oasisCHURCH

Compared to last week, this

Compared to last week, this week feels like it has gone by at 1000 miles per hour. Last week time practically stood still as the snow and ice simplified our lives to one place, and to spending time with a limited number of people. It was nice. But now, this week has been nearly the opposite. School is back in session, baseball has begun, and I had parent-teacher conferences this evening. I'm not complaining about either type of experience, although I would much rather have a steady diet of the way things are this week than the way they were last week. Sometimes I wish I didn't enjoy the faster-paced lifestyle so much, but the truth is I do. I feel stretched, challenged, and motivated when I am involved in lots of things... and many things are buying for my attention. The pressure is intoxicating. I don't know... it must be some sickness I have.

I am looking forward to two major events this weekend. First, tomorrow evening when I come home from school and baseball practice one of my best friends in all the world will be here to visit. Brian Hall, Sarah, Caleb, and Taylor (who I've not yet seen) will be here until Sunday morning. I have many good times and conversations to catch up on with my old friend. And we're going to take a "tour of the world." ;)

The next exciting event takes place immediately after the first. Sunday, after our morning worship gathering we will be traveling to Waverly to share in the worship celebration we had planned two weeks ago with Lotus Christian Fellowship. Finally, the time has come. I can't wait for this event!

If you do not listen

If you do not listen to anything else today, you HAVE to listen to this recording from our all-church gathering last Sunday. It's Amy Perrin leading Shout To The Lord.

WOW!!!

I am blogging today from

I am blogging today from EHS computer lab. School just let out and I am here until after baseball practice. Practice this week is at that weird time slot (4:45), where it just wouldn't make sense for me to drive home, spend 15 minutes with the family, and then have to drive right back here again. But it is also a long enough time period that it allows me some "free" time to study, think, read blogs, and even post a blog.

Tonight is our church meeting at my house in The Plains. This meeting will soon be moved to BJ and Heather Zeigler's house. They are still finishing up re-construction of their house, and so I am just awaiting their "go-ahead". Hopefully within the first couple of weeks in March we will be having church meetings in their home. I am very excited about this for a few reasons:
(1) BJ and Heather have developed some great friendships with people in the Athens and surrounding area, and these people are very comfortable coming to BJ and Heather's home already. It is definitely a "house of peace." Many of these people have actually expressed interest in fellowshipping and being the church with Oasis... and I think the gatherings that will take place in BJ and Heather's home may provide a place for those people to meet others who have already made that choice long ago.
(2) This move will enable and empower both BJ and Heather to function more "fully" (gr.) in their giftedness, and challenge them in areas where they desire to grow even more. BJ and Heather are both, individuals and a couple, who have so much to offer to the kingdom. I am not saying they are offering little now... I can just see an "explosive" potential in the months to come. I can't wait!
(3) This move will enable and empower me to function more "fully" in the apostolic function and responsibility God has given me, as we also begin to add 2 or 3 more house church meetings in the Meigs County region of Oasis.

All of these things have a very unique way of working together. If you are reading my blog, I ask you to pray for these moves and changes in the way, and places Oasis meets. It's just a matter of shuffling, and adding... or multiplying. And it's all becoming necessary simply because of relationships that are coming to fruition. Friends of Oasis people curious about the kingdom of God and/or BEING the church... and Oasis people who are longing to demonstrate and proclaim the kingdom of God to their friends, and encourage them as well to come along with us as we try to BE the church.

Pray for the new homes that will soon be opened up for church gatherings. And pray for the people who are preparing for the day:
- BJ and Heather Zeigler
- Jared Stewart (and roommates)
- Dan and Wendy Thomas
- Dorsel and Jeri Thomas

Not a lot of time

Not a lot of time to blog today, but I wanted to at least give something. I went back to school today for the first time in 10 days (6 days plus two weekends)! It felt so weird. I didn't know what to do. The word "review" came up a lot in my classes today. I feel bad for the students. This winter has made education as we know it nearly impossible to accomplish.

One thing that was on my mind today is baseball. We had our first mandatory practice tonight... in the gym, of course. Man... I love this sport. It feels so good to be back in the action again. Soon spring will be here and we'll be outside.

Tonight Brock wanted to go to sleep while worshiping to the song "Hallelujah Glory." It's a Vineyard worship song that is on one of his children's worship CDs. He really likes it, and so he asked me to play it. He literally fell asleep singing the words to the song. Kaylee was humming along as well. I love it that my kids love to worship Jesus.

+ + + God, the prayer on my heart this evening is the same prayer I pray every night as my children lie down to sleep... help them to love Jesus more tomorrow than they did today. Help them to see Jesus in their Daddy, their Mommy, and in each other. May Jesus be the center of our worship, our conversation, our activity as a family. And even more importantly... help them to always know that Jesus loves them. For WE love, only because He first loved us. + + +

I'm blogging late today. April

I'm blogging late today. April had school today (Alexander), I did not. It rained most of the day, so once again, the kids and I were confined to the indoors. But, for the first time in a long time, this evening we took a family trip to Lancaster... ate at Damons... walked around the mall people watching and listening to Jr. High students yell at each other and call names. It's part of a fun evening out. (We'll take anything after this past week!)

Had a message from Coach Bowen when we got home tonight. Baseball practice begins Monday, and so we are having a coaches' meeting Sunday afternoon to discuss the goals, plans, etc. Regardless of the snow... I am getting excited. This afternoon Brock helped me put together a new 75-song compilation CD for baseball. You should have seen him and Kaylee dancing to the "songs that remind us of baseball." When the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" came on we could see in our minds' eye the St. Louis Cardinals running onto the field to begin the first inning of play. When the Sandlot theme came on my kids started jumping up and down and shouting lines from the movie. Then "hey now, you're an All-Star" came on and this house was rockin'!

We had a fun day. Baseball is HERE at last!!!

Notice the "comments" link at

Notice the "comments" link at the bottom of each post (just underneath the date and my name). This allows you to make comments on any of my postings. Go for it. I'd love to hear from you.

The Blizzard of 2003: Something

The Blizzard of 2003:
Something we'll talk about for years to come I am sure. I have spoken with several folks from Meigs County, where the electricity was off in some places for more than 5 days, and they have been such good sports about the adversity the weather has caused them to face. Many have told me that they have gained a new perspective and appreciation for the things in life we often take for granted. And they have learned a new meaning of living in simplicity. Conversations were forced to take priority over the television box. Waste was considered more than normal as they tried to conserve water, food from the refrigerator, and other sources that could provide heat or light. Time slowed down. Although we were forced to stay apart and not gather as the church, we learned many lessons and gained much strength from the common experiences the Blizzard of 2003 brought.

I have had the entire week off from school. It will be difficult to get back into the groove. One thing I missed was my new workout. I went strong for one week and then had to miss this week. Of course, I did push and lift heavy snow to make snowmen, tunnels, and forts. I also dug quite a few vehicles out and pushed them as well. So I guess I did get a little exercise during this week off.

We finally saw the movie everyone has been talking about, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It was funny. I love the Greeks! BJ and Heather came over and brought dinner and the DVD. It’s been a while since we’ve just had simple hangout time with them. It was a very nice time.

Very much looking forward to Brian, Sarah, Caleb and Taylor Hall’s visit in just one week. Brian confirmed yesterday that they will be coming for the entire weekend (February 28 – March 2). I can’t wait to see their baby girl for the first time. And I especially can’t wait to hang out with one of my best friends in the world.

Enough for now…

POSTMODERN …A word that I

POSTMODERN
…A word that I am really tired of seeing thrown around to describe people, churches, ministries, web sites, books, etc. It has become a marketing word, an identifying word (identifying what? I don’t know), a cop-out word, and the list goes on…

There was an article written by Kevin Miller called “Nomo Pomo.” He’s a boomer who rants in his article about the “postmodern” buzz among young leaders and burned out church people. If you’d like to read the article, go here. I do not write this post, however, in the same spirit as Miller wrote his article. In fact, I agree with little of what he had to say.

Anyway, my issue with all the “postmodern” talk has to do with our need to find a system, or a model that works. To discuss “postmodern” issues, and how to “minister in a postmodern world” is still missing the point I’m afraid. If any one certain system would or could do it (postmodern or modern), we would have found it by now. Perhaps that’s why God gave us His Spirit instead of a system, so that we can depend on Him and not our models… whether they be modernist mega-church models, or postmodern Birkenstock-wearing, candle burning models, or house church models, or whatever. These are all just shadows of an even greater reality. They are distractions from the simple life in God that transforms our lives.

So don’t call me postmodern. Don’t call me a house church movement person. Don’t call me this or that. Just call me Chris… a fellow believer in Christ who desires to model for and help others to simply BE the church wherever they live, work, learn, etc.

In closing this post I want to share something with you that I though was very clever. It’s an entry Kevin Rains from Vineyard Central in Cincinnati wrote in his 2/16/03 blog:

“The book I write in 20 years will begin thusly: 'I remember when postmodern ministry was a Len Sweet book, a goatee, and lots of complaining about how corporate culture had infected the church as we sipped a double Latte at Starbucks (tm, reserved, copyright etc). Then we moved into the phase of complaining about all the negative reactions our complaining started. Why, we even had an editor from Leadership Journal writing articles complaining about our complaining. (at this juncture I would strike the Santa Clause pose as I leaned back in my rocker, inhaled a deep hit off my apple tobacco pipe and grinned as the next round of emerging leaders sat at my feet and hung on my every word). Then came the time when we actually started trying stuff and began failing and got all the 'I told you so's' thrown at us and the post modern resumes started flooding the mega churches once again. Now all that's left is irrelevant house churches and residential communities that still believe they can change the world.... and they might just do it.’”

We had a church meeting

We had a church meeting last night, believe it or not, in our home. After being cooped up indoors because of the 20+ inches of snow I think everyone was longing for company. It was nice. We just kept things very light. Had dinner, discussed the timing of opening up new homes for church meetings, shared a few stories of our lives, and then we watched Brian Regan on Comedy Central stand-up. The night was concluded by going over to Maria, Amy, and Lindsay’s apartment and helping them dig out their vehicles and arrange them so they could get out and go to work this morning.

Lately I have been studying and pondering the issue of leadership, and I have been asking myself the question, How does leadership function among people who are embracing simple church, relational Christianity? Just by asking a question like that causes me to wonder… perhaps our concepts of what church is and is supposed to be has been SO dependent upon human leadership that it is hard to imagine how to function without it. I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t have it, nor questioning whether or not it’s biblical to have it. Absolutely… God has gifted people with certain gifts that function in leading and strengthening the church. My question revolves more around concern for where our primary dependency is. Hopefully it is Jesus.

As one who has been entrusted by God with gifts that are used to lead, I do not want to use them to manage, or control, or even to have a title among the flock of believers. The leadership of the church serves an entirely different function than the leadership of the world. And I desire to embody that way of leading.

Wayne Jacobsen says: “Our perception of leadership is so embedded in managing or controlling institutions, that we cannot recognize it without titles and positions.”

Let that sink in for a second. I am.

This means that people all around us could have gifts to be used in leadership in the church, but we may never recognize them or notice them as such until they have been given a title, or placed in a “position” of leadership.

One of the best things I have ever heard spoken concerning the role of a leader in the body of Christ is this: Whatever gift we have in the body, it is only to supplement His working in people, not to become a substitute for it. At best, the touch of a leader is only temporary, helping people along the way, then quickly returning to the more enduring place of brother or sister (Jacobsen).

This type of leadership puts so less focus on the leader, and so much more focus on the Holy Spirit’s working in and through a life submitted to Jesus. The dependency of the church body becomes remains on Jesus… not the one leading them. Yes, it is very important... even vital… to have those there who are gifted to lead. But they must be careful to not create a dependency on themselves by embracing titles and positions and recognizing themselves among the body as having those titles and positions.

I write all of this for a purpose. One, it helps me to sort out my thoughts. I can go back and read them again and again as I pray for our local fellowship of believers. And two, I desire to gather some folks, who have leadership gifts, for advisory and accountability purposes, as more and more decisions are needing to be made for our fellowship of believers. And I want to be sure I do it for the right reasons, and that I understand how to communicate to everyone the importance of understanding, and how to understand, leadership in Christ’s body.

+ + + God, thank you for the journey You have taken me on in the last couple of weeks. Open my mind to understand You more and more. Help me understand how You, the Perfect Father, leads His children. I want to be faithful with everything You have given me. I may not have all the right answers. In fact, I am certain I do not. But whatever I hear from You, with an honest, pure, and open heart I want to pass on to those I love and call friends. Keep me in a humble position. Let others see me for my gifts, not my title or position. As always… I am Yours, God. + + +

In the last couple of

In the last couple of days I have had some email correspondence with Paul Kaak (of Church Multiplication Associates, California) and Tony Dale (of House2House, Texas) regarding the vision for a web site that would connect people of like-vision for the simple church, house church, etc... I have explained a little bit about that idea in an earlier post.

Anyway, I wanted to share in my blog the email I sent to both of them that describes briefly my journey, and the journey many of you who are reading this are on:

[portion of an email to Paul Kaak and Tony Dale]
As a side note... I want to thank you for the vision and guidance you have provided for simply being the church. I am really new to this concept, but finding it so refreshing as it moves from being a concept to being simply a life. I was a youth pastor in a "mega-church" in St. Louis, and then moved to northwest Ohio to prepare to do church planting. While there God began to stir in my heart a paradigm shift. I was losing confidence in the idea of being a "professional pastor", and I was growing disdain for the institution I had always known that was called the church, and I was tired of the understanding of "going to church" and what that mindset developed in hundreds of thousands of people all over our world.

The concept of house churches became very appealing to me. About that same time Vineyard's "Cutting Edge" church planting magazine did a special article on Vineyard Central that intrigued me so much that I called Kevin and planned a trip to go see for myself.

To make a long story of a long journey a little shorter, I began asking God to give me a vision for His church here in southeast Ohio. I just wanted to simply BE the church, and I wanted to teach, help, train, lead, model for people that very concept as well. I now have a "secular" job teaching Literature in a public high school, and I am helping people... in the church and out, Christian and non... to understand church as a life, not a place, or even an event.

This even includes the home. Although the "house church" is what launched me to a better understanding of church life, I am not a "house church movement" sort of person. In fact, I do not desire to be part of any movement. I just want to live and be the church, and help people do the same. A home just happens to be a very good place to encourage and to model that life. But in the same way, I do not want people to view church as what happens in that home. We would again just be "GOING to church"... it just looks and feels different than it did before. My greatest hesitation from diving into the "house church movement" is the dogmatic approach I see many people take toward the *home* being the place where the church is finally going to be what it's called to be. We can fall into worshiping homes in the same way we have worshiped buildings and programs for years. Enough for now...

These are things I am sure you have been living for some time. I just wanted to let you know a little more about myself.

Chris Stewart