7.26.2006

The Big Body of Christ

I don't know much about the Church of God denomination. I don't have friends in it, have never been to a Church of God church and couldn't tell you the location of the nearest one. However, this morning I spoke at the Anaheim Convention Center to over 1,200 Church of God youth workers at a massive Church of God youth convention. Every-other year, they host the 'International Youth Convention' that attracts about 6,000 Church of God students. To encourage youth workers, they run a small convention within a convention geared just for the adults. I was asked to speak in the general session this morning. Let me tell you...God is alive and well within the Church of God (good thing since it bears his name!). The room was packed with adults, some paid but most volunteer, who are making a huge impact in their ministries.

I love the fact that the body of Christ is a big, diverse, unique and complex entity. God's spirit is at work in places and through people all over the globe. It's so easy to get caught up in our 'little bubble' of ministry and 1) assume that not much is happening that we don't know about or 2) assume that everybody views their faith through lenses similar to our own.

Today I was reminded that both are poor assumptions.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of Course God is alive and well in the church of God.
They have the Gaithers and Sandi Patty

Anonymous said...

This comment comes slow because I took my group to Mexico to work with Amor and I just got back into the office.

Kurt, thanks for coming to the convention. Your wisdom and perspecitive were encouraging and enlightening. I was so happy to look down the row and see my volunteers glued to what you were talking about. You made an impact on people who go and impact. There's a lot of John Millers out there-a few were with me.

Although I grew up on Bill and Gloria, I would much rather hear someone else's rendition, like Sonic Flood just to name one.

peace.

Anonymous said...

this comes late because after the convetion I took my group to Mexico to work with Amor Ministries and I'm now just back in the office.

Kurt,
Thanks for coming to conveion. Your wisdom and perspective was encouraging and enlightening. I was so happy to look down the row and see my volunteers glued to your words. You made an impact on those that will go and make an impact. There were a few John Miller's with me.

Although I grew up on Bill & Gloria I would rather hear someone elses rendition, like Sonic Floods a few years ago.


- Your first Church of God friend

Anonymous said...

oops could you delete one of those? [I think I like the second ending better :)]