Embraced

Embraced
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 9
by Andrea Lingle

It was a late summer Sunday morning. All my kids had been delivered to their Sunday school classes at the Methodist church we attend.

My oldest was given his third grade Bible at the morning service. I showed him mine before we left for church. I took his picture. My second wore a dazzling, jeweled dress. Her golden blonde hair isn’t combed. Third-child-second-son has just moved out of the nursery area. He is both proud and nervous. I assure him that he will be fine. Baby wails as I close the door of the nursery.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleOctober 5, 2016The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, grace, missional community, Theme, Theme II, Andrea LingleComment

The Missional Family

The Missional Family
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 8
by Adam White

We were created for one another.

I believe that God’s missional desire for us as followers of Christ and sacred children of this earth is to enter into deeper loving relationships with one another.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteSeptember 28, 2016The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, missional community, grace, Adam White, Theme IIComment

A Hermaneutic...

A Hermeneutic of Perfecting Love
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 7
by Adam White

"...Are you going on to perfection? …Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?”

These are a couple of the questions each clergy answers in the United Methodist Church before becoming ordained.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteSeptember 21, 2016Adam White, Theme II, The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, grace, community, missional community, love, The Mystic Way of EvangelismComment

Receiving and Offering Grace...

Receiving and Offering Grace With One Another
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 6
by Adam White

Jesus Christ practiced radical hospitality.

What does it mean to practice “radical hospitality?”

For Christ and the disciples, it meant relying upon the hospitality of others to fulfill their service and missional life. Within three of the four Gospels, Christ givesauthority to the disciples and sends them out without means or resources, asking them to rely upon the hospitality of strangers to fulfill their mission (Matthew 10:6-16, Mark 6:6b-13, Luke 9:1-6).

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteSeptember 14, 2016Adam White, The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, missional community, grace, Theme II, hospitality, Bonhoeffer House, Epworth House, Epworth ProjectComment

Showing Up

Showing Up
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 5
by Adam White

We should never underestimate the power of showing up.

I serve at a local United Methodist Church in East Dallas and have the humble opportunity to lead different classes, studies, and programs. Every week there is a Wednesday Bible study where a group of around ten to twelve older adults come and engage in discussion around scripture.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteSeptember 7, 2016Theme II, The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, missional community, grace, Adam White, WesleyComment

Constant Communion

The Duty of Constant Communion
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 4
by Andrea Lingle

Whoever you are, wherever you are, and whenever you are will affect how you see the world. We live in a tribal world. We are white and black, gay and straight, male and female, religious and “none,” introvert and extrovert, “in a relationship” or single, coffee or tea, Instagram or Reddit. We are a diverse species and we all fear invisibility, so we draw lines around ourselves. This is me. These are mine. This is what I believe.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleAugust 31, 2016The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, missional community, grace, Longing for Spring, Andrea Lingle, communion, missional livingComment

Logical

Logical
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 3
by Andrea Lingle

Have you ever done a logic puzzle? You get a list of clues, make a grid, and figure out, through astounding feats of intellect and crossing off of boxes, who sat next to whom and what color shirt they had on and what they ate.

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAndrea LingleAugust 24, 2016Theme II, Andrea Lingle, The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, missional community, grace, missional livingComment

Words

Words
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 2
by Andrea Lingle

I am fascinated by words. Specifically names. If you have ever read a decent fantasy novel, you will have a firm grasp of how important names are. Names give you power over a thing. You should never tell anyone your true name, or they will have power over you. If you know a thing, you will know its name. Good stuff.

Wisdom for the Way, DevotionalAndrea LingleAugust 17, 2016Wesley, Andrea Lingle, Theme II, missional community, The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, grace, missional, community, Prevenient GraceComment

What Does "Missional" Mean?

What Does "Missional" Mean?
The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, Week 1
by Adam White

What does it mean to be "missional" as we live out our faith?

Devotional, Wisdom for the WayAdam WhiteAugust 10, 2016missional, missional community, What Does Missional Mean?, The Missional Community as a Means of Grace, grace, Theme II, Adam White, Wesley, missional livingComment