Just had a wonderful lunch at VZD's. If you're not aware, it's located at on Western Ave. & 42nd Street. The cheeseburger and fries...good.
More importantly.
Made a new friend, Mike LaPrairie. He is a part of a wonderful community, OKC 1st Church of The Nazarene. Mike and his family moved to mid-town OKC in 2003. What I love about their move to mid-town is that they became ACTIVE, INVOLVED, INVESTED, AWARE.
He and I are in agreement that the future culture of OKC is already taking shape and it's being shaped from the inside out...from downtown and mid-town out. Mike, his family and friends are keeping, cultivating and creating culture.
On Sunday June 24th they will be handing out water to participants in the Gay Pride Parade that passes in front of their house each year. They will BBQ with neighbors and pass out water to those walking in the parade. Yes, a good, christian, church-going, straight family enjoying community with the Gay & Lesbian citizens of OKC.
It sounds like a Kingdom that Jesus came to announce was near and already among us.
It is not the church as an institution that engages and influences culture. It is the church, you and me!
Thanks Mike for BEING!
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I liked the talk we had at Kamps of how church is not our meeting together. When we go to church we meet in the community. That is going to church. The people in our community are our "building" they are our "location". Before Mars Hill, going to church used to be a building. Volunteering was something that was "extra" that was outside the church. Like an extra bonus to going to church. For Mars Hill, service in the community is church. This is the way it should be. This makes since. This softens my heart for people. Helping people is not a bonus activity it is essential to the life of a church.
I posted this but it put it under my moms name, weird.
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