CGM Mission:
".......Our strategy is to move into and become part of the fabric of under-resourced neighborhoods in order to serve and help create, develop, and empower local leaders, and to build healthy families through biblical ‘discipleship’. We believe this includes the ‘life-on-life’ training of people to be what God has designed them to be as the ‘image of God’. This ‘life on life’ strategy is what we believe to be the pattern of Jesus as he shared and invested His time and life into real relationships with people. By sharing our lives with and entering into the lives of others we will seek to build healthy leaders for all walks of life for our communities. We will have many ministries of mercy demonstrating the care and love of God, but it is our ultimate goal to develop the godly leaders necessary to lead our communities."
It is such a amazing thing for me to look back at the vision of our ministry and to be able to tell without a shadow of a doubt that we are doing EXACTLY what the LORD had called us to because we are living out the vision that he gave the Kelly's!!!
Things can be very frustrating at times, scary, irritating, and soooo much fun and encouraging...BUT there is NOTHING like KNOWING the PEACE of obedience!!! The favor and relationships the LORD has given us through MANY of our neighbors is sooo very sweet. Over the Thanksgiving break Kevin and I visited his mom and while we were in Mobile we heard that the high school in our hood was playing a school in the area. This game was IMPORTANT because it would decided who would go to B'ham for the championship. Well, long story short, some of our neighbors who are DIE HARD CARVER FANS ( the high school name is Carver) called us because they knew we would be in Mobile and they wanted to know if we were coming to the game. WE all ended up sitting at the game together and having sooo much fun!! As I sat there, I just begin to think.." wow, LORD, these are our neighbors....they have become like family"
John 1:14:
(Message bible)
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
We serve a GOD who understands how we feel, who can sympathize with us in our weakness because he CHOSE to come and DWELL amongst us, not wanting to be a distant god, someplace else, just waiting up there..he KNOWS what it's like to be human..to suffer
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
One way for us and our neighbors to know GOD and see HIM is through HIS SON and his work...We are Jesus hands and feet...just as GOD was revealing himself through his son, His son is now revealing himself through the church...our neighbors have front row seats of this wonderful musical as we the church love our neighbors as ourselves...
"Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
you know I am ALWAYS reading something and I came across this statement on the internet....
".....Like a body…something to add…everybody does its part…you would be acting like Jesus…you are a temple…as you act and speak…you as followers of Jesus are showing the world what Jesus is like…they would get a sense of what God is like…If you were there loving serving accepting…if they came into the group…they would see what Jesus is like…the same way that God is present in Jesus…Jesus is present in us ..That is the point of the incarnation…God came into the world and screamed alongside of us ..I’m thirsty, forsaken me, I don’t want to do this, wrestling, sweating drops of blood,God is not distant, removed, knows what its like, present God loves to show up dressed as people…and he’ll show up looking like someone you least expected…he has know concept of favoritism, status, prestige…that why we are like a temple of God…we have the potential to show the world what God is like…Jesus showed God in the flesh, now you show Jesus in the flesh…Jesus looks an awful lot like you…We don’t sit around passively…we are the temple, the body, Jesus on display, making an appearance that looks like you ...Incarnational possibilities…developing radar for when God wants to show up…they were like Jesus to me…at the moment they needed it…god showed up…If you keep the cross a one time historical event we are robbing it of its mystery and power…the incarnation…a God who shows up…and you have the opportunity to put this in action…
Be-Incarnation – God shows up as people, show the world what I am like…Jesus is teaching us Be-Incarnation…simply trying to act like Jesus in the world…orienting your life how god is…"
-B.Nockels
AMEN to that!
**Carver by the way lost the game that night :( There's always next year! :)