B.L.E.S.S.
Everyday Rhythms
We will never be able to live out our identities as family, servants, and missionaries in one or two church events a week. It must involve everyday life. We need to see that life is the program, because people need to see what it means to follow Jesus in the everyday stuff of life.
Life has a normal rhythm. All people every-where are engaged in things that happen in rhythm—day in and day out. When we engage in these everyday rhythms with Jesus-centred, Spirit-led direction, mission can happen any time and everywhere, and anybody can be a part of it.
(Saturate Field Guide, p. 154)
Life has a normal rhythm. All people every-where are engaged in things that happen in rhythm—day in and day out. When we engage in these everyday rhythms with Jesus-centred, Spirit-led direction, mission can happen any time and everywhere, and anybody can be a part of it.
(Saturate Field Guide, p. 154)
BLESS
As followers of Jesus, we believe we’ve been blessed with unmerited favour and provision. We know that we have an eternal inheritance as co-heirs with Christ! So in the here and now, we see our own blessings as a way God intends to bless others. To “bless” means we intentionally display God’s grace through words, gifts, and actions. If we believe it's more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35), when someone around us has a need (however small!), we can interpret that as a little gift God is giving us, an opportunity to serve our neighbour. This can happen in the normal rhythm of the day. Going to the shops? Ask your neighbour if they need anything. Eating out with friends? Perhaps cover the bill. Ask the Spirit to show you who to bless and how to bless them. Listen, and then bless with words, actions, or gifts. There will be times when you'll be able to share that as a Jesus-follower, you don't feel the need to hold your money or possessions so tightly.
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LISTEN
We're always hearing. Everyday, there's lots of things being said that vie for our attention. But to whom or what should we really zone in on, so we don't just hear, but truly listen? As followers of Jesus, we're called to listen to God, and listen to others. Dwelling in the word, and dwelling in the world. Firstly, we ought to be intentional each day listening to God's truth, reading and recalling the Scriptures. When we make a space of silence where God's Word is the only voice we hear, we'll be well-equipped to interpret and converse with other voices in the noisy parts of the day (what we hear in the news, coworkers, classes). This leads us to the other half of listening - we listen to others. One of the greatest gifts we can give one another is a set of open ears and a closed mouth. Sure, there are times to speak, but are we willing to listen to one another? Before sharing God's truth on a situation, we must listen. Ask good questions so that your friend shares absolutely freely. In a culture of offence, we will stand out and share God's love simply by listening the other person into free speech.
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EAT
Something significant happens during a meal. We're sure you've experienced feeling like you've got to know someone at a different level after sharing a meal with them. A sense of shared need and unity. And yet how many of our meals each week are eaten alone? By inviting someone to join us for a meal, we display the love, provision and acceptance of God. (It was because Jesus ate with tax-collectors that he was called a friend of sinners.) The meal doesn't need to be fancy, (though it can be). Simply invite a church friend or an unbelieving friend over for breakfast, lunch or dinner, pray that God would help you see eating as a way to glorify him, and watch to see how Jesus shows up in the conversation. Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest...
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STORY
This one ties in with the "listen" rhythm. Everybody lives in light of a larger story. We are rehearsing these stories in our minds all of the time. The way we understand ourselves and the journey that brought us here will constantly come out in conversation in bits and pieces. A person's dominant story will significantly share their beliefs, behaviours, and everything else in their life. As followers of Jesus, we're called to make the Gospel story our dominant story. The Gospel isn't a side-quest or a minor detail in our life script. We're called to really get to know God's story, and to see how our story fits into his. Creation, Rebellion, Promise, Redemption, Church, Restoration. What about my life displays rebellion? What parts of our world desperately need redemption? If we have a feeling of discontent, how is that really a longing for the day of God's restoration? As we come to really believe that the Gospel is the dominant story, this will change the way we speak and act. It will also prompt us to take the time to ask about others' journeys, their growing up, and why they think things have panned out as they have. It's in this space that the Holy Spirit will work.
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SABBATH
When we say Sabbath, we mean rest and celebration. After God created the world, he rested on the seventh day, and he commanded his people Israel to do the same once a week. When God rescued them from Egypt, he commanded them to stop acting like slaves and take the pleasure of resting from work one day a week. It was often on these days that a huge festival or celebration would be held. God loves seeing us party, and truth be told, he wants to be the life of the party. When we strictly rest (sabbath) from work-related stresses and obligations for 24 hours every week, we preach to ourselves and those around us an important message. Our self-worth and provision comes from Jesus, and not our own efforts at productivity. And when we celebrate: when we host or attend a New Years party, or when we marvel at the trees as we bush walk with our kids, or when we savour that cup of coffee with friends, we can praise God out loud or in our hearts. For we know that in this kind of celebration, we gain a glimpse of what Jesus has won for us in the age to come. Taking a Sabbath doesn't sound so bad after all.
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WHAT IS GOSPEL INTENTIONALITY?
You might be wondering, what's so special about these things? This is nothing new. I do these rhythms everyday! And that's the whole point. Trusting Jesus, becoming more like Jesus, and displaying Jesus to others doesn't mean adding more things into your schedule! It's simply doing what you already do, but with a Gospel intentionality. What do we mean by Gospel intentionality? It means doing these regular everyday things but with the active awareness that your identity as a family of servant missionaries. In other words, we're moving towards living all of life in recognition of Jesus. We bless, listen, eat, story & sabbath as those who are loved by the Father, serving alongside Christ, and sent as missionaries by the Holy Spirit. This is Gospel intentionality.
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MORE RESOURCES FOR GOSPEL RHYTHMS