terrifying thought, but to real faith it is one of the most comforting thoughts the heart can entertain." (A.W. Tozer, "Root of the Righteous"). What I didn’t realize until later was that God didn’t so much want me to "teach" the importance of these principles as He wanted me to live them out. Why? Because, if we as 5-fold leaders are unwilling to embody these kingdom leadership values and actually BE spectacles and fools for Christ in plain view of those we are seeking to equip and build up, why should anyone in our house church networks who follow and imitate us be willing to be spectacles and fools? In this new season into which God is bringing His Church, we must understand that as we aspire to significant 5-fold ministry (whether apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral or didactic), God fully intends to challenge each of us to live foolishly for Him at that point where our obedience to Him touches upon our greatest fears. Why? Allow me to offer two reasons. First, because God wants those who would lead, equip and build up His people to model what Jesus came to accomplish, namely, fearless obedience. As Zacharias prophesied, ". . . . to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days." (Luke 1:74-75) Second, because God knows (and wants us to understand) that in this season of revolutionary spiritual change, the most important issue isn’t about changing our structures (from "big" institutional churches to "small" house churches"), but about transforming our values. And the issue of "values" ultimately finds embodiment and expression in the character qualities of 5-Fold leaders. Throughout 1 Corinthians 4 Paul emphasizes the character qualities of 5-Fold leaders, including their willingness to live as "fools" and "spectacles," because Paul understood (and as Graham Cooke so beautifully expressed) "You will destroy with your character what you build with your gift." Yes, there is a reason why God leads 5-Fold people into a wilderness of broken cars, inadequate resources, foolish obedience and more. Because it is in that wilderness where He kills in us what He cannot use and forges a spiritual character that is in keeping with the gifts He has given us.

O.K., what about the rest of the trip? Yes, we made it to San Ramon and spent three wonderful days with our daughter, who is now the youth director for San Ramon Presbyterian Church (EPC). We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium (WOW!), toured San Francisco and felt very out-of-place during an afternoon in Carmel-by-the-sea, an ocean-side community which really should have a sign that reads "Caveat Emptor. Now Entering California’s Most Expensive Tourist Trap" (Although it somehow seems appropriate that Thomas Kinkade lives there. Oopps. Bad dog. Bad dog.). After three days with our daughter we were on the road again for Denver. Our faith was "tested" again with a flat tire outside of Reno, and we spent the night in the car in a WalMart parking lot outside of Salt Lake City (a hotel simply wasn’t in the budget). The car "ran" but not without recurrences of the same problem (OK, I’ve had three mechanics look at it and they still can’t agree on what’s wrong!). But we finally arrived in Denver late Thursday.

Much of the Conference itself is a blur to me now. There were some excellent speakers. George Barna (author of Revolution") spoke to network leaders on Friday, sharing new survey information regarding house churches (Barna & his family do house church) and challenging all of us regarding the character traits of revolutionary leaders (This will be the topic of my next e-letter). John White, Mike Steele, Tim Pynes and others did an excellent job of presenting the role of spiritual "coaching." Thom Black kept everyone in stitches as he spoke about finding your calling. Felicity Dale challenged us all as she spoke on the role of women in house church leadership, sharing her own personal journey as a woman in ministry. And Tony Dale did a masterful job of keeping the entire conference in balance and giving perspective on all that God was doing. There was much more including many excellent workshops, but as I said, much of it was a blur to me after 36 hours of driving, little sleep, workshops to prepare for & do, and a life-altering lesson from the Lord spoken into my own personal life which I was still working to assimilate. Well, you get the picture.

As for us, Gale & I decided that we would not make the full extent of our situation known, even to our friends. God knew and He had already spoken to us about it, and that was enough. But at the same time I knew that I was to share our experience and the lesson as part of my workshop on leadership (which I gave twice). The impact upon those who attended was powerful, and difficult to describe (so I’m not going to try). God was at work . . . in all of us, and that was enough. He had ignited a slow burning fire. On Sunday, as we returned to the hotel from lunch with friends, a thought pierced my mind: "You’re supposed to go home tomorrow, and you don’t have the resources for the trip. What are you going to do?" I brushed the thought aside. We were going to trust God, and that was that. I did my last leadership workshop Sunday afternoon. And then it began. One-by-one people began approaching us, asking if they could sow into our ministry and help with our trip. Not a "flood" of people, just those to whom God had spoken, but by Monday morning all of our needs had been met. And a family from Rexburg (outside of Idaho Falls), Idaho, who had also driven, asked if they could escort us on our trip home and pay for our gas & food along the way (thanks Hammonds!). By the time we left Denver for home we were overwhelmed. God had provided for all our needs, including enough to pay rent and bills when we arrived home. "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (1 Corinthians 9:15).

Epilogue

I want to express my deepest thanks & appreciation to those who made our trip possible. My thanks to Tony, Felicity, Paul, Lori, Sandra, Jon, Tim & all the House2house team for their kindness and support. There's a reason why God has placed you where you are in the leadership of this movement. Thanks to Jim Rutz (yep, the "Megashift" guy) for friendship, for dinner and for the generous gift you sewed into our ministry. You're a gentleman among your peers, and gracious to those who follow in your footsteps. Thank you Brehms for your newfound friendship and for helping us set out on this Hobbits' journey. We look forward to your tribe increasing by one more! Thanks to Tom & Nina for your quiet, gentle spirits and for your generosity to people you hardly know. Thank you Matthew (a fellow Campus Crusade radical), Gifford, Bob, George and the Hammonds. And if there are others who should be thanked but have been inadvertantly ommitted, forgive us and ascribe the oversight to sheer exhaustion.

Finally, I do not know at what point obedience and fear touch one another in your call to 5-Fold ministry, but be assured that when they do God is at work to kill in you what He cannot use and to bring forth such Christ-like character that you will not destroy with your character what He enables you to build with your gift. Welcome to house church, where it isn't about structures, but about values, gifting  . . . and character.

George Barna, Revolution  & Re-Organization

O.K., just to tease you for next week, George Barna spoke to us for an hour and a half on Friday in a pre-conference network leaders meeting. He shared some results from a just-completed survey regarding house church and then spoke to us about what it means to lead a spiritual revolution. Outstanding! And it challenged me to reflect upon a basic question: do you see what is happening in the house church movement as a genuine spiritual revolution (i.e. about "values"), or merely as a spiritual re-organization (i.e., about "structure")? Hmmmmmmm.

Til next week.

A Gathering Of Angels . . . And A Time To Dance