reading (and planting)

finally doing more of the former -- specifically Flannery O'Connor. My roommate is too, check out his post here for some of his reactions/responses to her short stories. I plan to write some of my own soon. Meanwhile I'll keep reading.

But wanted to post some quick thoughts as I got to visit a church plant nearby tonight. Over the last few years, through singing at my church, I've had the privilege of visiting several different young ones in North Georgia to help with worship, and I always leave blessed. By the faith of the "planters"--both the pastors and core groups; by the genuine community I observe; by the stories I hear of how God is working; by their generosity and appreciation as well as their cooking (they always feed us:). It really is always a sweet and refreshing time, leaving an amply-resourced, well-oiled machine of a church, and going and beholding a new thing God is doing, in all it's fledgling, fumbling, feedback-y, faith-filled, "I-guess-I'll-do-the-announcements-because-our-youth-minister-is-not-here-because-he-was-out-late-camping-with-the-youth-and-got-sick"-nicity. It's like cracking open an acorn and glancing inside, thinking about how within that dirt-looking stuff, there's the makings of a grand oak tree. It's a hopeful, exciting chance to look at what's He's doing on this side of accomplishing the specific vision for each church plant.

So folks, go visit a young church plant in your city. You'll be glad you did.