Some questions to ponder

Chapter 3: God has a Dream

“ It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;” Acts 1: 7-8

Dave Daubert reminds us that God has a dream. God started to build that dream in creation, and God continues to work on that dream throughout all human history (p. 26). Jesus referred to God’s dream as the “kingdom of God”. We cannot know everything about this kingdom, but we can prayerfully seek to live into God’s dream as a congregation.

God is not finished with this world. According to Dr. Walt Bouman, God’s dream has already happened in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. We have been promised the kingdom, and the kingdom breaks into our world all the time.
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer we say “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. We are praying for radical transformation in our world. We are urging God to finish the work – to let God’s love rule. To have peace and justice and mercy reign once and for all. (p.29) Life can only be lived forward, says Daubert, faithfully praying for a radically new future because that is what Jesus was committed to.

God’s work and God’s dream will always be bigger than the church. God’s work will always include doing things that surprise even those who seem to have the deepest faith. (p.32) God’s dream excludes no one. How are we as a congregation welcoming all people into our midst? How are we as a congregation reaching out to serve all people?

Vocalist and guitarist, Peter Mayer sings “God Is Loose in the World”, a song full of energy. Mayer reminds us that God is everywhere! The song tells us if we want to know what God is up to we need to go beyond our personal boundaries, God is active 24/7 and “even when church buildings are empty and the lights are off, God is busy doing all sorts of things”. What is God doing here at Halfway Creek?

Initial Thoughts?

What are your initial reactions to what you've read so far?

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