Sunday, June 22, 2008

Week 3 Update

We are really starting to see the potential effect that we can have here in Vail now that everyone is employed. Our largest and most targeted mission field is our workplace, so relationships with co-workers are huge. The 42 of us are spread throughout the valley, and the hope is that in each of these places, we can start small spiritual movements that will last after we are gone. We do this by getting involved in the lives of others and showing them Christ in an authentic and real way. While this is going on, a few people from the same workplace are beginning to meet in small groups to study the Bible, with the intent of bringing their co-workers into the fold as they go along.

This weekend, we had a refreshing men’s weekend out at a campsite near Eagle, CO. It was a good time of vision casting and for growing together as a group of guys. In the higher elevations, there were still 3 or more feet of snow for us to traverse through on our day hike to a lake in the forest, and a few guys also checked out a nearby cave. The women also enjoyed their weekend growing together in the outdoors.

It’s crazy to think that staff will be leaving and turning to project over to students in just a week and a half on July 3rd. That will also be the halfway point for project. After they are gone, we will still have the staff over at The Vail Church to assist us as needed. Both groups have been great mentors to me and others throughout the first month of the project.

A huge part of this project has been training and growth for the individual. So far, I am learning how to...

1. lead well and follow well. These are two things that can be difficult for me, and that require humility and rejoicing in your weaknesses while using your strengths.

2. orient myself to the Spirit and walk in the light and life He gives.

3. give grace to others and accept grace from others and God.

More later,

Allen

Check out the free summer concert series, which draws thousands to Vail each Tuesday.

Listen to theRide, a band with a fresh sound whose members are involved in local churches.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Teva Games















This weekend was a great opportunity for us to come together as a group and get some real experience talking with strangers, as Vail came to life with the Teva Mountain Games right in our backyard. What you see in the picture is what I saw all day yesterday as a volunteer at the games, where a few of us ran a feed station for some mountain bike races. There were hundreds of riders that competed in races ranging from beginner to professional skill level, and we got to interact with them up close.

It's amazing to see what people can do when they train hard and put their all into an competing in an event. Being around all of these elite athletes reminded me that we are to train the same way for the gospel and in our walks with Christ. Philippains 1:27 tells us to "strive side by side for the gospel". Hebrews 12 and 1 Cor. 9 tell us to "run with endurance" and "run that we might obtain the prize". Seeing these guys and gals in such top shape reminded me of the mindset that I should have towards becoming like Christ, so that I can honestly say with Paul that "I press on to make it my own, since Christ has made me His own."

Jobs should start for most of us this week, and that is the place where most of our ministry should occur over the summer. With over 40 of us spread through the Valley, we are hoping that we can experience change within ourselves and see change in our co-workers as we try to fulfill our call to be lights to the world. There will probably be some challenges along the way, but that's when our "striving" and "endurance" should kick in. It's my prayer that it does.

Allen

Check out
the Teva Mountain Games
See where we attend church and have our weekly gatherings

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Humility and the inaugural weekly meeting

So I started reading Humility by Andrew Murray since I've been on project, and it has opened my eyes to the importance of humility in our walk with Christ. It's a small book and a quick read, but I have decided to take it at a chapter a day that I might digest it and retain it more permanently.

I have heard a few good definitions of the word before, such as, "humility is not thinking less of yourself, its thinking of yourself less"; a solid definition, but perhaps not complete. The definition works decently in the context of my relationship with other humans, but it lacks in describing my relationship with God. For when I view myself in light of Him, I must realize that I am nothing. Check out Philippians 2:5-11.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Yikes.

Check out how Jesus "made himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant". This is the mind that we are supposed to have. And its the mind that we must have if we want to imitate Christ as much as possible. Murray has rightly made much of the element of humility in our walk with God, and He says it much more eloquently than I ever could. And Jesus says it more eloquently than him.

On the project front, things are just starting to get rolling. The Teva Mountain Games kicked off tonight, and our next few days will be consumed meeting these elite outdoor athletes and just shining our light on them. This weekend, the valley will be crowded more than ever, so obviously its a strategic time for us.

Tonight, we had our first weekly meeting as a community. These are going to happen each Thursday night, and will include some testimonies about what we see God doing as well as a praise and worship time. As a "worship leader" back home, it was pretty refreshing to get to approach God in song myself, without a mic and without being up front. It felt about 10 times more intimate. The night wrapped up with us breaking into groups and discussing issues that can help us grow as people and in our relationship with God (my group discussed stewardship). This time seems like it could be pretty beneficial to us each week, as we seek to grow as Jesus did, "in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man".

That's it for tonight. We continue to pray for our job situations, our growth as a community, and our impact on the Vail valley. Join in if you like, and check out the blogs of the other guys for more insight. A couple of them are linked on the right hand side of the page.

Growing up in Him,

Allen

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

From Vail Summer Project

The cross country trip to Vail for summer project has finally concluded in success. After Jared and I left Fayetteville last Saturday, we traveled through Dallas, TX, where we stayed a few days with my aunt. Then we drove up through Kansas and into Denver. Since project didn't start until May 31, Jared and I had the opportunity to explore Vail for a few days, which pretty much consisted of looking for jobs and camping on a ridge overlooking the valley. Not bad.

Project officially got underway on Saturday, and we dove headfirst into a sense of community that is only going to continue to grow stronger and the weeks go on. The goal of our transplanted community is to start spiritual movements in the Vail valley, as each individual grows up in their abilities and up in Christ. The ministry philosophy is to make things as real life as possible, which means being real with the people we meet on the job or around the town, and just shining the light of Christ into their lives. This may seem like we are not being intentional, but in fact it is the opposite; we are meeting people where they are at and showing them a new and better way.

I created this blog to give an account about what is going on here in Vail. It isn't meant to be exhaustive, but instead its just a place to extend to the reader my thoughts about what I see, what I do, and how I am growing. Jared will also be a contributor to this blog and will give his own take about what's going on in Vail. At some point, I will be linking to the blogs of others here on project so that you might gain more insight into our community.

So enjoy. Read, comment, and maybe even learn something, as we share how we are growing here in Vail. Interactions from friends and strangers alike are desirable to us to build us up and to guide us. We would love for you to be a part of this community and in some ways journey with us.

I conclude with the verse that is the namesake of this blog. It is my constant prayer for this project, the Vail community, and for myself:

"And it is my prayer thatyour love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."
Philippians 1:9-11

Thanks for reading,

Allen

Currently Reading:
Philippians/Galatians
Humility by Andrew Murray