Extreme Makeover in Polish Mission Church

This morning Northern Ireland welcomed us with a huge coldness, car was frozen and I could clearly see my breath but last night on our meeting with leaders it was totally opposite as we started The Story of God.

After we arrived back home we draw some near future plan for our church (PMC). We decided we will meet with all of the people who are ready and dedicated to be leaders and share with them all of the stuff that we've learned at Soma. From yesterday till the end of December we will go together through things like: Story, Rhythms, 4G and so on and after we know theory we will put it into practice and adapt to our reality here. Since we came back from US we started 4 small groups (25-27 people in them) where the Extreme Makeover process will take place. Between now and end of Dec we will make closer relationships in those groups and then from January we will start The Story there and start the process of re-shaping them into something like Soma's Missional Communities. The name for those is not so important as how will they look like.

So our "simple" plan for the church is: to start to live what we're going to teach first in a leadership circle and teach others about it from January. Those four groups include mostly christians who want to be involved in groups and grow together. And again the first step for them is to get to know The Story and other stuff and then live that way and reach other Poles. We expect it will take some time for those 25 christians to realize that we are all missionaries on mission so we need to start living this way. We all are coming from different backgrounds and church experiences. We all have different issues and life approach but with God's help we can get there and be a real Mission-oriented and Gospel-centered church.

Yesterday there was 3 of us who was at the training (Stephan is in Poland organizing summer camps with his work) plus 3 other leaders. We had great time going together through first two stories. We've spent 2,5h listening to the Story, answering questions and discovering some new things in God's Story. It is so amazing how much you can get from the Story when you are in group of people and see different points of view. As a leaders we are so encouraged and excited about the future. We see that Story is a real living word of God and finally feel like we have vision for our church.

We are only at the Beginning of the Journey with our church to new "Promised Land" where we can be a real Polish MISSION Church among polish community here in Northern Ireland but in a process of getting there we need God to do his work in our hearts and minds so you can keep praying for us.

We will need His wisdom, power and love to reshape our hearts and church. But we believe everything is possible in Him!

Soma Communities is full of Hedonists

Tonight, at work, while listening to Desiring God (free on ChristianAudio.com in November, 2009!), I realized that what makes Soma Communities such a beautiful church is that she is full of Christian Hedonists.  I've been looking for ways to communicate the freedom in Christ I observed in the people of Soma to my family here in St Augustine, FL.  Now I realize what it is I saw.  I saw a people chasing hard after happiness, harder than most.  They are chasing happiness so hard, they've ended up at the wicked awesome fount of never-ending happiness: Christ. Constantly.  Thank you LORD for their example.

Can I go to Jail?

God is amazing! Today, on my way home from the brand-new grocery store around the corner, I was brainstorming and praying for ways to tell the Story of God to the people of my city, and God placed a desire to tell the story in the jails. 

I've never been to jail.  I've never visited anyone in jail or prison.  But, I watched my neighbor get taken down and arrested just a few Saturdays ago.  The funny thing is, I had decided that very day that I would invite my neighbor (Let's call him Bob) over that night to join the men from my Gospel Community at my house for some basketball and hang-out time.  I walk outside on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and he's getting arrested! (Well, taken down by the deputy, punched in the neck, then arrested).  That didn't turn out so well. 

But, back to my desire to go to jail with the Story of God.  Today, the very day God put it on my heart to tell the Story of God in the jail, "Bob" called my house from jail and gave my wife his contact information, she prayed for him, and he expressed his desire to get some letters from us.  He says he'll be in for 18-24 months.  So, I believe I have a captive audience!  Inmates in the St Johns County Jail can get two 50-minute visits per week, and they are allowed to have "Religious Materials" mailed to them.  I am definitely going to pursue looking at The Story of God and Gospel Centered Life with "Bob."  I really don't know how I don't pray more.  Stuff like this always happens when I pray.  God is great, so I don't have to be in control!

photo by Funky64 (www.iltuocalendario.it)

Homecoming & Satisfaction

Homecoming was bumpy.

I flew from Sea Tac to Dallas to catch a 2 hour layover there--only to discover that my flight back to Philly was delayed due to weather. By the time midnight hit (EDT) my head hit the pillow. So nice to be home.

Speaking of homecoming, my daughter got a text tonight from a friend. That friend wanted a boy she liked to ask her to homecoming. Instead, he asked someone else In addition to throwing up, or forcing herself to throw up (I'm not sure which), she passed out over the stress of it all.

I showed my girl the list of the 4Gs, which one do you think your friend needs to hear? She thought she needed number 3:

Because God is good, we don't need to seek satisfaction anywhere else.

My daughter's friend isn't the only one who needs to know that; I do.

Home and Forgetful

So we've made it home from Soma School, October, 2009, and I'm already afraid that I'll not be able to live out all the implications gathered from our experience in Tacoma.  I'm already failing to believe that God is Great, so I don't have to be in control.  I know we won't be perfect gospel/missional community leaders.  I know Jesus was perfect already.  Lord, help me in my unbelief.


I can't wait to have people over (this Sunday night!) to begin going through the Story Formed Way.  Pray for us, as we invite some friends over for some spirits, soda, snacks, and story.


-the Andersons (Zachary and Natasha)