12.12.2020 - week 83
personal update from luke + kristen
almost two years ago, our family had an unexpected transition. we left a ministry we hoped to be in for a long time, trusting God to help us find something new. as we prayed, kristen quickly encouraged me to find a masters program to pursue, as that had a been a longtime goal we hadn’t found time to go after. over the course of a few months, two things led our family to the LA area, an opportunity to study at talbot school of theology at biola university and an opportunity to serve on the pastoral team at faithful central bible church, a wonderful historically african-american church in inglewood, california under bishop kenneth ulmer.
though this season has been in many ways a stretching one, it has also been filled with incredible learning experiences and family bonding. like so often in life, we had things we wanted god to do THROUGH us, but he was most interested in the fruit he wanted to bear IN us. we aren’t the same people we used to be, god has shown us so much.
at the end of the summer, it became clear that due to my studies speeding up (COVID-19 provided lots of study time :) the time for transition was nearing. we investigated a few cool opportunities, but as we were praying and seeking, a few friends from where we grew up approached us about starting something new together.
at first, i wasn’t really interested and kristen was certain we shouldn’t do it. but we committed to pray and walked our neighborhood for an hour every night for a few months asking God to guide us. once we decided to go for it, door after door has opened, both practically and with the ministry.
does it make sense to leave la for chicago at the beginning of winter, right as more lockdowns are starting, when people are going to church less than ever?
of course not, but neither did building an ark :). this week, we are finalizing a move back to chicago, finishing our ministry in LA, and graduating from biola w. a degree in biblical exposition.
we are starting a new church, it's called
good news in the neighborhood.
here's a little about what we are hoping to do ..
we are aiming to bring our timeless faith in fresh ways to an area we know and love.
there are good churches in our area and if you are happily part of one, we hope you will lean in and help more than ever. but if you are within easy driving distance of schaumburg and are looking for something, we would love for you to join us. we are for anyone, but certainly not for everyone.
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cup of leadership
sharks gain more power through the fear they cultivate than the damage they cause.
it’s also easier to watch a shark attack aftermath than to take action. what i mean is, it’s easier to gawk at the bloody stump than to call the ambulance or kill the shark or go to another beach.
in crisis (which let’s be honest, 2020 has had every single day), passivity is rampant. when you have no idea what to do, you can become consumed with doing the right thing and miss that doing nothing often causes more damage than any option in front of you. see reality and do something about it. don’t waste time worrying or passively watching.
super christian guy
holiday reading guide
i know lots of folks are in a mode of holiday shopping. these are my favorite books i read this year:
color of compromise - jemar tisby // if you want to grow in your understanding of how/why the church seems to struggle to leave behind its racial issues, this book will really help you.
love thy body - nancy piercy // if the shifting cultural ground of gender + human sexuality has you perplexed, this book is for you. it is rigorous and insightful to the max. it will help you understand a lot of what’s happening in the new.
compassion & conviction - the and campaign // if you have any left over desire to understand the political world now that the election is over, this book moves away from the traditional american left + right to try and compel all of us to be good citizens and wise political observers.
the psychology of money - morgan housel // i have read lots of books that give tactical ideas on how to handle your money better, this book (in really clever short chapters) compels us to examine how the way we think is the most important part of our financial lives. genuinely brilliant.
even in our darkness - jack deere // for sure my favorite book of the year. i have a vivid memory of crying my eyes out reading this back in january. if you have had a tough year and want some encouragement, from reality, not spiritual pandering, this book is for you.
stuff for you to click on
1. NO mid-week service this week … we will be back next week
2. recently this song came up because of the spotify algorithm after what i had been listening to ended and i was BLOWN AWAY. one of the most beautiful songs of adoration to jesus i have heard in a long while.
3. this year bon iver + taylor swift released a killer break up song called ‘exile’ ... this video of a new version/performance blew me away