cpx update!

i just realized that we just wrapped up day 6 of the 9-day cpx (church planting experience) training we are putting on in delhi, and i've barely even mentioned it.

there are about 20 of us participating, and we've had a great time so far. each morning, we separate out into guys and girls and basically do a simple church service together. we start by thanking God for how he is moving, sharing needs and praying for one another, and sharing what we are learning and how it is applying to our life, then moving in to studying a scripture passage together, and ending with a time of praying for opportunities to share this truth with people.

today, we looked at the beatitudes.

"you're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. with less of you there is more of God and his rule.
you're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you..."
-matthew 5:3-4 (the message)

and it goes on to some other really good stuff. a friend of mine gave a talk on these a couple of years ago now, and it really put jesus's words into perspective for me. that these words were absolutely provocative. that this kingdom of God includes people that they would have never thought would be included, and even blessed. that there are no curses to go alongside the blessings. this is good news, friends. that all the people we still look at as outsiders are included in God's kingdom, and are even under his blessing...good news for the sick, for the suicidal, for the family of cancer patients, for orphans, for the infertile, for the depressed, for the prison inmates, for the lonely, for the unpopular. for you. for me. and basically, for anyone we ever have and ever will meet.

and i just think...wow. God is doing something way, way, way more beautiful than i could have ever imagined, even now.

ruffin and i are really thankful to get to be a part of this group, to get to know these people, to see the dreams God has placed in their hearts, and hopefully they are gaining some of the tools to go with jesus and to start to do these dreams. we've been learning a lot about storytelling, about the commands of jesus and what the earliest forms of church looked like, and about sharing jesus in a culturally relevant way. more than anything, i love hearing people speak about the places and people they are passionate about. i love that God gives us these awesome desires and the excitement to see them through. i love that some of ruffin and i's dreams have brought us here to india, and i get so pumped thinking about where some of our dreams will take us in the future!